[3] In the 1830s de Laborde became a mistress of French writer Prosper Merimee and had a strong influence on his work, in particular on creation of his characters from Colomba and Carmen.

[5] Merimee first met de Laborde in 1830, and being fascinated with her beauty and wit he started a courtship that lasted for six years until 16 February 1836 when she became his mistress.

[6] In the early 1850s she broke up with Merimee to become a mistress of another French writer Maxime du Camp,[7] but soon left him for the politician Charles de Remusat.

[2] De Laborde inspired Gustave Flaubert to create the character of Madame Dambreuse in his L’éducation sentimentale.

[8] Under the Second French Empire, de Laborde became a part of the entourage of the Empress Eugenie and held an eminent social position until her death.