Claude Pompidou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claude Pompidou
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| Spouse of the President of France | |
| In role 20 June 1969 – 2 April 1974 |
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| President | Georges Pompidou |
| Preceded by | Yvonne de Gaulle |
| Succeeded by | Anne-Aymone Giscard d'Estaing |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Claude Jacqueline Cahour
13 November 1912 Château-Gontier, Mayenne, France |
| Died | 3 July 2007 (aged 94) Paris, France |
| Resting place | Orvilliers Cimetiere Orvilliers, France |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Alain Pompidou (adopted) |
Claude Jacqueline Pompidou (born Claude Cahour; November 13, 1912 – July 3, 2007) was an important French woman. She was the wife of Georges Pompidou, who became the President of France. Claude Pompidou loved helping others and supported modern art. She played a big part in creating the famous Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Claude Jacqueline Cahour was born in Château-Gontier, a town in France. Her father was a doctor. Sadly, her mother passed away when Claude was only three years old.
Later, Claude moved to Paris to study law. There, she met Georges Pompidou. He was a literature teacher at the time. Claude and Georges fell in love and got married in 1935. In 1942, they adopted a son named Alain Pompidou.
Georges Pompidou served in the army during World War II. After the war, he worked for Charles de Gaulle, who later became a famous French leader. Georges then became a banker before entering politics.
Life as a Political Spouse
In 1962, Charles de Gaulle chose Georges Pompidou to be the Prime Minister of France. This is a very important job, like a chief minister. Claude and Georges decided to stay in their own apartment instead of moving into the official Prime Minister's residence.
Georges Pompidou became very popular for how he handled a big strike in May 1968. However, this caused some disagreements with de Gaulle. Georges then resigned as Prime Minister. During this time, Claude Pompidou became known for her interest in fashion.
First Lady of France
In 1969, Georges Pompidou ran for President and won! Claude became the First Lady of France. She didn't always enjoy political life, once calling the Élysée Palace, the President's official home, a "house of sadness."
The Pompidous decided to redecorate parts of the Élysée Palace in a modern style. They used cool designs, like painted aluminum walls and colorful carpets by Yaacov Agam. They also chose soft furniture by Pierre Paulin. Sadly, Georges Pompidou passed away while still in office in 1974. The next President, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, removed the modern decorations.
Helping Others: Philanthropy
Claude Pompidou was very kind-hearted and wanted to help people. In 1970, she started the Claude Pompidou Foundation. This foundation was created to help children with disabilities, elderly people, and those in hospitals.
Jacques Chirac, who later became President of France, was the Treasurer of the Foundation for more than 30 years. After Claude Pompidou passed away, his wife, Bernadette Chirac, became the president of the Foundation. It continues to help many people today.
Supporting Art: Pompidou Centre
Claude Pompidou played a very important role in creating the Centre Georges Pompidou. This famous building in Paris is a huge museum and cultural center. It was designed by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.
Claude helped choose the artwork for the Centre. She knew her husband's artistic tastes very well. She was especially inspired by the work of artist Yves Klein. Claude Pompidou continued to be active in the French art world for many years. She also stayed involved with the Foundation she created.
In 1997, Claude Pompidou wrote her life story in a book called L’Élan du Coeur. She passed away in Paris in 2007. Many important people attended her funeral, including President Nicolas Sarkozy and former President Jacques Chirac.
See also
In Spanish: Claude Pompidou para niños
