BIOGRAPHY

Juliette Jeanne Bildé was born in Bordeaux, Gironde Department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, France, on 30 September 1909. Her father was a farrier. She had two brothers and a sister. She attended primary school in Saint-Estèphe (Gironde). Her father died in the trenches during World War I. In her youth, she worked as a seamstresses.

In 1929, she married André Bildé, a post office worker. In 1934, the couple moved to Meuse Department to run a post office. In 1940, her husband was mobilized when the war was declared. She had to move back to her native Bordeaux with her 3-year-old son Guy. She met again with her husband after the Liberation.

Following the death of her husband in 2000, she moved in with her daughter Claudie Métais in Saint-Loup-Lamairé (Deux-Sèvres Department). On 20 December 2012, she moved into a nursing home. As of her 113th birthday, she had four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. When asked about the secret of her longevity, she attributed it to a healthy life and playing sports in her youth.

Bildé passed away in Saint-Loup-Lamairé, Deux-Sèvres Department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, France, on 13 December 2022, at the age of 113 years, 74 days.

RECOGNITION

On 13 October 2019, following the death of Roger Auvin, she became the oldest living person in Deux-Sèvres Departement.

On 11 January 2020, following the death of Simone Sola, she became the oldest living person in Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region.

Her age was verified by Cyril Depoudent, and validated by the ESO on 11 November 2020.

On 7 November 2022, following the death of Élise Tavan, she became the last known surviving French person born in 1909, as well as one of only two French people remaining born in the 1900s decade (the other being Lucile Randon).

ATTRIBUTION

* “Saint-Loup-Lamairé. Juliette Bildé a fêté ses 110 ans” – Ouest-France, 10 May 2019

* “La vice-doyenne des Français a 113 ans” – La Nouvelle République, 10 June 2022

* “La doyenne des Deux-Sèvres est décédée à l’âge de 113 ans : « Elle donnait envie de vieillir »” – Ouest-France, 15 December 2022

GALLERY