Brigitte Bardot was laid to rest on Wednesday with a private ceremony and a public homage in Saint-Tropez, the French Riviera town where she resided for over 50 years following her retirement from the movie industry. The renowned animal rights advocate and far-right sympathizer passed away on December 28 at the age of 91 at her residence in southern France after battling cancer and undergoing two surgeries, as confirmed by her husband, Bernard d’Ormale.
During the funeral procession, residents and admirers in Saint-Tropez paid their respects as Bardot’s casket, once belonging to one of the world’s most photographed women and a prominent screen icon of the 1960s, was carried through the town’s streets. The service commenced with a rendition of Maria Callas’ Ave Maria at the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption Catholic Church, attended by Bardot’s family members, including her husband, son, and grandchildren, along with guests invited by the family and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for animal protection.
Mourners were deeply moved during the funeral, with Max Guazzini, a close friend and secretary general of her foundation, expressing the overwhelming sorrow and grief felt by those present. Hundreds of individuals gathered in Saint-Tropez to witness the farewell on large screens placed at the port and two squares. Bardot’s final resting place, in a cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, was a private affair. The cemetery also houses the graves of various cultural luminaries, including filmmaker Roger Vadim, Bardot’s first spouse and director of her breakthrough film And God Created Woman, which catapulted her to international fame.
Having sought solace in Saint-Tropez away from the limelight that once surrounded her, Bardot resided in her coastal residence, La Madrague, for many years and retired from acting in 1973 at the age of 39, following a prolific career that spanned over 25 films. Throughout her later years, despite stepping away from the film industry, Bardot remained a prominent public figure, engaging in animal rights advocacy and aligning with far-right political views, which often courted controversy. She faced criticism for her stance against the seal hunt in Newfoundland, with accusations of disregarding Indigenous traditions. Bardot was also fined multiple times in French courts for inciting racial hatred, stemming from incidents related to her opposition to the Muslim ritual slaughter of sheep during religious observances.
In reflecting on her convictions and activism, Bardot acknowledged her strong emotions, expressing frustration at the slow pace of change.