She lived in Arles, France, for her entire life, outliving both her daughter and grandson by several decades. She entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1988, and in 1995, she became the oldest person ever!
In 1965, aged 90 years and with no heirs, Calment signed a deal to sell her former apartment to lawyer André-François Raffray, on a contingency contract. Raffray, then aged 47 years, agreed to pay her a monthly sum of 2,500 francs (500 dollars) until she died.
Raffray ended up paying Calment the equivalent of more than 184,000 dollars, which was more than double the apartment’s value. Raffray died of cancer at age of 77. His widow continued the payments until Calment’s death. You better not mess with the French!
