Bernadette Chirac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernadette Chirac
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Chirac in 2009
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| Spouse of the President of France | |
| In role 17 May 1995 – 16 May 2007 |
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| President | Jacques Chirac |
| Preceded by | Danielle Mitterrand |
| Succeeded by | Cécilia Sarkozy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bernadette Thérèse Marie Chodron de Courcel
18 May 1933 Paris, France |
| Political party | Les Republicains |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, including Claude Chirac and Anh Dao Traxel |
| Residences | Quai Voltaire, Paris (personal) Château de Bity, Sarran, Corrèze (personal) |
Bernadette Chirac was born on May 18, 1933. She is a French politician and the wife of Jacques Chirac, who used to be the president of France.
Bernadette and Jacques Chirac met when they were students. They got married on March 16, 1956. They had two daughters, Laurence and Claude Chirac. They also welcomed Anh Dao Traxel, a former Vietnamese refugee, as their foster daughter.
Bernadette Chirac has done a lot of charity work. Since 2001, she has supported Opération Pièces jaunes. This charity helps children in French hospitals by collecting small donations. In 2007, she became the president of the "Fondation Claude-Pompidou." This foundation helps sick and elderly people.
She was very involved in her husband's political campaigns. Her popularity helped him win the presidential election in 1995 and get re-elected in 2002. She also served as a local council member in Corrèze, which is where her family lived.
Contents
About Bernadette Chirac
Her Early Life and School
Bernadette Thérèse Marie Chodron de Courcel was born in Paris, France. Her father, Jean-Louis Chodron de Courcel, was a sales director. Her mother was Marguerite de Brondeau d'Urtières. Bernadette was the oldest of three children. She had a sister named Catherine and a brother named Jérôme.
Her family was very religious and she had a strict upbringing. During World War II, her father was held in Germany. Bernadette and her mother had to move several times to stay safe. She went to different schools during this time. After the war, her family settled in Paris. In 1950, she started studying at the Paris Institute of Political Studies. This is where she met Jacques Chirac. Like many women at that time, she did not finish her degree after getting married.
Her Work in Politics
Bernadette Chirac has been active in politics for many years.
- In 1971, she was elected to the local council of Sarran. Sarran is a small town in the Corrèze area.
- In 1977, she became an assistant to the mayor of Sarran.
- From 1979 onwards, she was elected to the Departmental Council of Corrèze many times. She served there for a long time, being re-elected several times until 2011.
Her Charity Work
Bernadette Chirac has also led many important charity projects.
- In 1990, she started the "Association le Pont Neuf." This group helps young people from France and Asia connect and learn from each other.
- In 1991, she became the president of an International Dance Festival.
- In 1994, she became the president of the "Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris-Hôpitaux de France." This charity works to make life better for children and older people in hospitals. She also supported Opération Pièces Jaunes, which raises money for children's hospitals every year.
Her Later Years
In 2001, Bernadette Chirac shared her thoughts in a book called Conversation. She talked with a journalist named Patrick de Carolis. The book was very popular and sold many copies.
She made her last public appearance in the summer of 2018. After her husband, Jacques Chirac, passed away in 2019, she attended a private service for him.
Family History
Bernadette Chirac comes from the Chodron de Courcel family. This is an old French family that has many public servants, military officers, and business people in its history. They were known for owning factories that made porcelain and enamel mosaics. Like many old French families, Bernadette Chirac has some royal family members among her ancestors. In 1867, one of her ancestors was given the title of hereditary baron for his service to the country.
Awards and Honours
Bernadette Chirac has received many awards from different countries for her work and contributions:
France Knight of the Legion of Honour
Norway Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
Poland Knight of the Order of the Smile
Romania Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of Romania
Russia Medal of Pushkin
Sovereign Military Order of Malta Dame Grand Cross of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
Spain Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III
Tunisia Grand Cordon of the National Order of Merit of Tunisia
Holy See Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX
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Movies About Her Life
Bernadette Chirac has been shown as a character in several movies and TV shows:
- La Conquête (2011): An actress named Michèle Moretti played Bernadette Chirac in this movie about a presidential campaign.
- La Dernière Campagne (2013): Martine Chevallier played her in this TV movie about the 2012 presidential campaign.
- Madâme, le film (2005): This was a documentary about her.
- La Rupture (2013): Estelle Skornik played Bernadette Chirac in this film.
- Bernadette (2023): This film focused on her life during Jacques Chirac's time as president. The famous actress Catherine Deneuve played Bernadette Chirac.
See also
In Spanish: Bernadette Chirac para niños
