Jean, 74, was one of the many people who came to pay tribute to Michel Blanc, who died on October 3, 2024. “He was someone who made us laugh, we saw all his films”, he shares with emotion

On Thursday October 10, the church of Saint-Eustache in Paris was packed with celebrities from the world of entertainment, as well as around a thousand fans, all of whom came to say a final farewell to the iconic actor. Among those present were his friends from Le Splendid, such as Gérard Jugnot and Josiane Balasko, as well as Brigitte Macron, Rachida Dati, Patrice Leconte and Dany Boon, all moved by the loss. Michel Blanc, affectionately known as the “anguished clown”, leaves behind an immense cinematic legacy.

The ceremony, presided over by the parish priest Yves Trocheris, began at 4.05pm, and gathered a crowd of admirers in front of the church. Many were unable to get in, but were able to follow the ceremony via an outside broadcast. “He was a simple, unpretentious man, whom we would have loved to welcome home,” recalls Monique Picard, a septuagenarian who praises his ‘extraordinary career’, notably for his cult role in *Les Bronzés*.

This tribute, in the actor’s image, was a blend of emotion and lightness. The mass booklet featured one of his cult lines: “Je sens que je vais conclure” (“I have a feeling I’m going to come to a close”), while a fan dressed in ski gear winked at *Les Bronzés font du ski*.

A major actor of the 1980s, Michel Blanc also shone in dramatic roles and behind the camera as a director. Victim of a heart attack, he died of anaphylactic shock, according to those close to him.