Podcast: Intimate look at the life of a Swiss madam in "Yvonne, itinéraire d’une proxénète"

A new podcast from RTS, "Yvonne, itinéraire d’une proxénète," delves into the extraordinary life of Marthe Bouchet, known as Madame Yvonne. A journalist for the Swiss broadcaster, Raphaële Bouchet, uncovered this hidden family history: Yvonne was her great-grandfather's sister, a "black sheep" no one in the family ever discussed.

The podcast's five episodes trace Yvonne's journey from a young widow during World War I to a powerful madam in 1920s Paris. She managed a prostitution network from a Parisian mansion, catering to diplomats, politicians, and artists with discreet "companions."

Through a blend of personal memories, archival research, and insights from historians and sociologists, the series gradually reveals Yvonne's character. The narrative paints a picture of a woman with a keen business sense, often seen in feathered hats, who navigated between Swiss bourgeoisie and the clandestine world of brothels, scandal, and taboo subjects.