Colette books in order
French novelist
- Lived
- 1873–1954
- Country
- France
- Books
- 47
- Also writes as
- Colette Pavic, Colette Willy
Colette published 34 novels, 4 novellas, 2 short story collections, 4 non-fiction books, 1 play and 2 other books, beginning with The Vagabond (1910). The best-known is Gigi (1944).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Colette
Start here
Gigi
Colette's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Claudine at School (1900)
Claudine in Paris (1901)
Sept Dialogues De Bêtes (1905)
Ingenue Libertine (1909)
The Vagabond (1910)
Claudine Married (1912)
Chéri (1920)
The House of Claudine (1922)
The Last of Chéri (1926)
La Seconde (1929)
The Other One (1931)
The Pure and the Impure (1932)
La Chatte (1933)
Duo (Oct 1934)
Bella-Vista (1937)
Chance Acquaintances And, Julie De Carneilhan (1940)
Gigi (1944)
Belles Saisons (1947)
Creatures Great and Small (1951)
Short Novels (1951)
My Mother's House (1953)
My Mother's House And, Sido (1953)
Ripening Seed (1955)
Claudine (1958)
Earthly Paradise (1966)
The Captive (1970)
Cheri & Last of Cheri (1973)
Cheri and the Last of Cheri (1976)
The Shackle (1976)
Retreat from Love (1980)
Colette Complete Claudine (1984)
Gigi and the Cat (1987)
Cherie and The Last of Cherie (1995)
Duo and Le Toutounier (Peter Owen Modern Classic) (2001)
Novellas in order
Mitsou (1919)
Green Wheat (1923)
Break of Day (1961)
The Other Woman (1971)
Short story collections in order
The Tendrils of the Vine (1908)
The Collected Stories of Colette (1983)
Non-fiction in order
Looking Backwards (1941)
My Apprenticeships (1957)
The Evening Star (1973)
Letters from Colette (1980)
Plays in order
Colette at the Movies (1980)
Other books in order
My Apprenticeship (1978)
Claudine Married/Claudine and Annie (1983)
Film and TV adaptations
- Mitsou (1956)Film · from Mitsou
- Chéri (2009)Film · from Chéri
- Journey to Italy (1954)Film · from Duo
- Gigi (1949)Film · from Gigi
- Gigi (1958)Film · from Gigi
Free to read
All free classics
About Colette
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, known mononymously as Colette or as Colette Willy, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her 1944 novella Gigi, which was the basis for the 1958 film and the 1973 stage production of the same name. Her short story collection The Tendrils of the Vine is also famous in France.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Colette FAQ
- How many books has Colette written?
- Colette published 34 novels, 4 novellas, 2 short story collections, 4 non-fiction books, 1 play and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Colette's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Gigi.
- What is Colette's last book?
- Ripening Seed (1955).
- What is Colette's most famous book?
- Gigi (1944) is Colette's most widely read book.
- Does Colette write under a pen name?
- Yes: Colette has also published as Colette Pavic and Colette Willy.
- Which Colette books have been adapted?
- 4 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Mitsou (film, 1956), Chéri (film, 2009), Duo (as Journey to Italy, film, 1954) and Gigi (film, 1949).
- Can I read Colette's books for free?
- Yes. 1 book by Colette is in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Colette
W. Somerset Maugham
Also wrote literary fiction and humour
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Also wrote literary fiction and humour
Jerome K. Jerome
Also wrote literary fiction and humour
Saki
Also wrote humour and literary fiction
André Maurois
Also wrote humour and literary fiction
Jean Webster
Also wrote literary fiction and humour
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.