122-Year-Old Woman Enjoyed Wine and Smoking Yet Lived a Long Life

eanne Louise Calment holds the record as the longest-lived verified human in history, reaching the extraordinary age of 122 years and 164 days. Born in Arles, France, in 1875, she lived through three centuries of dramatic global change, from the pre-industrial era to the rise of the internet. Her age was confirmed through extensive documentation, including birth records, census data, and legal papers, earning her official recognition in the Guinness World Records and widespread attention from scientists and historians studying human longevity.

What made Calment’s life especially fascinating was how she lived it. She enjoyed chocolate daily, drank wine in moderation, and smoked for nearly 100 years, habits that defied modern health advice. Yet she remained active well into old age, cycling in her nineties and walking independently past 100. She believed balance, not restriction, was the key to longevity, once saying, “If you can’t do anything about it, don’t worry about it.”

Beyond genetics, experts point to her calm temperament, humor, and social engagement as crucial factors. Calment’s life remains a powerful reminder that longevity is shaped not just by diet or exercise, but by resilience, connection, and joy.