Paris (AFP)
Braving the rain, anonymous and celebrities, including Brigitte Macron and François Hollande, paid a final tribute to Juliette Gréco on Monday during her funeral in Saint-Germain-des-Près, AFP noted.
"So you taught us to free ourselves. To love others and to love ourselves. Juliet, our friendship is eternal", read in the church Abd Al Malik, one of the artists of the new generation who had recently collaborated with the iconic singer, who died at 93 on September 23.
"We have said everything about you. Femme fatale, femme passion, secret woman, sphinx, elegant, distant, curious, mocking," added Jacqueline Franjou, creator of the Ramatuelle Festival and long-time friend of the lady in black.
"Allow me to borrow a Gospel of Saint John. Originally, the verb was the word, and the word, who better served it than you? You turned them into precious stones."
"God gave his love to all his creatures. This love, Juliette Gréco sought, desired, lived (...) His face, his words, his gentleness, his smile have illuminated your lives", declared in his homily Monsignor Benoist of Sinety.
In the place of worship - where physical distancing was respected, Covid-19 obliges - the singer's granddaughter, Julie-Amour Rossini, was in the front row, not far from personalities like Brigitte Macron and François Hollande, accompanied by Julie Gayet.
Actor Michel Boujenah, actress Brigitte Fossey and singer Francis Lalanne have also been seen.
Outside the church, in the square, a Morris column presented a famous black and white photo of Juliette Gréco, from behind, dress ajar.
Among the admirers, Brigitte Roulé, 69, made the trip from Melun to "say goodbye to an extraordinary woman who gave a lot to her audience".
© 2020 AFP