Johnny Hallyday lives on in French culture

You may have heard the news recently that much-loved French rock star, Johnny Hallyday, has lost his battle with cancer. It was touch-and-go back in 2009, when he was placed in a medical coma after a post-op back pain, and I wrote about the couple who I overhead talking of his death. People wept in the streets, and French president Emmanuel Macron made a speech during the public funeral procession. Now, a new Hallyday battle begins: his two eldest kids to previous wives were left out of his will, but under French law, a deceased person’s children must be treated more or less equally. The two kids are therefore challenging the will.

Whatever the outcome, someone is making money from Johnny’s death with a huge range of memorabilia available in the shops. Actually, the memorabilia has always been around, but now, the stands have been constructed and extra stock added. Below is a photo I took this week in Annecy Carrefour supermarket.

Johnny Hallyday after death

Has any other rock star been written about by so many people? As well as this wide range of books, there’s coffee mugs, calendars and t-shirts in a bin attached to the stand — and not at discount prices.

Meanwhile, even closer to home in Le Grand Bornand ski resort, a friend of a friend snapped this picture (merci T Nardin).

Johnny Hallyday skiing

Johnny is printed on the back of this guy’s jacket, which he’s no doubt wearing proudly, along with his Johnny-looking hairstyle, perhaps in homage to The French King.

Personally, I’d prefer the mug.

In fact, I’ve decided to start a mug challenge. Help fund a Johnny Hallyday mug and I’ll post a picture of me drinking coffee from it once I’ve bought it with the money raised!

Help me buy a Johnny coffee mug

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About

I'm a technical author, journalist and writer from Australia who has been living in Europe since 2000 and exploring the world from there. My passions are writing, snow sports and travel.