How Brigitte Bardot Divides a $65 Million Fortune After Death

Born Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot in Paris in 1934, she rose from ballet student to global superstar in her early twenties. She appeared in 47 films and became the face of liberated femininity.

Her decision to quit acting in 1973 – aged just 39 – surprised fans.

Yet it marked the beginning of the second act that would define her legacy: a lifelong commitment to animal rights.

Over the next five decades, she turned fame into activism and founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, one of Europe’s most powerful voices for animal welfare.

Sources close to Bardot’s estate have now confirmed how she decided to divide her assets before her death.

A longtime employee told us, “Brigitte was very clear: her money should benefit the animals she dedicated her life to and ensure her son is safe. She felt like those two things were her real family.”

Another added: “She believed that compassion was the real legacy worth passing on, both in terms of the animals and the son she loved all her life.”

By the time of her death, Bardot’s fortune had quietly risen through film royalties, book contracts and valuable real estate.

Her seaside retreat, La Madrague – purchased in 1958 – remains one of the French Riviera’s most famous private residences, worth almost $20 million.

She also owned Le Castelet, a 13th-century hilltop estate near Cannes, which was for sale in 2020 for about $7 million.

Even long after she retired from public life, her image continued to make huge amounts of money through global licensing deals and music royalties from albums like BB And Bonnie and Clyde.

Bardot’s son Nicolas, 65, was born from her second marriage to actor Jacques Charrier in 1960.

Although their relationship was often described as distant in previous years, insiders say the reconciliation took place long before her death.

“In her final years, their relationship deepened,” the source said. “He understood her need for autonomy, and she appreciated his desire for a quiet life. The terms of the will reflect that mutual respect.”

Under French inheritance law, Nicolas retains a reserved portion of his mother’s estate, regardless of any charitable donations.

But sources said there are documents linked to her foundation showing that Bardot has pre-allocated a substantial portion of her fortune to animal protection projects in France, Spain and India – ensuring continued funding for causes such as sterilization programs, rescue shelters and anti-poaching campaigns.

Even after her controversial court fines in later years — including a $24,000 fine in 2020 for comments deemed discriminatory — Bardot’s finances remained strong.

She did not live lavishly or invest heavily in luxury brands, preferring a simple life in the sun-drenched isolation of Saint-Tropez.

International tributes have been pouring in since her death. French President Emmanuel Macron praised her “French existence” and “universal genius.”

He added: “She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century.”

Fans have placed flowers outside La Madrague, which are now likely to be kept under the care of the Foundation.

Bardot once wrote in her memoir Initiales BB: “My life has been a rebellion against all cages, both graceful and moral.”