Bardot gives La Madrague to her animal welfare foundation

Brigitte Bardot bought La Madrague, a seafront house just outside the centre of Saint-Tropez, in 1958. Over the following decades it became her main refuge on the French Riviera, and one of the best-known homes associated with the actress.

Bardot retired from acting in 1973 and devoted herself to animal protection. In 1986 she founded the Fondation Brigitte Bardot, which campaigns against cruelty to animals and supports shelters and rescue work. She raised money for it in part by selling personal belongings, including jewellery, at auction.

Around 1992, the period when the foundation was recognised as serving the public interest in France, she gave La Madrague to the foundation. The exact terms and date of the transfer are not detailed here. The gift tied the property to the foundation's long-term future, rather than leaving it as a private asset. That decision is the background to later plans for the house, including its opening to visitors.