Paris - France
The French National Library, BnF, launched a donation campaign to raise 500,000 euros with the aim of acquiring an exceptional manuscript dating back to the beginning of the sixteenth century, which France has classified as a “national treasure.” The manuscript is the only known copy of the books “Teachings to her Daughter” and “History of the Siege of Brest,” which Anne de France wrote for her daughter, Suzanne de Bourbon.

A book from mother to daughter

Anne de France, daughter of King Louis The manuscript itself was Susan's personal book, and it still bears her logo and name on its binding.

112 sheets and 20 miniatures

The manuscript, made of vellum, consists of 112 pages and includes 20 miniatures, including three full-page panels. The French Committee for National Treasures has described it as a very important historical source, not only for its literary value, but also for what it reveals about the arts of gilding and bookmaking in Lyon during the Renaissance. The decision to consider it a national treasure was issued on August 27, 2025 after refusing to allow it to be exported from France.

A manuscript that researchers thought was lost
As for his story, it may be more interesting than its content. It moved from the library of the Bourbons to the library of Chancellor Pierre Séguier, then the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, before disappearing and later appearing in St. Petersburg, then returning to private hands in France. For years, specialists believed that he was permanently lost.

From warehouse to cultural experience

If the campaign is successful, the manuscript will become available to researchers, and BnF intends to restore its binding and make it available to the public, with the possibility of displaying and digitizing it. Here the purchasing process goes beyond the limits of preserving an old book; It adds a rare piece to the cultural product that makes Paris's libraries and museums stand-alone destinations for the history-seeking traveler.