When they were born prematurely in 1912, doctors gave
Paulette Olivier and Simone Thiot little chance of survival. But 104 years later, the jovial French twins are still going
strong and put their longevity down to their lasting friendship.
'We are still alive because we have always stayed close',
they said. 'We keep our independence - each of us has our own room, but we only
need to cross the corridor to see and talk to each other.
'We pity old people who are alone with no one to visit
them.'
To celebrate the twins reaching their latest landmark, they
received a bouquet of flowers from the local council and fellow residents at
their retirement home in Onzain, central France. 'We're being very spoiled', remarked the sprightly twins,
who both have their long white hair tied back in ponytails and gold spectacles
perched on their noses.
There is no official confirmation that Paulette and Simone
are the world's oldest twins, but they appear to be the likely holders of the
title. Paulette and Simone were born in the central village of
Limeray at 11am on January 30, 1912 to Marie Lamolie, a dressmaker, and her
husband Joseph, a carpenter.
Their entry to the world did not bode well. 'We were premature,' recalls Simone, who can still pootle
around these days without the help of a Zimmer frame. Speaking to her sister, she said: 'We were due in March but
we were born in January. They gave us a very small chance of surviving. I
didn't even weigh a kilo. And you, just three pounds.
'They had to keep us wrapped up for four months.' Simone, a dressmaker like her mother, lost her husband when
she was 64. Paulette, widowed at 36, worked as a hairdresser for 15
years in Algeria, then in Paris. Neither had any children. The twins, whose only brother died in accident at the age of
99, put their longevity down to their close friendship.
Paulette and Simone spend their time keeping up with current
affairs, reading, watching television and listening to music. Simone also regularly writes poems which she keeps in a
notebook.
Have they any other tips for a long life?
'A simple life - no excess. No alcohol. And lots of sport.
'We did gymnastics for a long time, and a huge amount of cycling - almost every day.'
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