Yvon Drailline, the oldest living man in Martinique, a French overseas territory, celebrated his 107th birthday on 24 January. His birthday was first reported by Ville du Marin on Facebook.
To commemorate this special occasion, the Communal Social Action Center (CCAS), joined by Micheline Zamy, Deputy Mayor, and several members of the Neighborhood Council “8 in Action,” paid him a visit.
Drailline was born in Le Marin on 24 January 1918, and spent his childhood in the Morne-Courbaril neighborhood, nestled in the hills of Le Marin. On 4 December 1948, Yvon married Josette Agasseau at Saint-Etienne Church in Le Marin. The two had met in the late 1930s and went on to have 14 children together (seven girls and seven boys). As of 2019, they had 15 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Drailline became the oldest known living man on the island after the passing of 106-year-old Nicomede (Nicolas) Labiche (15 September 1917 – 6 October 2023).
Despite having a population of just 350,000 as of 2024—roughly equivalent to the city of Honolulu, Hawaii—Martinique, a French overseas territory, stands out for its remarkable number of long-lived residents. As of January 2025, more than 20 supercentenarians (individuals aged 110 or older) born in Martinique have been documented. In perspective, this small island has recorded more documented supercentenarians than several European countries, including Denmark, Croatia, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Ireland, as well as some Latin American nations like Paraguay and Uruguay.
As of January 2025, Martinique is home to three known living supercentenarians: Marie-Dominique Zadick (born 14 August 1913), Pauline Bernadette Tinas (born 17 March 1914), and Ginette Saint-Louis-Agustin (born 17 September 1914).
LongeviQuest extends warm congratulations to Yvon Drailline on his 107th birthday.
