He returned to his estate La Boisserie near the village of Colombey-les-Deux–Églises in the region of Champagne, where he had a picturesque property of several acres.
On this day in 1969, French President Charles de Gaulle voluntarily resigned, although he had the right to remain president until 1973. At the time, French presidents had a seven-year mandate, contrary to the present situation (a president is today elected for five years).
His second mandate began in 1966, and he could remain president until the beginning of 1973. If he hadn`t resigned on this day in 1969, he would have been president for four more years (more than half of his mandate remained unused).
De Gaulle was 79 years old at the time of resignation. He returned to his estate La Boisserie near the village of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises in the region of Champagne, where he had a picturesque property of several acres. He died next year, just before his 80th birthday.
Charles de Gaulle was buried in Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, in a simple grave next to his daughter who had got pneumonia and died at the age of 12 (she also had the Down syndrome). Later, his wife Yvonne was also buried next to them. They had been married for almost fifty years.
