SIEM REAP, Cambodia – On 4 August 2025, Cambodian police found the body of Lisa Girard-Fabre, a 23-year-old French national, near Angkor Wat. She had gone missing two days earlier while out on a solo run.
News of her death has unsettled both residents and the wider public, leading to official inquiries and sparking worries about the well-being of foreign visitors in the area. The French Embassy is working with Cambodian officials to arrange her return home, while the loss adds to an unsettling record of incidents involving French travellers in Cambodia.
Originally from southwest France, Girard-Fabre was known for her love of travel. She vanished on 2 August after starting a 21-kilometre run through Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap. Her friend, Noemie Martin, said she was last seen around 7.20 am close to Ta Som Temple, a quieter part of the UNESCO site.
At the time, she wore a blue T-shirt with “Cambodia” and a flag on it, her dark hair pulled back in a braid with a running band. Witnesses came forward on social media, with one local saying she saw Girard-Fabre pass her café near Sras Srang Lake around 7 am, and another recalling a sighting near the Old Route 60 ticket booth about 7.50 am.
As worry spread, friends and authorities organized a search. Martin posted urgent requests online, asking people to look in wooded areas and side trails, and called for help from those with drones.
No Evidence of Foul Play
Police and volunteers checked the grounds, and posts on X highlighted the rising concern. One user, @BKon24, shared that Girard-Fabre had hitchhiked from Paris to Phnom Penh over four months, raising money for the Cambodian charity Pour un Sourire d’Enfant, showing her adventurous nature and dedication to helping others.
Two days after she went missing, police located Girard-Fabre’s body in a dry canal outside Siem Reap, in the Tasom commune of Angkor Chum district. Lieutenant Colonel Sok Meng Eang, from the local police force, told AFP that the post-mortem found her cause of death to be cardiac arrest.
“There were no wounds or signs of violence,” he said, explaining that her items and phone were found nearby and her clothing was undisturbed. Cambodian authorities handed her body to the French Embassy, which is overseeing her repatriation.
In a brief statement, the French Embassy in Phnom Penh confirmed the death and expressed sympathy to the family. “We are deeply saddened by the loss and are supporting her family at this difficult time,” a spokesperson said.
They would not comment further, citing respect for the family’s privacy and the ongoing investigation. French news sources, including Le Figaro and Le Parisien, reported her death, with users on X sharing condolences such as, “Paix à son âme forte” (Peace to her strong soul).
Though police have found no evidence of foul play, the circumstances have renewed debate about the risks faced by solo travellers in Cambodia, especially in less crowded areas around Angkor.
The temple complex draws millions of visitors, but its vast layout and dense forest areas can be dangerous for those who wander off marked paths. The lack of clarity about exactly where Girard-Fabre was found has led to more speculation online, with users like @WandererOwl sharing details from the search.
French Tourists in Cambodia
This is not the first tragedy involving French tourists in Cambodia. In February 2013, 25-year-old Ophélie Begnis was discovered dead in the Kampot River with severe injuries. Police investigated a possible murder and arrested a Belgian guesthouse owner, who was later released on bail and fled.
The case is still unresolved, with Begnis’ family accusing both Cambodian officials and the French Embassy of failing to act. In 2015, three French tourists were detained after taking naked photos at Angkor’s Banteay Kdei temple, sparking further controversy.
Cambodia has seen other high-profile deaths among foreign tourists. In 2019, British backpacker Amelia Bambridge, 21, was found dead off Koh Rong island following her disappearance at a beach party, where drowning was suspected.
In 2013, five members of a French family were found dead in a pond in Kampong Speu province.
While initially declared a murder-suicide, French forensic teams later suggested it was murder. These and similar events, together with Girard-Fabre’s death, highlight the ongoing challenge of keeping visitors safe in the country’s remote locations.
As officials continue to investigate, many mourn the loss of a young woman described as lively and caring. Her journey from Paris to Cambodia to support a local charity reflected her passion and commitment.
Her death is a stark reminder of the hazards that can exist, even in famous and beautiful places like Angkor Wat. Authorities have not yet provided more details, but there is hope this incident will lead to better safety measures for all who visit Cambodia’s historic sites.
