Top 10 Interesting Facts about Charles Perrault (2025)

Charles Perrault was an iconic French author and member of the Academie Francaise also known as the French Academy. He was born on 12th January 1628 in Paris, France to a wealthy bourgeois family. Charles was the seventh child of Pierre Perrault and Paquette Le Clerc.

Charles Perrault attended very good schools and even studied law before he embarked on a career in government service. He followed in the footsteps of his father and elder brother Jean in the government service. Charles laid the foundation for the literary genre, the fairy tale with his works derived from earlier folk tales.

These stories were published in his 1697 book “Stories or Tales from Past Times”. Some of the best-known tales by Charles Perrault include Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard. Some versions of Perrault’s old storied influenced the German versions published by the Brothers Grimm.

Their publishing took place more than one hundred years later. These stories are continuously being printed and have adapted to most entertainment formats like modern-day animations. Charles Perrault was the leader of the Modern faction during the Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns and has been an influential figure in the 17th-century French literary scene.

Here are the Top 10 Interesting Facts about Charles Perrault:

1. Charles was born into a Wealthy Family

On 12th January 1628, Charles Perrault was born in Paris, France. He was the seventh child born into a wealthy bourgeois family. His parents were Pierre Perrault and Paquette Le Clerc.

The bourgeois family is a sociologically defined social class which is equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguishable from the proletariat by their affluence and great cultural and financial capital.

2. He Attended very Good Schools and Studied Law

Being born into a wealthy family, Charles Perrault got the best education in Paris. He studied in very good schools in Paris and got the best knowledge. Charles Perrault also studied law after high school.

He embarked on a career in government service. Charles followed the footsteps of his father and his elder brother Jean Perrault in the career of government service.

3. Charles took Part in the Creation of the Academy of Sciences

After his education in law, Charles Perrault became active in several government-related issues. He even took part in the creation of the Academy of Sciences. He also helped in the restoration of the Academy of Painting.

In 1654, Charles Perrault decided to move in with his brother Pierre. Pierre had purchased the position of chief tax collector of the city of Paris.

4. Perrault was Appointed Secretary of the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres

In 1663, the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres was founded. Charles Perrault was appointed to a top post in this institution. He was appointed as the secretary and served under Jean Baptiste Colbert, who was the finance minister to King Louis XIV.

Charles was not the only appointee as Jean Chapelain, Amable de Bourzeys and Jacques Cassage who was the King’s librarian were appointed.

5. Charles Advised Louis XIV to 39 Fountains in the Gardens of Versailles

Perrault continued to be an influential figure in the government during his era. He was so close to Louis XIV and used this opportunity to make major environmental changes.

In 1669, he advised Louis XIV to include 39 fountains with each representing one of the fables of Aesop in the labyrinth of Versailles in the gardens of Versailles. This work took five years to complete.

Water jets were spurting from the mouths of the animals which gave an impression of speech between the creatures. A plaque with a caption written by poet Isaac de Benserade was next to each fountain.

6. He was Forced into Retirement at the Age of 56

At the age of fifty-six in 1682, Charles Perrault was forced into early retirement. Colbert had forced Charles into retirement and his tasks were handed over to his son, Jules-Armand.

After the death of Colbert, Charles stopped receiving his pension as a writer. A bitter rival of Colbert succeeded him and removed Charles from all other appointments.

7. Charles decided to Write Epic Poetry and be Devoted to Christianity

After being forced to retire and removed from other appointments, Charles Perrault decided to begin a new chapter in life. In 1686, he decided to write epic poetry to show his genuine devotion to Christianity.

Charles Perrault wrote Saint Paulin (St Paulinus Bishop of Nola about Paulinus of Nola). He became a target of mockery by Nicolas Boileau-Despereaux.

8. He Wrote Popular Children’s Stories including Cinderella

In 1695 at the age of 67, Charles Perrault decided to dedicate himself to his children and published several children’s stories. Charles laid the foundations for a new literary genre known as the fairy tale. His works were derived from earlier folk tales book, Stories or Tales from Past Times.

Some of his renowned and best tales include Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Bluebeard. These fairy tales have been passed over through generations with some of them remaining in their original versions.

9. Some Versions of Charles’s Stories were Published by the Brothers Grimm

The work of Charles Perrault became a huge influence on several people across the world. The old versions of his stories influenced the German versions published by the Brothers Grimm. This happened more than 100 years later.

These stories are continuously printed and have also been adapted into most entertainment formats.

10. Google Honoured Charles with a Doodle in 2016

Charles Perrault left a great legacy which has been passed through several decades. He died on 16th May 1703 at the age of seventy-five. His memories have never been forgotten as they keep on rewriting themselves on various platforms.

On 12th January 2016, Google honoured Charles with a Doodle by artist Sophie Diao. This doodle depicted characters from the Tales of Mother Goose.

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