Remembering Odile de Vasselot: A Heroine of the French Resistance Passes Away

Odile de Vasselot, a teenage aristocrat who became a key figure in the French Resistance during World War II, has died at 103. She participated in dangerous missions against German occupiers and later devoted her life to education in Ivory Coast.

Odile de Vasselot, who famously tuned into Charles de Gaulle's call for resistance against the occupying Germans from her family's château in south-central France, passed away on April 21 in Paris at the remarkable age of 103. Her death was confirmed by the Order of the Liberation, the organization that bestowed upon her a medal created by General de Gaulle to honor the valiant members of the French Resistance.

De Vasselot’s journey began in the aftermath of France's 1940 defeat, as one of the many young men and women who bravely opposed the German invaders. Her early resistance efforts included chalking the Lorraine Cross—a symbol adopted by de Gaulle—on walls and removing Nazi propaganda posters. As the conflict escalated, she engaged in perilous missions, delivering messages and escorting Allied airmen across the Belgian front.

Reflecting on her motivations, de Vasselot once remarked, “One had to do something... One never has the right to just sit there and do nothing." At 18, the sight of large Nazi flags flying over Paris enraged her—an event that solidified her resolve to fight.

French President Emmanuel Macron honored her legacy, calling her “a great lady” whose courage throughout her life was inspirational. In addition to her heroic acts during the war, de Vasselot also made significant contributions after the conflict by establishing a girls’ school in Ivory Coast, further exemplifying her commitment to service and education.