Claude Sarraute (July 24, 1927 – June 20, 2023) was a prominent French writer, journalist, and columnist best known for her contributions to Le Monde. A recognizable figure in French media, she was a long-time panelist on the popular comedic radio program Les Grosses Têtes from 1984 until 1995, and again from 2014 until her passing. Born to lawyer and novelist Nathalie Sarraute and lawyer Raymond Sarraute, Claude's literary lineage was evident from an early age.
Her personal life included three marriages; her first was to American journalist Stanley Karnow from 1948 to 1955. In 1957, she wed doctor Christophe Tzara, son of the renowned Dada poet Tristan Tzara, with whom she had two sons, Laurent and Martin, before their divorce in 1966. She later married philosopher Jean-François Revel in 1967, with whom she had a daughter, Véronique, and a son, Nicolas Revel, who served as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Jean Castex.
During World War II, while her mother and sisters fled Paris due to Vichy France's anti-Jewish laws, Claude remained with her father in the city. Following the war, she briefly pursued acting, appearing in avant-garde theater, before embarking on her distinguished journalism career in the early 1950s. Claude Sarraute passed away in the 4th arrondissement of Paris at the age of 95, leaving behind a rich legacy in French literature and media.
