BIOGRAPHY

Rioual was born as Clémence Euphrasie Nicolas on Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré in Paris, France, on 31 March 1911 to Rosporden and Melgven-born parents. Orphaned at the age of five, she was raised by her grandmother in Melgven, Brittany. She was married and had a daughter, Michèle. The couple enjoyed boating, and went on numerous trips.

In 1985, Rioual, having worked several jobs in Paris, returned to Concarneau, Brittany. As a centenarian, she claimed the secret to her longevity was drinking a small glass of Bordeaux and dipping sticks of cane sugar into it.

At the age of 105, Rioual lived independently with daily visits from her daughter and her dog, Iggy Pop. She only used a cane to walk, and was still able to complete crosswords. She, at that time, had three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She moved into a Saint-Yvi, Brittany, facility shortly before her 110th birthday, but would later go to live with her daughter back in Concarneau.

Rioual died on 27 March 2022 at the age of 110 years, 361 days. Her brother-in-law, Jos Rioual, died in 2011 aged 101.

RECOGNITION

Rioual’s age was verified by Cyril Depoudent of Les Grands Centenaires Français, and was validated by the ESO on 9 April 2021.

Following the death of Anne-Marie Papail, 111, on 11 April 2021, Rioual became Brittany’s oldest known resident.

ATTRIBUTION

• Doyenne. Et si nous l’avions enfin trouvée ? Le Télégramme, 7 January 2017
• Concarneau. La doyenne a trois ans de plus…. Le Télégramme, 7 January 2017
• Doyenne. C. Rioual a soufflé ses 107 bougies Le Télégramme, 2 April 2018
• Anniversaire. Clémence Rioual a 108 ans Le Télégramme, 31 March 2019 (via the Wayback Machine)
• La doyenne du Finistère a fêté ses 109 ans en confinement Le Télégramme, 6 April 2020
• Le sourire de Clémence Rioual, 110 ans et doyenne du Finistère Le Télégramme, 31 March 2021
• À 110 ans, Clémence Rioual est la nouvelle doyenne bretonne Le Télégramme, 14 April 2021
• À l’aube de ses 111 ans, la doyenne de Bretagne Clémence Rioual s’est éteinte Le Télégramme, 1 April 2022

GALLERY