Bernadette Chirac

Bernadette Thérèse Marie Chirac (born Bernadette Thérèse Marie Chodron de Courcel; 18 May 1933) is a French politician and the widow of the former President Jacques Chirac.

Bernadette Chirac
Spouse of the President of France
In role 17 May 1995 – 16 May 2007
President	Jacques Chirac
Preceded by	Danielle Mitterand
Succeeded by	Cécilia Sarkozy
Personal details
Born	Bernadette Thérèse Marie Chodron de Courcel (1933-05-18) 18 May 1933 (age 92) Paris, France
Nationality	French
Spouse(s)	Jacques Chirac ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 2019)​
Relations	Claude Chirac (daughter) Martin Rey-Chirac (grandson) Anh Dao Traxel (adoptive daughter)
Residence	Quai Voltaire, Paris (personal) Bity Castle, Sarran, Corrèze (personal)
Profession	politician

Post-First Lady roles

Since 2001, Bernadette has been a leading member of the "Pièces Jaunes" (Yellow Coins), a charity that aids children in French hospitals by collecting small change. On 3 September 2007, she became the president of the "Fondation Claude-Pompidou" (Claude Pompidou Foundation), following the death of its founder, Claude Pompidou.

She also helped her husband's being elected in 1995 and is herself an elected official in Corrèze, the couple's home département.

Honours

• Knight of the Legion of Honour ( France)^[1]

Bibliography

• 2001: Bernadette Chirac by Bertrand Meyer-Stabley (Perrin Edition)
• 2006: La Fille de Cœur by Anh Đào Traxel (Flammarion Editions) (a biography of the Chirac family by their foster daughter).
• 2001: Conversation by Bernadette Chirac, with Patrick de Carolis, (Plon Editions)