A man who counted enormously in the life of Françoise Hardy. This Thursday, June 20, the singer’s entourage went to the crematorium of the Père-Lachaise cemetery, in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, to attend her funeral. If Jacques Dutronc and his son Thomas were present on this sad afternoon, it was the same for Jean-Marie Périer. From 1963 to 1967, the photographer and the sixties icon lived a passionate love story. During this funeral, which took place in privacy and without religious ceremony, Anne-Marie Périer’s brother was unable to hide his sorrow. As he exited the dome, Jean-Marie Périer appeared with tears in his eyes.
If he paid a poignant tribute to the interpreter of How to say goodbye to you, after the announcement of his death on June 11, the 84-year-old man gave him a final gift. Indeed, an iconic portrait of the ex-couple was installed in the crematorium. A way of showing that, despite their separation, their love was still intact.
>> PHOTOS – Funeral of Françoise Hardy: Jacques and Thomas Dutronc, Sheila, Étienne Daho… the personalities gathered for a final tribute
Françoise Hardy: a look back at her romance with Jean-Marie Périer
Before falling under the spell of Jacques Dutronc, Françoise Hardy shared the life of Jean-Marie Périer. The two artists met in 1963. At the time, the photographer was looking for popular artists he wanted to immortalize behind his lens. When he met the singer’s eyes, it was love at first sight. “She lived with her mother and sister in a small apartment of 45 square meters. […] The door opens and it’s her mother who answers. And behind, I see an apparition”he told the microphone of RTL in November 2022. Julie Andrieu’s ex-companion then confided what had attracted him about the singer: “What I liked was that first of all, she was poorly dressed, everything had to be done. It drives me crazy. I’m a pygmalion.”
Unfortunately, after four years of dating, in 1967, they decided to end their relationship. However, Françoise Hardy and Jean-Marie Périer remained very friends over the years. In November 2022, during his appearance on RTL, he affirmed that the singer would always keep a special place in his heart: “In fact, it never changed. Today, I continue to see her. I will love her until the end.”
Photo credits: Domine-Lafargue/ABACA