Born near Utrecht, The Netherlands as Isabella Agneta Elisabeth van Tuyll van Serooskerken. In the Netherlands she is also known as Belle van Zuylen or Belle de Zuylen. Her parents gave her a much better education than was usual for a girl in that time. She married Charles-Emmanuel de Charrière de Penthaz in 1771 and lived the latter half of her life in Switzerland. She is now best known for her letters although she also wrote novels, pamphlets, music and plays.