Saint-Tropez – Brigitte Bardot, the French actress who became a global icon of sex appeal and later a controversial animal rights activist, died in late December at age 91. Her passing sparked a complex reaction in France, reflecting a legacy as divisive as it was dazzling.
A Complicated Farewell
The funeral service, described as “no frills,” drew a mix of animal welfare advocates, film industry figures, and far-right politicians, highlighting the many facets of Bardot’s life.
- Bardot transitioned from a celebrated actress to a passionate animal rights campaigner in 1973.
- Her outspoken political views, including convictions for inciting racial hatred, drew criticism and contributed to a muted public response to her death.
- A private church service was held on Wednesday, attended by approximately 400 invitees.
- Bardot’s complex relationship with her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, evolved in her later years.
“What I remember most is what she did for animals, she had a real sensitivity,” said Sandrine, a school assistant who traveled several hours to pay her respects, according to Agence France-Presse. Even those acknowledging a darker side to Bardot’s public persona offered nuance. “She had a small streak of racism too, but it wasn’t malicious – she wasn’t just that,” Sandrine added.
The service at Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church in Saint-Tropez showcased the breadth of Bardot’s life. Fellow animal rights campaigners were present, as was Jean-Paul Belmondo’s son, and Marine Le Pen, a prominent figure in French far-right politics. Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, attended, stating, “Brigitte was my friend for 50 years,” and praising her “incredible contribution to protecting animals around the world, especially her work on stopping the Canadian seal hunt.”
What was the cause of Brigitte Bardot’s death? Bardot died after a battle with an unspecified cancer, undergoing two operations prior to her death, as revealed by her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, to Paris Match magazine.
Attendees filed past a photograph of Bardot with one of her dogs, and a well-known image of her cuddling a baby seal was displayed near the pulpit and on the front of the service booklet. Bardot famously abandoned her film career in 1973, dedicating herself to animal welfare in Saint-Tropez, campaigning against bullfighting, hunting, seal slaughter, and horsemeat consumption.
A public commemoration in a park followed the church service, completing a day of remembrance for a woman who simultaneously embodied the glamour of Saint-Tropez – a lifestyle she later rejected – and the sexual revolution of the 1960s.
Bardot’s only child, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, 65, who lives in Oslo, attended with his children and grandchildren. He was raised by his father, film director Jacques Charrier. Bardot had previously described pregnancy as a negative experience and maintained limited contact with her son for much of her life, but they reconciled in her later years. Charrier laid a wreath bearing the message “To Mother” and was visibly emotional during the service.
The absence of a state commemoration, and the mixed public reaction to her death, underscore Bardot’s controversial legacy. While widely regarded as a cinematic legend who personified the swinging ’60s and a form of female liberation, her five convictions for inciting racial hatred, particularly against Muslims, led to muted tributes from some on the left.
President Emmanuel Macron’s office offered a national homage, similar to the one held for Jean-Paul Belmondo in 2021, but the family declined. Macron sent a wreath but did not attend the service.
