Brigitte Bardot, the French film star and cultural icon who died last month aged 91, will be buried on Wednesday in the Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez, where she spent much of her later life.
A funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 GMT at the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church, after which Bardot will be laid to rest in strict privacy at a local cemetery. A public tribute for residents and admirers will be held at the Pré des Pêcheurs area in La Ponche, the historic heart of the former fishing village.
Bardot rose to global fame in her early 20s with the film And God Created Woman, becoming a symbol of sexual liberation in 1950s France. Known widely as B.B., she transcended her status as a sex symbol to become a defining figure of popular culture and shifting social norms. She was also the first celebrity chosen as a model for Marianne, the emblem of the French Republic displayed in town halls nationwide.
Despite her fame, Bardot grew disillusioned with public life and retired from acting in 1973, dedicating herself to animal welfare. Her activism later coincided with support for France’s far-right National Front, and she was convicted several times for inciting racial hatred over comments on immigration, Islam and homosexuality. She publicly backed party leaders Jean-Marie Le Pen and Marine Le Pen, who is expected to attend the funeral.
Equality Minister Aurore Bergé, a supporter of animal rights, has also been invited and will represent the government.
In a 2018 interview with Le Monde, Bardot said she wished to be buried quietly in her garden. However, local authorities said no formal request was made for such a burial, which would have required special approval.
