Found Deceased France - Paul and Gerda Klapper, Dutch citizens did not reach destination, last signal in northern France, white Peugeot 2008, 12 Jun 2025

[Cedars]

When I map the route, Leurville, where they were found, appears to be the end point of the toll roads from the Netherlands, where they would head onto a less busy road to continue on to their home.

However, the vehicle ending up in a - presumably -remote creek, their being found apart, and apparently no phone to call for help: seem at odds with a simple getting lost scenario.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

According to everything I've read, they were both found, either near the car or nearby.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Most of the strange behaviour does seem to be explained by them not wanting to be talked out of the long drive.
Even the not phoning family, and turning the phone off.

You would think they would have taken medication with them. Though maybe they did have enough with them, or a prescription so they could get more on their trip.

 

[Lucy6226]

How sad, sounds like a tragic accident

 

[Lucy6226]

Most of the strange behaviour does seem to be explained by them not wanting to be talked out of the long drive.
Even the not phoning family, and turning the phone off.

You would think they would have taken medication with them. Though maybe they did have enough with them, or a prescription so they could get more on their trip.

Maybe one or both had some cognitive decline recently. Pure speculation. One thought the other had fetched the phones and meds? Which in turn impacted the ability to drive to a safe standard, hence the previous accident? I hope whatever the circumstances their passing was quick

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Though the family were expecting Gerda to be answering the phone and calling them like she usually did.

So that does sound like they didn't find either of their phones left behind at home.

 

[FromGermany1]

Sad news

https://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/lichaam-vermiste-gerda-80-gevonden-in-frankrijk-zoektocht-naar-echtgenoot-paul-83-nog-in-volle-gang/72684077.html

Gerda's body was found wednesday, Paul is still missing.​

​

Gerda's body was also found earlier​

Drama complete: body of missing Paul (83) also found in France​

Charleroi​

https://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/drama-compleet-ook-lichaam-vermiste-paul-83-gevonden-in-frankrijk/72684077.html

 

[Cedars]

According to everything I've read, they were both found, either near the car or nearby.

Yes, but not side by side, as would usually be the case if they were helping each other escape the crash, as married couples tend to do.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Maybe Paul tried to walk and get help.

Perhaps Gerda was not in a position to go with him

There have been many cases where there was an accident and one person stayed with the car.

 

[GraceG]

I wonder if the couple's allegedly strange behaviour
(not notifying anybody about their journey, phones turned off, car plates swapped)
was to avoid their family possibly forcing them to give up driving abroad by themselves.

After all,
recently hitting safety barriers must have been very worrying for the pair's children.

JMO

When my Dad bounced his SUV off the sides of the garage trying to simply enter it (the vehicle got wedged in sideways), along with some other increasing cognitive issues, (not diagnosed dementia, but not always rational behavior) I took his keys away. He was really angry at me about that, but I arranged for transportation and he adjusted.

It's so hard, and I understand why famlies try and wait. My heart aches for their children.

 

[Dotta]

When my Dad bounced his SUV off the sides of the garage trying to simply enter it (the vehicle got wedged in sideways), along with some other increasing cognitive issues, (not diagnosed dementia, but not always rational behavior) I took his keys away. He was really angry at me about that, but I arranged for transportation and he adjusted.

It's so hard, and I understand why famlies try and wait. My heart aches for their children.

My Dad did it voluntarily when his sight worsened.
And sold the car.
(But he bargained to get the best price)

Nothing lasts forever.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Disparition d’un couple de Hollandais : fin des recherches, les deux corps sans vie ont été retrouvés, qu’est-il arrivé à Paul et Gerda ?

Jeudi 19 juin 2025, le corps de Paul Klapper, Hollandais de 83 ans, a été retrouvé au lendemain de la découverte de celui de sa femme. Le couple avait disparu en Haute-Marne quelques jours plus tôt et les forces de...

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Dutch couple disappears: search ends, two lifeless bodies found, what happened to Paul and Gerda?​

After the autopsy carried out on Gerda's body, the public prosecutor confirmed "the absence of violence committed by a third party" , notes Le Parisien . As for Paul Klapper's body, found nearly 4 kilometers from the vehicle, it "showed no apparent traces of violence" .

For the time being, "the involvement of a third party in this death appears to be excluded ," the prosecutor added. However, an investigation has been opened to "investigate the causes of death . "

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Alphens echtpaar Paul en Gerda Klapper overleden in Frankrijk: lichamen kilometers van elkaar gevonden

Paul en Gerda Klapper. © privéfoto ALPHEN AAN DEN RIJN – Een tragische gebeurtenis treft Alphen aan den Rijn: het echtpaar Paul (83) en Gerda Klapper (80) is deze week overleden in Frankrijk. De

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Alphen couple Paul and Gerda Klapper died in France: found bodies kilometers apart​

ALPHEN ON DEN RIJN – A tragic event has struck Alphen aan den Rijn: the couple Paul (83) and Gerda Klapper (80) away passed this week in France. The bodies of the couple were found four kilometers apart near the hamlet of Orquevaux, in northeastern France.

 

[spaceunicorns]

The website of the Dutch police states that ''We see that there are many messages and speculations online about the disappearance. We ask everyone to be cautious about this.'' Which sort of acknowledges that this is definitely an odd case.

The car was found in the water, with the grandma a few hundred meters away from it and the granddad four kilometres. Not sure about the theory of them turning off their phones because they're driving to France against their (grand)children's wishes, one article says that “This was supposed to be their last time visiting the house before selling it,” their granddaughter told Omroep West. “They’re getting older, and it was no longer realistic for them to travel there often.'' Which seems to imply that they were aware that they were still going one last time.

There's a lot of different quotes in different articles about that it seems like they left in a confused manner - the granddad had diabetes and would have to constantly monitor that and be on top of it, and forgetting their medication is insane in that instance. They didn't ask the neighbours to water their plants, They also forgot to pay at a pizza restaurant (someone who saw them in the pizza restaurant said that they told him they were having issues with their phones) on the way, and apparently went through a very expensive toll road even though they normally would specifically take a bunch of smaller backroads to avoid having to pay that kind of toll. Seems like something happened mentally or neurologically, but still no clue what it could be where it leads to both of them apparently being affected by it so badly that they end up passing away like this. Either way a very sad case and my thoughts are with the family - I wonder whether we'll find out what actually did happen.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

So sad for both of them and the family.
All my thoughts are with them.

 

[tlorik]

So sad - prayers for the family.