Magdeleine Goüin, ''countess Bernard de Ganay'' (2 March 1901 – 30 June 1949) was a French racing driver and philanthropist.

Early life

Goüin was born 2 March 1901 in the 8th arrondissement of

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. She was a daughter of Édouard Goüin and Suzanne du Buit (future countess of Segur-Lamoignon), and the sister of Henry Goüin, president of the Fondation Royaumont.

Career

As a racing driver, Goüin won the

Rallye Paris – Saint-Raphaël Féminin The Rallye Paris – Saint-Raphaël Féminin was a Rallying, car rally in France exclusively for female participants. It was held over a 45-year period beginning in 1929 with a hiatus during World War II. The race was typically scheduled for the ...

in 1930 at the wheel of a Renault Reinastella type RM. She finished second the following year at the Rally Paris-Amsterdam behind Suzanne Deutsch de La Meurthe. She became vice-president of the Automobile Club féminin de France, which was presided over at the time by

Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart Anne de Rochechouart (''Marie Adrienne Anne Victurnienne Clémentine''; 10 February 1847 – 3 February 1933), was a wealthy French aristocrat. She inherited a large fortune from her great-grandmother, the founder of the Veuve Clicquot Champagne ...

Philanthropy

Goüin established and hosted "“The Rosy”, a charity

tea party A tea party is a social gathering event, typically held in the afternoon, featuring the consumption of tea and light refreshments. Social tea drinking rituals are observed in many cultures worldwide, both historically and in the present day. A ...

which raised funds for the work of Visiting Nurses of France (founded by her mother-in-law the Marquise de Ganay) and the dispensary of the Nelly-Martyl Foundation of the rue de Belleville. The tea parties were often held in luxury hotels, like the

Hotel George V Four Seasons Hotel George V ( ) is a luxury hotel on avenue George V in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. It has some of the most expensive hotel suites in France. History The Hotel George V, named for King George V of the United Kingdom, opene ...

in Paris.

Personal life

In 1919, she married Count Bernard de Ganay, president of Polos de France, son of the Marquis Jean de Ganay and Berthe de Béhague and grandson of Etienne, Marquis de Ganay. She died on 30 June 1949 in

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

, Morocco, age 48. Her granddaughter Christine de Ganay was first married to Pal Sarkozy, and then to

Frank G. Wisner Frank George Wisner II (July 2, 1938 – February 24, 2025) was an American businessman and diplomat who served as United States Secretary of State following the resignation of the previous acting United States Secretary of State Arnold Kanter ...

. Goüin’s great-grandchildren include

Olivier Sarkozy Pierre Olivier Sarközy de Nagy-Bocsa (born 26 May 1969) is a French banker based in the United States. His half-brother is Nicolas Sarkozy, the former President of France. Early life Sarkozy was born to Pál István Ernő Sárközy de Nagy-B� ...

.de Ganay family on the site ghyka.org
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gouin, Magdeleine 1901 births 1949 deaths Racing drivers from Paris French racing drivers French female racing drivers 20th-century French philanthropists French women philanthropists 20th-century French sportswomen