Bardot's Final Farewell in Saint-Tropez

Brigitte Bardot, the celebrated French actress and devoted animal rights activist, was honored with a funeral service on Wednesday in Saint-Tropez. The private ceremony, attended by family and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, took place at Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Catholic Church. Bardot passed away on December 28th at the age of 91 at her southern French home.

The service began at 11 a.m., with local authorities broadcasting it live on large screens at the port for residents and admirers. Following the church service, Bardot was interred in the "strictest privacy" at the marine cemetery, a location overlooking the Mediterranean where her parents are also buried. This cemetery is also the final resting place for cultural figures like her first husband, filmmaker Roger Vadim.

Bardot, once one of the world's most photographed women and a symbol of post-war French sensuality, retired from filmmaking in 1973 at age 39. She then dedicated herself to militant animal rights activism, establishing a foundation for animal protection. Her lifelong association with Saint-Tropez, where she lived for over five decades, was acknowledged by the town hall as a significant mark on its history.