Living In A Quaint Town In Switzerland — Audrey Hepburn's Last 30 Years Of Life

Nov 03, 2021 by apost team

It’s been more than 28 years since the death of famous Belgian-born actress Audrey Hepburn, but her memory has certainly not been forgotten. Known as a talented actress and a kind-hearted humanitarian, Hepburn’s legacy has continued to live on in Hollywood and also in the stunning small village of Tolochenaz in Switzerland, where she spent the last 30 years of her life.

Born on May 4, 1929, in Brussels, Belgium, Hepburn was raised by her mother after her father decided to leave them when she was only six years old. Her family moved around a bit afterward, first moving to England and then to the Netherlands, where she started taking ballet lessons. She later made her film debut, and the rest is history.

The talented actress went on to receive plenty of awards and accolades for her work in the classic Hollywood movie industry. She starred in a handful of movies, including “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Roman Holiday.” Hepburn made sure to use her platform to help those in need and dedicated the latter part of her life to giving back to others and investing in charities and organizations.

Before she died of breast cancer in 1993, Hepburn had lived a stunning life full of beauty, love, and warmth. She was known by people from all over the world and made genuine connections with those in the Swiss village she spent the last 30 years of her life. Read on to find out more about Hepburn’s legacy and what the last three decades of her life looked like.

In 1945, Hepburn moved to Amsterdam with her mother and siblings, where she began taking prestigious ballet lessons. She was dedicated to the arts, and in 1948, made her film debut in “Dutch in Seven Lessons.” She later moved to London and found part-time work as a model while pursuing a career as a ballerina. However, her career as a dancer didn’t pan out as planned, resulting in Hepburn redirecting her focus to acting.

The rising actress began landing roles in various television shows before she earned her first main supporting role in 1952 in “Secret People.” The following year, Hepburn starred in “Roman Holiday.” Director William Wyler loved her screen test so much that he decided to cast her. It turned out that critics loved her, too, as the role earned her a BAFTA Award for Best British Actress, an Academy Award for Best Actress, and a Golden Globe for Best Actress.

Hepburn’s career as an actress was quite successful, as she went on to star in the 1961 romantic comedy “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” which was received well by both critics and fans. Using her platform for good, Hepburn first began working with UNICEF in the 1950s and was later appointed a Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF in 1989. She went on various missions to help starving children and spread awareness on ways other people could help.

Having accomplished so much in her life, Hepburn decided to live a more peaceful life during the last three decades she was alive by residing in the small town of Tolochenaz, Switzerland. According to USA Today, the village has about 1,800 residents.

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Hepburn died on Jan. 20, 1993. Her grave is located in the Swiss village’s cemetery, which is almost directly across from her 19th-century house, as per USA Today. Her grave attracts thousands of visitors each year from across the world, while the local residents remember her as “Audrey” or “Madame Hepburn.” Hepburn lived freely in the small town and made great connections with the locals. Villager Christine Demont recalled, “She never acted like a celebrity. She was very simple and friendly.”

An old two-room schoolhouse behind the cemetery was converted into a small museum dedicated to Hepburn’s work as both an actress and humanitarian, according to USA Today. Her sons, Sean Ferrer and Luca Dotti donated some of Hepburn’s belongings to the museum with the understanding that they would be returned in five years. However, the villagers did not want to give the items back because they knew the museum would have to close without them.

The museum had also been selling lavender from Hepburn’s garden. The sons took back their mother’s belongings and also demanded that the proceeds from the sales were donated to various children’s charities. “It was very upsetting,” Demont said. “We all wanted to preserve Audrey’s legacy, but we couldn’t see eye-to-eye.” The museum closed in 2002.

Despite the conflict over the museum, Hepburn’s legacy in Tolochenaz continues to live on. According to USA Today, many people remember her thanks to the bronze bust statue made in her honor and her grave in the place where Hepburn used to call “home.”

What do you think about Audrey Hepburn’s legacy? Were you surprised to find out that she lived in such a small village? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family members and friends, too.