Brigitte Bardot will be buried in the seaside cemetery of her hometown Saint-Tropez, local officials said on Dec. 29, as France continues to debate how to honor a cultural icon whose later-life political views remain deeply controversial.
Bardot died on Dec. 28 aged 91. Although she had expressed a wish to be buried in her garden under a simple wooden cross, town hall officials said the plan is for her to be laid to rest in the Saint-Tropez cemetery. No funeral date has yet been announced.
Her death has prompted renewed political debate over whether she should receive a national tribute. President Emmanuel Macron described Bardot as a “legend” of 20th-century cinema who “embodied a life of freedom,” while right-wing and far-right figures were among the first to praise her legacy.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party, called Bardot “incredibly French: Free, untamable, whole.” Bardot had backed Le Pen’s presidential campaigns in 2012 and 2017, describing her as a modern “Joan of Arc” who could “save” France.
Conservative lawmaker Eric Ciotti called for a national farewell similar to that held for singer Johnny Hallyday in 2018, launching an online petition that gathered more than 9,000 signatures.
Left-wing reactions were more reserved. Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure opposed the idea of a national tribute, saying such honors should be reserved for figures who rendered “exceptional services to the nation.” Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel described Bardot as a divisive figure but acknowledged that she helped French cinema shine internationally.
Green lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau was sharply critical, pointing to Bardot’s repeated convictions for hate speech and her anti-immigration remarks.
Bardot rose to fame in the 1956 film “And God Created Woman” and appeared in about 50 films before retiring from acting in 1973 to focus on animal rights. While celebrated as a cinema icon, her far-right views and racist statements continued to fuel controversy, leaving France divided over how she should be remembered.
