Frenchwoman Alexandra David-Nel, nicknamed “Woman with Wind Soles”, is one of the great explorers of the 20th century. A reckless and indefatigable traveler, he died in 1969 at the age of almost 101. Photo of the town of Din-les-Bains
A former opera singer, writer and orientalist, the fiery explorer was the first European to enter the Forbidden City of Lhasa in 1924. Story told by Virginia Giraud*.
Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, looks like a white castle clinging to the slopes of the Himalayas at an altitude of 4,200 meters above sea level. In 1924, French explorer Alexandra David-Nel stood at his feet. He is 55 years old, his face is smeared with soot and he wears a mustache like a modest Tibetan. He has no right to be there, but he doesn’t care much about the regulations given by the English colonists. This stolen moment in front of the Potala Palace, where he paints his picture, is the culmination of a journey undertaken thirteen years ago…
Alexandra, christened Louise David, was born in Saint-Mande in 1868. His education, which began in a Catholic school and ended in a Protestant institution, gave him some openness in religious matters. Since adolescence, he wants to believe in something divine, but neither the Bible, nor the Torah, nor the Koran fully satisfy him.
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From lyric song to monasteries
After her first career as an opera singer, Alexandra David married engineer Philippe Nell in Tunisia. But at the age of 36, middle-class life bores him. He consults books on the Far East and Buddhism. He became interested in Asian culture after his travels in Tonkin. In 1911, Philip, as a modern husband, agreed that his wife should go alone on a long exploratory journey from India to China. The real life of the explorer begins when he is 43 years old.
He was first introduced to Buddhist philosophy in the monasteries of Sikkim. His friendship with the prince of this small mountain country allows him to meet XIIIe Dalai Lama. She is the first white woman to be officially introduced to him.
Discovering Tibet
After almost two years of retreat in a cave in the company of a hermit, Alexandra nurtures a project to go to Tibet. China considers this country as its backyard, and the British, who control neighboring Sikkim, forbid entry, fearing that another European colonial power will occupy it. But with the connivance of a Sikkimese prince, Alexandra makes her first journey to the Tibetan highlands. The magnificent nature dazzles him, and soon the explorer only dreams of the forbidden city of Lhasa, the spiritual capital of Buddhism.
Back in Sikkim, Alexandra is expelled by the British. He would return to Tibet seven years later disguised as a Tibetan beggar accompanied by his son; this young man, Yongden, is a lama she met in Sikkim, whom she considers the child she never had. Entering the forbidden city of Lhasa is a shock for Alexandra. The explorer was expecting a temple town… He discovers a trading town. Despite his disappointment, he stayed there for two months and then descended the Himalayas over Sikkim.
Alexandra David-Nell in Tibetan costume with Lama Affur Yongden, whom she considers her son and will eventually adopt. Image by Ullstein via Getty Images
Alexandra David-Nell presents herself to the English authorities of the country with her wrists out. He wants to be arrested for entering Lhasa illegally. But he just gets kicked out a second time. Returning to France after a tour of fourteen years, he publishes A Parisian’s Journey to Lhasa. This bookstore success earned him entry into the pantheon of great Western explorers.
* Virginia Giraud holds a doctorate in history. Find him on the podcast At the heart of the story From Europe 1 Studio, on your favorite listening platform.
Source: Le Figaro
