François Bonlieu

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
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, 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.