French comic author Louisa Lesage, 28, found dead in Angoulême

French comic author Louisa Lesage, 28, was found dead on Sunday in Angoulême, Charente, according to franceinfo. The news was confirmed by her publisher, éditions Exemplaire, on Wednesday, 11 November 2026.

Discovery and investigation

The body of a 28-year-old woman was discovered around 5 a.m. on Sunday at the tunnel de la Gâtine, a major road axis linking the SNCF train station district to the south of the Angoulême urban area, according to La Charente Libre as reported by ledauphine.com. The victim was identified as Louisa Lesage. According to initial information, she would have fallen from the top of the tunnel. A police investigation has been opened to determine the causes of death, and an autopsy was requested and was scheduled to take place this week. The circumstances of her death remain unclear.

Publisher's statement

Les éditions Exemplaire announced her death on Instagram. "C'est avec une immense tristesse que nous avons appris la mort de Louisa Lesage", à l'âge de 28 ans, the publisher wrote. The publisher added: "Nous avons tous été très touchés par ses récits et sa personnalité unique". Working with her "a été un réel plaisir pour toute l'équipe et nous sommes en deuil d'une artiste pour laquelle nous avons beaucoup d'affection", the publisher stated. They also said: "Nous gardons de Louisa le souvenir d'une personne sincère, talentueuse, sensible, drôle, d'une grande générosité et d'une profonde gentillesse. Son absence laissera un vide dans nos vies et dans le monde de la bande dessinée. Nos pensées vont à sa famille et à ses amis."

Career and work

Les éditions Exemplaire published the first volume of Journal d'un Alien en roue libre by Louisa Lesage on 4 May 2026. It is a collection of drawings the author posted almost daily on her Instagram profile, which has nearly 75,000 followers. The second volume was planned for spring 2027 with a crowdfunding system, but the campaign has been suspended by éditions Exemplaire. She joined the publisher in 2025.

According to ledauphine.com, Louisa Lesage was also a 3D animator and had completed a one-year course at the École des Gobelins. She defined herself on her Facebook profile as single and from Paris. A missing person notice published on 7 November by the site Missing stated she was last seen in the sector of the île de Bourgines, leaving a party in a denim jacket and wearing makeup, and that she had gone out alone, under the influence of alcohol and without informing her loved ones.

Why it matters

The death of Louisa Lesage has prompted tributes from her publisher and followers on social media. Her publisher described her as sincere, talented, sensitive, funny, generous and kind, and said her absence leaves a void in the world of comics. The second volume of her work, planned for spring 2027, will not be published as planned, and its crowdfunding campaign has been suspended.

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Sources

• franceinfo.fr: L'autrice de bande dessinée Louisa Lesage, 28 ans, retrouvée morte à Angoulême – franceinfo
• ledauphine.com: Charente. « Je ne veux pas que ce soit vrai » : le corps de Louisa, 28 ans, découvert près d'un tunnel

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.