BIOGRAPHY

Germaine Goudou was born in the commune of Langeais in the department of Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, on 1 October 1910. After obtaining a school certificate at the age of 12 and spending a year with the sisters at Grande Bretèche in Tours, she learned sewing and worked with her father at the Caisse d’Épargne in Tours. She later worked at the Granboulan factory, then at the Saint-Gatien clinic, and retired at 67. Upon retiring, she moved in with her mother, who lived to be 97. She continued to live there alone until she moved to the nursing home. A devout believer, she played the organ at Saint-Jean Church until 2007, when she was 97. She was deeply involved in church activities. She never married or had children.

Goudou often attributed her longevity to eating everything without overdoing it and abstaining from alcohol. At the age of 105, she was still able to walk, assisted by a cane. She remained independent until moving to a nursing home in April 2016. At the time, she had difficulty moving and experienced mild hearing loss, but her memory remained sharp.

At the age of 110, she was eating well but in moderation, and she enjoyed cakes. Her daily routine at the nursing home included rising at 7:30 a.m., drinking coffee with milk, and having three rusks with a bit of jam. She ate lunch and dinner in the dining room with the other residents. The staff only needed to cut up her food; she ate independently before going to bed at 8:30 p.m.

Germaine Goudou passed away in Langeais, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France, on 15 June 2021, at the age of 110 years, 257 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by the Les Grands Centenaires Français, and validated by the ESO on 13 February 2021.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Les 105 ans de Germaine” – La Nouvelle République, 30 October 2015

* “Germaine Goudou a célébré ses 106 ans” – La Nouvelle République, 3 October 2016

* “Germaine Goudou fête ses 109 ans” – La Nouvelle République, 3 October 2019

* “Indre-et-Loire : les secrets de longévité de Germaine Goudou, 110 ans” – La Nouvelle République, 1 October 2020

* “Germaine Goudou est décédée à 110 ans : la Touraine perd sa doyenne” – La Nouvelle République, 16 June 2021

GALLERY