12. Madame Claude: Paris’s Underworld Madam
Madame Claude, born Fernande Grudet, built an exclusive prostitution empire in postwar Paris, catering to the city’s elite, from politicians to movie stars. Her sophisticated approach and powerful connections shielded her operations for years, making her a legend in the French underworld. However, mounting legal troubles and shifting social tides eventually led to her dramatic downfall, exposing the secrets of Paris’s most glamorous circles.
