Paul and Gerda Klapper left their hometown of Alphen aan den Rijn early on a Thursday morning intending to visit their second home in Planchez, France, for the last time. After 60 years of marriage and 25 years of cherished memories there, this emotional journey has turned into a worrying mystery as the couple has not been heard from since.
The couple was last seen Thursday evening between 7:00 and 7:30 PM in Charleroi, Belgium. At a local pizzeria, after their phones stopped working, they borrowed a phone to find a hotel but never checked in. Later, their bank card was used at a Total fuel station in Rethel, France, and an unusual toll payment was made near Orange—a strange choice as they typically avoided toll roads. The final known transaction was at a bakery near Reims the next morning. Since then, all traces of them have vanished.
Medical concerns are serious: Paul has diabetes and has not taken medications for days, and Gerda has mobility issues following a knee operation. Both left their home unprepared, without medicines or supplies, and have not been in contact, which is highly unusual, especially for Gerda who often communicates daily with grandchildren. Their granddaughter noted they seemed to have left in a confused state.
Family members have traveled to France to investigate, visiting police stations and searching locations on the couple’s route. They are also seeking toll gate CCTV footage to determine who drove the vehicle and when. The couple may be traveling in a white Peugeot 2008 with Dutch license plate KL-476-H, and local residents and travelers are urged to be vigilant and report any sightings immediately to local or Dutch authorities.
This disappearance has left the family in limbo; what was meant to be a dignified farewell has turned into a heartbreaking search, driven by love, hope, and the strength of family bonds.
For more details, see the original article (in Dutch):
https://mamasenomas.nl/dit-weten-we-nu-over-de-vermissing-van-paul-83-en-gerda-80-in-frankrijk-en-zo-kan-je-helpen/