Jeanne Calment is widely regarded as the oldest person ever to have lived. She died in 1997 at the age of 122, leaving the world stunned by both her longevity and her lifestyle. She enjoyed chocolate, drank wine, and even smoked well into her later years—yet she appeared remarkably resilient. So what was the secret? One expert believes he may have identified the most important factor.
Jeanne Calment was a truly exceptional case. Born in 1875 in Arles, in southern France, she lived to be 122 years and 164 days old.
Her age has been intensely scrutinized and repeatedly supported by documentation, including birth records, census files, marriage papers, and photographs. Demographers and historians have examined the evidence, and her status as the longest-lived human is broadly accepted within the scientific community. She is also recognized by Guinness World Records.
Calment remains the only verified person to live past 119. And while 122 is a staggering number, it’s worth pausing to consider what she lived through.
Over the course of her lifetime, she witnessed the arrival of the light bulb and the telephone, saw the Eiffel Tower rise, lived through two World Wars, and watched the automobile transform daily life. She saw the world enter the internet age, lived through the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, saw three American presidents come and go, and witnessed the growth of the U.S. Black Civil Rights Movement.
In other words, she didn’t just live a long life—she lived through history.
The incredible life of 122-year-old Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Calment didn’t slow down simply because she was getting older. She rode a bicycle well into her 90s. And on her 100th birthday, she reportedly walked to every house in Arles to personally thank those who had wished her well.
Her routine was not built around strict health rules or a perfect diet. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Calment ate about two pounds of chocolate per week and had dessert with every meal. She smoked cigarettes from age 21 until 117, and she drank port wine in moderation.
According to Prospect Magazine, when she turned 120, she told reporters: “I see badly, I hear badly, I can’t feel anything, but everything’s fine.”
Even after her death, interest in Calment has never faded. People have continued trying to understand how she lived so long. Calment often attributed her longevity to simple habits—staying active, keeping her mind engaged, and holding on to a sense of humor.
The key behind Jeanne Calment’s long life
In her final years, her humor never disappeared. She once joked that she had “only one wrinkle, and she was sitting on it.”
So if it wasn’t a strict diet, what helped her reach 122? According to medical researcher Jean-Marie Robin—who worked with Calment’s physician on a biography—her calm attitude may have played a major role.
Speaking to The New York Times, Robin said, “I think she was someone who, constitutionally and biologically speaking, was immune to stress,” he said in a telephone interview. “She once said, `If you can’t do anything about it, don’t worry about it.’ ”
Jeanne Calment’s outlook is one many people today might find worth adopting. Please share this article to honor this remarkable woman.
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