Jeanne Baret

**Jeanne Baret** (; 27 July 1740 – 5 August 1807, also spelled Barré or Barret) was a French explorer. She was the first woman to travel around the world. She was a botanist. Her trip was from 1766-1769.

## Early life and career

Jeanne Baret was born on July 27,1740.She was born in France. Her family wasn’t wealthy. She learned a lot about botany from a young age. She knew a lot about plants.

She worked for Philibert Commerson. Commerson was a botanist. He studied medicine, natural history and botany.

Baret and Commerson also had a relationship. They never married. They had a son. He was adopted by another family.

## Voyage

Commerson agreed to join a voyage around the world. The expedition was led by Louis de Bougainville.  Commerson was the botanist. Baret went with him. Women were not allowed to be on ships at that time. She disguised herself as a man. She took a job as his cabin boy. She called herself "Jean" Baret.

### Reason for Voyage

France was looking for territory and trade at that time. The king funded the around the world trip. The two ships were the Boudeuse and the Etoile. Commerson and Baret were on the Etoile.

### Aboard the Etoile

Commerson was often sick. Jeanne tended to him. She helped him with his work. The trip set off from Nates, France and stopped at Montevideo, Uruguay. They went from Uruguay to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They went to Tahiti after Brazil. Bougainville named the island of Tahiti New Cythera. Baret revealed her true identity at Tahiti. She revealed that she was a woman. Bougainville let her stay on board for the rest of the trip. They sailed to New Ireland in Papua New Guinea after Tahiti. They went to Mauritius after New Ireland. Commerson and Jeanne stayed in Mauritius.

### Botanist Work

Commerson and Baret made many accomplishments in botany. They collected and observed many plants. Baret discovered a new kind of vine with pink and purple flowers. She named that plant Bougainvillea. She named the plant after the commander of the voyage.

## Later Years

Commerson and Jeanne stayed in Mauritius. Commerson died in 1773. Baret met a man called Jean Dubernet. They married in May of 1774. They moved back to France to Saint-Aulaye around 1774 or 1775. She completed her journey around the world. Baret died in Saint-Aulaye. She died on August 5, 1807.

## Legacy

Jeanne Baret accomplished a lot of things in her life. She was the first woman to circumnavigate the globe. She and Commerson collected and recorded over 6000 plant species. A type of plant was named in her honor (solanum baretiae) in 2012. It was 245 years after her voyage.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Jeanne Baret
- **image**: Jeanne Barret.jpg
- **caption**: Allegorical portrait of Jeanne Baret dressed as a sailor, dating from 1817, after her death.
- **birth date**: 27 July 1740
- **birth place**: La Comelle, Burgundy, Kingdom of France, France
- **death place**: Saint-Antoine de Breuilh, Dordogne, First French Empire, France
- **nationality**: French
- **other names**: Jean Baret, Jeanne de Bonnefoi, Jeanne Barré
- **occupation**: housekeeper, valet, botanist, tavern-keeper
- **partner**: Philibert Commerson (1760s–1773)
- **spouse**: Jean Dubernat (1774–1807)