The French Riviera town of Saint-Tropez said a final, public farewell to one of its most famous residents on Wednesday, as film legend turned animal rights campaigner Brigitte Bardot was laid to rest. The funeral, broadcast on large screens across the town, drew a mix of family, celebrities, activists, and political figures, most notably the far-right leader Marine Le Pen.
A Town in Mourning for an Icon
Bardot, who died at her La Madrague villa on 28 December at the age of 91, was honoured with a procession through the heart of Saint-Tropez. Pallbearers carried her coffin into the Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church as a song by opera singer Maria Callas played, reported local newspaper Nice-Matin. Crowds gathered along the route, with cheers reported as the cortege passed the Place des Lices and the port.
Her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, revealed prior to the service that Bardot had died of cancer. Speaking to Paris Match, he said she had handled two operations "very well" before the disease ultimately "took her" last month.
A Life of Fame, Activism, and Controversy
The ceremony reflected the dual strands of Bardot's long and often controversial public life. She shot to international stardom in the 1950s, revolutionising French cinema and becoming a global symbol of sexual liberation through films like And God Created Woman.
After retiring from acting in the 1970s, she dedicated herself to animal rights activism, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. Bruno Jacquelin, a spokesperson for the foundation, stated the ceremony would "reflect who she was" and be simple, "just as Brigitte wanted."
However, her later years were increasingly defined by hardline political views. She was convicted five times for hate speech, particularly targeting Muslim communities, and became a vocal supporter of Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration National Rally party. Le Pen, who has cited Bardot as a model for Marianne, the symbol of the French Republic, attended the funeral. Bardot once referred to Le Pen as a modern-day "Joan of Arc."
Mixed Reactions to a Complex Legacy
The guest list highlighted Bardot's multifaceted world. Alongside her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, 65, were French singers Jean-Roch and Mireille Mathieu, TV personality Caroline Margeridon, and conservationist Paul Watson.
Her death prompted a divided response, underscoring the paradoxes of her life. Green party politician Sandrine Rousseau questioned: "To be moved by the fate of dolphins but remain indifferent to the deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean – what level of cynicism is that?"
Yet, in Saint-Tropez, the focus remained on mourning a local icon whose life, from silver-screen siren to fervent activist, left an indelible and contentious mark on French culture and politics.
