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François Bonlieu

Bonlieu, pictured in 1964
Personal information
Birth name	François Pierre Philippe Bonlieu
National team	France
Born	(1937-03-21)21 March 1937 Juvincourt-et-Damary, Aisne, France
Died	18 August 1973(1973-08-18) (aged 36) Croisette, Cannes, France
Occupation	Alpine skier
Height	167 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Weight	60 kg (132 lb)
Relative	Edith Bonlieu (sister)
Medal record Men's alpine skiing Representing  France Olympic Games 1964 Innsbruck Giant slalom World Championships 1964 Innsbruck Giant slalom 1954 Åre Giant slalom 1958 Bad Gastein Giant slalom

François Pierre Philippe Bonlieu (21 March 1937 – 18 August 1973) was a French alpine skier. Bonlieu debuted for the French alpine skiing national team when he was 15 years old. He was a four time French Champion (twice in the giant slalom, once in the slalom and Alpine Combined). He was killed in a fight in 1973.

Early life

François Pierre Philippe Bonlieu was born at Juvincourt-et-Damary, Aisne, on 21 March 1937. He experienced difficulty in childhood and was "virtually homeless". He never knew his father, and after the end of World War II his mother moved to Contamines in the Alps. He became interested in skiing at a young age while living in the Alps, teaching himself.

Career

Bonlieu debuted for the French alpine skiing national team when he was 15 years old, after winning a youth cup. At the age of 17 he placed second in the Alpine World Ski Championships in 1954. This success caused him issues, however, as his early career success led to little success over the next decade. He did eventually win the Kandahar slalom in 1959.

The next few years his career was inactive as he served in the Algerian War, returning both physically and mentally ill. In 1964, he won the special slalom in Hindelang, beating out Billy Kidd and Bud Werner. He won the gold medal in the 1964 Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria in the Giant slalom. Before his victory, he stated he was "sure he would win", and that "in eight days I will have erased 10 years of emptiness".

Personal life

He was known for his unusual and morose personality and remarks, and often conflicted with Honoré Bonnet [fr], the coach of the French team. He was known to disappear for days on end. He was small in stature and was known to have health difficulties.

His sister Edith Bonlieu, also an alpine skier, was a member of the cult Order of the Solar Temple and died in a mass suicide in December 1995. Edith was married to fellow Olympic skiing gold medalist Jean Vuarnet; Bonlieu often lived with them.

Death

On 18 August 1973, Bonlieu died at the age of 36, following a brawl in Croisette in Cannes after an argument. His body had been discovered the night of the 16th in the basement of the port. Initially a surgery was planned in an attempt to save his life, but his injury was too severe.

Initial police investigation was unable to determine if he had been attacked or fallen in a harbor, and an investigation was opened as a result. No one in Cannes knew him personally and no one knew how long he had been there.

References

1. ^ "Qui êtes-vous... François Bonlieu?" [Who are you... François Bonlieu?]. Feuille d'avis de Neuchâtel (in Swiss French). No. 24. 30 January 1965. p. 11. Retrieved 23 June 2024 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
2. ^ "François Bonlieu of ski fame dies". The New York Times. Associated Press. 19 August 1973. p. 55. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
3. ^ "François Bonlieu gestorben" [François Bonlieu died]. Bieler Tagblatt (in Swiss High German). No. 193. 20 August 1973. p. 15. Retrieved 23 June 2024 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
4. Daley, Robert (3 February 1964). "Bonlieu's Victory Deflates Myth That 'Super' Skiers Can't Lose". The New York Times. p. 30. ISSN 0362-4331.
5. "François Bonlieu remporte le slalom spécial de Hindelang" [François Bonlieu wins the Hindelang special slalom]. Journal du Jura (in Swiss French). No. 4. 7 January 1964. p. 6. Retrieved 23 June 2024 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
6. "Encore une victoire française à val d'isère" [Another French victory in Val d'Isère]. L'Impartial (in Swiss French). No. 26691. 19 December 1964. p. 12. Retrieved 23 June 2024 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
7. ^ Daley, Robert (8 February 1964). "Taciturn French Skier Is Sure He Will Win: Victory in Sport Has Deep Meaning for Lonely Star; Bonlieu Is Favored to Take Second Title in Slalom Today". The New York Times. p. 16. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
8. "Edith Marie BONLIEU". Olympics.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
9. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "François Bonlieu Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
10. ^ "François Bonlieu n'a pas survécu à ses blessures" [François Bonlieu did not survive his injuries]. Journal du Jura (in Swiss French). No. 193. 20 August 1973. p. 8. Retrieved 23 June 2024 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.

External links

• François Bonlieu at FIS (alpine)
• François Bonlieu at Olympics.com
• François Bonlieu at Olympedia

• 1937 births
• 1973 deaths
• Sportspeople from Aisne
• French male alpine skiers
• Olympic gold medalists for France
• Alpine skiers at the 1956 Winter Olympics
• Alpine skiers at the 1960 Winter Olympics
• Alpine skiers at the 1964 Winter Olympics
• Olympic medalists in alpine skiing
• Medalists at the 1964 Winter Olympics
• Olympic alpine skiers for France
• 20th-century French sportsmen
• French murder victims