Birth of Marie Marvingt

Marie Félicie Élisabeth Marvingt was born on 20 February 1875 in Aurillac, in the Cantal department of France. Her family soon moved to Metz, where her father actively encouraged her sporting pursuits and outdoor education, an unusual stance toward a daughter in late 19th‑century France.

Growing up in a society that constrained women’s physical activity and public roles, Marvingt’s childhood environment gave her space to experiment with endurance sports, swimming, cycling, and mountaineering. This foundation would prove crucial to her later breakthroughs as a multi‑disciplinary athlete, mountaineer, balloonist, aviator, journalist, and surgical nurse.

The precise recording of her birth time and place in official notices underlines how she later became a nationally recognized figure. From this starting point, she went on to challenge gender norms in almost every domain she entered—climbing major Alpine peaks, completing the Tour de France route, setting aviation records, and designing air‑ambulance aircraft. Her birth in Aurillac thus marks the beginning of a life that would profoundly shape early 20th‑century debates around women’s capabilities in sport, military service, and technology.