News The Olympic torch nears ever closer to Rio de Janeiro where it will light the Olympic cauldron this Friday (5 August) But before that, there are still a number of idyllic locations on its itinerary This Monday (1 August) the torch visited Búzios, the quaint fishing town put on the map by French actress Brigitte Bardot, making it a swanky beach resort During the Olympic flame’s visit, two centenarians took a moment to reminisce on how the town used to be (Photo: Rio 2016/Marcos de Paula) The first torchbearer in Búzios today was centenarian Eva Oliveira, at 106 she is Rio 2016’s oldest female torchbearer Oliveira, whose grandparents were among Brazil’s last generation of enslaved people, belonged to a Búzios quilombo, a community of escaped African slaves After running with the Olympic torch on this sunny August morning, she explained the secret to her long life “I have always been very independent, even today I do everything on my own: I bathe, make my food, wash the dishes and make my bed The only thing I don’t do is clean the house as my kids won’t let me,” Oliveira said Rio 2016's oldest female torchbearer, 106-year-old Eva Oliveira (Photo: Rio 2016/Marcos de Paula) Ruth Faria, who has lived in Búzios since she was 10 years old, still has a photo of Bardot that she took in her garden to this day She remembers how it was when the French actress first visited; a quaint, bucolic fishing town that still did not have electricity, running water or even paved roads “It was really difficult in my time,” she said, “even just to get a glass of water at home you had to go to the well, everything was a sacrifice ” Ruth Faria remembers how Búzios was before Bardot first visited (Photo: Rio 2016/Marcos de Paula) Búzios in the early 20th century was a resort for Carioca high society in need of an escape from the chaotic city life of Rio de Janeiro But it was not until after Bardot’s first visit in 1964 that the fishing town became an international tourist hotspot, Brazil’s own St Tropez Various celebrities, including the likes of Mick Jagger and Madonna, have visited the resort but Bardot continues to be its favourite visitor Tributes to the glamourous French actress are everywhere, from the cinema that bears her name to “Orla Bardot”, the stretch of coast that connects Praia da Armação with the main shopping street, Rua das Pedras Along the oceanfront, she is immortalised in bronze, a statue by sculptor Christina Motta Christina Motta's tribute to Bardot on the beachfront in Búzios (Photo: Flickr/TenaVanet) Today, Búzios attracts visitors from around the world, as well as being a glamorous haven for Brazil and Argentina’s elite Holidaymakers come here mainly for the beach and with 23 to choose from, they are spoilt for choice There are the calm azure blue waters on the western side, perfect for the paddlers and posers, and the rougher beaches on the east side that face the open sea, popular with surfers and water sports enthusiasts At night, the main shopping street Rua das Pedras is the place to be The immaculate cobbled street offers a wide variety of gastronomic options, with some of the finest international cuisine in Rio de Janeiro state, as well as a host of stylish fashion boutiques After a day of perfecting their tans at the beach, this is where Búzios’ glamorous and beautiful come to be seen Búzios' main shopping street, Rua das Pedras, at night (Photo: Flickr/Eguinald Vieira Sirino) According to travel agents, the best time to visit Búzios is during the tourist low season, which comes just after Carnival (March-June) and between September and November, meaning this could be the perfect spot for your post-Games escape