She was married to the prominent Laotian politician Souvanna Phouma from 1933 until their divorce in 1969, and she is thought to have been a major influence during his years as prime minister.

Her father was Numa Prosper Allard, a French civil servant who served as the president of Laos' chamber of commerce and agriculture.

[2] From 1957 to 1959, she worked as an advisor to the Assembly of the French Union, and she also led Laotian delegations to various United Nations bodies throughout her career.

[2] In 1933, Allard married Souvanna Phouma, a powerful Laotian politician who served several stints as prime minister between 1951 and 1975.

[1] She died of a heart attack in 1977 on the Île de Ré, off France's Atlantic coast, where she had a summer home.