BIOGRAPHY

Lassalle was born in Lisieux, Calvados, Normandy, France, on 3 December 1911. She moved to Cannes in the early 1930s and never left. Before settling in Cannes, she worked as a housekeeper and cook in Paris. On 12 May 1935, she married fisherman Jean Gabriel Olivier, though they divorced in 1948. She later shared vivid memories of her life, including the snow-covered mountains of Le Suquet during the cold wave of 1956, and her encounters with well-known figures like Michel Drucker during his time as a sports journalist.

At age 80, Lassalle traveled to New York with her great-granddaughter Sylvie, and also visited Texas, the Grand Canyon, Cape Canaveral, and Canada. She celebrated her 109th birthday in December 2020 with her family, expressing gratitude for their patience and care despite her hearing and vision challenges. When asked about the secret to her longevity, she replied, “It’s the Good Lord who protects me. Now, if you’re not religious, I’m not judging, but we don’t joke about religion.”

Lassalle passed away in Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, on 10 June 2022, at the age of 110 years, 189 days.

RECOGNITION

Lassalle’s age was verified by Cyril Depoudent and was validated by the ESO on 18 January 2022.

ATTRIBUTION

* ““C’est le Bon Dieu qui me protège”: la doyenne de Cannes fête ses 109 ans” – Nice-Matin, 4 December 2020

GALLERY