Marie Brudieux, 113, is the new dean of the French

The National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) thought it was Olympe Amaury. But it is in reality Marie Brudieux, her elder by 3 months, who wins the title of dean of the French. Born in Saint Salvadour in Corrèze, she is now 113 years old.

The future Jeanne Calmant?

The word centenary instinctively makes one think of Jeanne Calmant. This woman from Arles had become dean of the French in 1986 when she had just celebrated her 111th birthday, then dean of the world in 1989. Died at the age of 122, she still holds the world record for longevity today. . At 113 years old, Marie Brudieux is following in her footsteps.

At 1^er January 2010, 15,000 centenarians lived in metropolitan France, thirteen times more than in 1970. According to INSEE figures, nine out of ten centenarians are women and among people aged 110 and over, that calls the “supercentenaries”, there are almost only women.

In fifty years, France could have 200,000 centenarians, thirteen times more than today. If life expectancy conditions are better than expected, they could be 380,000 in 2060, against 120,000 otherwise.

Centenarians in good health but in retirement homes
In June 2014, a study carried out by academics in London and published in PLOS Medicine reveals that the hundred-year-old British population is made up of 87% women, 85% of whom are single or widowed. The survey also shows that 1 in 5 centenarians die from pneumonia. Deaths caused by cancer and cardiovascular disease, which affect a large part of 80-84 year olds, are, on the other hand, uncommon once the hundred mark is crossed (4.4% for cancers and 8.6% for cardiovascular illnesses). Of course, advanced age is the leading cause of death in this population. The majority of them (60%) end their life in a retirement home. This is the case for Marie Brudieux who lives in Corbeil Essone (south of Paris) as well as for Olympe Amaury whose retirement home is located in Amilly (Loiret).