Camille du Gast
French racing driver (1868-1942)
- Born
- 30 May 1868, Paris
- Died
- 24 April 1942, Paris
- Citizenship
- France
- Sport
- shooting sports, auto racing, powerboating, equestrian sport
- Occupation
- nurse, fencer, balloonist, racing automobile driver, explorer
Camille du Gast (Marie Marthe Camille Desinge du Gast, Camille Crespin du Gast, 30 May 1868 – 24 April 1942) was one of a trio of pioneering French female motoring celebrities of the Belle Époque, together with Hélène de Rothschild (Baroness Hélène van Zuylen) and Anne de Rochechouart de Mortemart, the Duchess of Uzès.
Du Gast was known as one of the richest and most accomplished widows in France due to her many achievements. She was an accomplished sportswoman—a balloonist, parachute jumper, fencer, tobogganist, skier, rifle and pistol shot, horse trainer—as well as a concert pianist and singer. She was the second woman to compete in an international motor race.
In France, she later became renowned for her extensive charity work. She was president of the Société protectrice des animaux (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, SPA) until her death, and her campaign against bullfighting included disruptive direct action protests. She provided health-care to disadvantaged women and children in Paris, and continued whilst under German occupation in World War II.
Competitions
| Competition | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Paris–Madrid race |
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q2935120 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.