Limoges
Limoges
Administration
Country	France
Region	Limousin
Department	Haute-Vienne
Arrondissement	Limoges
Canton	Chief town of 16 cantons
Intercommunality	Limoges Métropole
Mayor	Alain Rodet (2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation	209–431 m (686–1,414 ft) (avg. 294 m or 965 ft)
Land area1	77.45 km2 (29.90 sq mi)
Population2	139,026  (2006)
- Density	1,795 /km2 (4,650 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	87085/ 87000
Website	http://www.ville-limoges.fr/
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 45°50′07″N 1°15′45″E / 45.8353°N 1.2625°E / 45.8353; 1.2625

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Limoges (French pronunciation: [li.mɔʒ], Lemòtges or Limòtges in the Limousin dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France.

Limoges is known for its medieval enamels (Limoges enamels) on copper, for its 19th-century porcelain (Limoges porcelain) and for its oak barrels (Limousin oak), which are used for Cognac production.

Limoges is the chief-town of 16 cantons: Limoges-Beaupuy, Limoges-Carnot, Limoges-Centre, Limoges-Cité, Limoges-Condat, Limoges-Corgnac, Limoges-Couzeix, Limoges-Émailleurs, Limoges-Grand-Treuil, Limoges-Isle, Limoges-La Bastide, Limoges-Landouge, Limoges-Le Palais, Limoges-Panazol, Limoges-Puy-las-Rodas, and Limoges-Vigenal.

History[link]

Ancient and medieval history[link]

Scarce remains of pre-urban settlements have been found in the area of Limoges. The capital of the Gaulish people of the Lemovices, who lived in the area, was probably some kilometres south-east of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat.

The city proper was founded as Augustoritum by the Romans, around 10 BC. The foundation was part of the reorganization of the province by the emperor Augustus, hence the new name. The Roman city included an amphitheatre measuring 136 x 115 metres, a theatre, a forum, baths and several sanctuaries. According to tradition, a temple consecrated to Venus, Diana, Minerva and Jupiter was located near the modern cathedral. The city was on the typical Roman square plan, with two main streets crossing in the centre. It had a Senate and a currency of its own, a sign of its importance in the imperial age.

Limoges was evangelized by Saint Martial, who came to the city around 250 with two companions, Alpinianus and Austriclinienus. However, in the late 3rd century it was increasingly abandoned, due to unsafe conditions created by German invasions. The population was concentrated instead in a more easily fortifiable site, the modern Puy Saint-Étienne, which is the centre of the modern Limoges. Starting from the construction of the Abbey of St. Martial (9th century), another settlement grew around the tomb of the saint, while a third area, next to the residence of the viscount (the future Castle of Saint Martial), seems to have been populated from the tenth century.

Starting from the eleventh century, thanks to the presence of the Abbey of St. Martial and its large library, Limoges became a flourishing artistic centre. It also was home to an important school of medieval music composition, which is usually called the St. Martial School; its most famous member was the thirteenth century troubadour Bertran de Born.

Limoges enamel ciborium with champlevé enamel, and center rim in pseudo-Kufic script, circa 1200.^[1]

In the 13th century, at the peak of its splendour, central Limoges consisted of two different fortified settlements.

• The town proper, with a new line of walls encompassing the Vienne River, inhabited mainly by clerks and the connected workers. It has a bridge named after Saint-Étienne, built by the bishops, and a developed port. Sacked in 1370, it never recovered entirely.
• The castle, with 12 m-high walls, including the abbey and controlled by the abbot, sometimes in contrast with the bishop-ruled town. Traces of the walls can still be seen in the city's centre.

Outside the lines of walls were the popular quarters.

In 1370, Limoges was occupied by Edward, the Black Prince, who massacred some 3,000 residents, according to Froissart. See Massacre of Limoges. However, Froissart's account is described in Jonathan Sumption's account of the war as "exaggerated and embroidered with much imaginary detail." Citing a monk of St. Martial's Abbey, Sumption posits that a more reliable figure for the number killed is around 300 people, "perhaps a sixth of the normal population," with another 60 members of the garrison of 140 dead as well.^[2]

Modern history[link]

The city and castle were united in 1792 to form the single city of Limoges. During the French Revolution several religious edifices, considered symbols of the Ancien Régime, were destroyed by the population: these included the Abbey of St. Martial itself.

Some years later the porcelain industry started to develop, favoured by the presence of kaolinite which was discovered near Limoges in 1768.^[3] Many of the inhabitants became employed in the new sector or in connected activities (including the lumbering of wood needed for firing the porcelain) in manufacture and exporting needed for European distribution of Limoges Boxes, dinnerware, and other porcelain wares.

Yale Mobile Hospital Unit No. 39 stationed at the Limoges factory, Christmas, 1917

In the 19th century Limoges saw strong construction activity, which included the destruction and rebuilding of much of the city centre. This was necessary, as the town was regarded as unhealthy because of prostitution.^{[citation needed]} The unsafe conditions of the poorer population is highlighted by the outbreak of several riots, including that of July–November 1830; April 1848 and early 1905. The first French confederation of workers, Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) (General Confederation of Labour), was created in Limoges in 1895.

During the Holocaust, many Jews from Alsace were evacuated to Limoges.

Sports[link]

The city is also known for its basketball team CSP Limoges which became European champion in 1993. It was the first French club team to become European champion in a collective sport.^[4][5] The team currently plays in Pro B, the French second basketball professional division.

Climate[link]

Limoges experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) common to much of Western France. Most precipitation occurs between October and February. On 27 December 1999, winds reached 148 km/h. On average, the city receives 41 days of frost and seven days of snow each winter. In June, July and August, precipitation tends to come only from violent thunderstorms which are formed over the Bay of Biscay.

Demographics[link]

Population city: 139,502 (limougeauds), urban area: 247,944.^[when?] At the 1999 census, the population was 133,968.^[6]

Main sights[link]

The Cathedral of Limoges

Bridge of Saint Martial

• The Crypt of Saint Martial, 10th century, including the tomb of the bishop who evangelized the city^[7] It was discovered in the 1960s.
• Remains of the Gallo-Roman amphitheatre, one of the largest in the ancient Gaul.^{[citation needed]} It was covered with earth in the 1960s.
• The Gothic Limoges Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Limoges), begun in 1273 and finished only in 1888. It is noted for a fine rood loft built in 1534 and for the partly octagonal bell tower. The main artistic works are a Renaissance rood screen and the tomb of the bishop Jean de Langeac, with sculpted scenes of the Apocalypse.
• The Chapelle Saint-Aurélien (14th–17th centuries). It includes the relics of St. Aurelian, the second bishop of Limoges, and has medieval statues and Baroque works of art.
• The church of St-Pierre-du-Queyroix, begun in the 12th century
• Church of St-Michel-des-Lions, begun in 1364. It houses the relics of St. Martial and has stained-glass windows from the 15th–16th century. The most striking feature is the 65 m-high tower, with a spire surmounted by a big bronze ball.
• The bridges of Saint Martial (dating from the Roman era) and of St-Etienne (13th century).
• The Bishops' Palace (Palais de l'Évêché, 17th century). Of the original building, only a chapel remain. It is the seat of the Musée de l'Émail, with a large collection of old enamels. [Palace Exterior:^[8]
• The modern Gare de Limoges Bénédictins, inaugurated in 1929.
• The Château de La Borie (17th century), at 4 km (2.5 mi) from the city. It is home to the Centre Culturel de Rencontre de La Borie et l'Ensemble Baroque de Limoges.
• The remains of the 12th century Castle of Chalucet, 10 km (6.2 mi) outside the city. During the Hundred Years' War it was a base of the bands of pillagers which ravaged the country.
• The city's botanical gardens include the Jardin botanique de l'Evêché and the Jardin botanique alpin "Daniella".
• Université de Limoges was founded at Limoges in 1968.^[9]

Art[link]

The murder of Thomas Becket, Limoges enamel, 12th century, Louvre Museum

"The Marketplace at Limoges" is the name of a section of Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.

In 1768,^[3] kaolin, a rock rich in fine, white clay which is used for making porcelain, was discovered at Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, near Limoges.^[10] Under the impetus of the progressive economist Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, Baron de Laune, who had been appointed intendant of this impoverished and isolated region, a new ceramics industry was developed, and Limoges porcelain became famous during the 19th century. However, Limoges porcelain is a generic term for porcelain produced in Limoges rather than at a specific factory. More than 50% of all porcelain made in France comes from Limoges^[3][11]

Transport[link]

The main train station of Limoges is the Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins. It offers direct connections with Paris, Lille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lyon and several regional destinations. The motorway A20 connects Limoges with Vierzon and Paris to the north, and Brive-la-Gaillarde and Toulouse to the south. The nearest airport is Limoges – Bellegarde Airport.

Urban transport in Limoges and its metropolitan area is operated by Société de transports en commun de Limoges Métropole (STCL). The Limoges urban bus network includes the Limoges trolleybus system, one of only four such systems currently operating in France.

Notable people[link]

Limoges was the birthplace of

• Maryse Bastié (1898–1952), aviatrix
• Marie François Sadi Carnot (1837–1894), President of France
• Henri François d'Aguesseau (1668–1751), chancellor of France
• Jean Daurat (or Dorat) (1508–1588), poet and scholar, member of the Pléiade
• Fabienne Delsol, a singer active since 1996
• Roger Gonthier (1884–1978), architect
• Stephen Grellet (1773–1855), Quaker missionary
• Jean-Baptiste Jourdan (1762–1833), marshal of France
• Edmond Malinvaud (1923–present), economist
• Jean-Baptiste Joseph Émile Montégut (1825–1895), critic
• René Navarre (1877–1968), actor
• Thomas Robert Bugeaud de la Piconnerie, Duke of Isly (1784–1849), marshal of France
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919), preeminent French painter
• Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud (1753–1793), orator and revolutionary

Twin towns[link]

Fountain at Limoges

• Charlotte, United States
• Fürth, Germany
• Grodno, Belarus
• Seto, Japan
• Plzeň, Czech Republic

See also[link]

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Limoges, the Bishopric of Limoges
• Communes of the Haute-Vienne department

References[link]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company. 
• INSEE commune file

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Limoges

• City council website
• Adrien Dubouché Museum – ceramics, glassware, porcelain from Limoges]
• History and Geography at Academy of Limoges

v t e Communes of the Haute-Vienne department Aixe-sur-Vienne Ambazac Arnac-la-Poste Augne Aureil Azat-le-Ris Balledent La Bazeuge Beaumont-du-Lac Bellac Berneuil Bersac-sur-Rivalier Bessines-sur-Gartempe Beynac Les Billanges Blanzac Blond Boisseuil Bonnac-la-Côte Bosmie-l'Aiguille Breuilaufa Le Buis Bujaleuf Burgnac Bussière-Boffy Bussière-Galant Bussière-Poitevine Les Cars Chaillac-sur-Vienne Le Chalard Châlus Chamboret Champagnac-la-Rivière Champnétery Champsac La Chapelle-Montbrandeix Chaptelat Château-Chervix Châteauneuf-la-Forêt Châteauponsac Le Châtenet-en-Dognon Cheissoux Chéronnac Cieux Cognac-la-Forêt Compreignac Condat-sur-Vienne Coussac-Bonneval Couzeix La Croisille-sur-Briance La Croix-sur-Gartempe Cromac Cussac Darnac Dinsac Dompierre-les-Églises Domps Le Dorat Dournazac Droux Eybouleuf Eyjeaux Eymoutiers Feytiat Flavignac Folles Fromental Gajoubert La Geneytouse Glandon Glanges Gorre Les Grands-Chézeaux Isle Jabreilles-les-Bordes Janailhac Javerdat La Jonchère-Saint-Maurice Jouac Jourgnac Ladignac-le-Long Laurière Lavignac Limoges Linards Lussac-les-Églises Magnac-Bourg Magnac-Laval Mailhac-sur-Benaize Maisonnais-sur-Tardoire Marval Masléon Meilhac Meuzac La Meyze Mézières-sur-Issoire Moissannes Montrol-Sénard Mortemart Nantiat Nedde Neuvic-Entier Nexon Nieul Nouic Oradour-Saint-Genest Oradour-sur-Glane Oradour-sur-Vayres Pageas Le Palais-sur-Vienne Panazol Pensol Peyrat-de-Bellac Peyrat-le-Château Peyrilhac Pierre-Buffière La Porcherie Rancon Razès Rempnat Rilhac-Lastours Rilhac-Rancon Rochechouart La Roche-l'Abeille Roussac Royères Roziers-Saint-Georges Saillat-sur-Vienne Saint-Amand-le-Petit Saint-Amand-Magnazeix Saint-Auvent Saint-Barbant Saint-Bazile Saint-Bonnet-Briance Saint-Bonnet-de-Bellac Saint-Brice-sur-Vienne Saint-Cyr Saint-Denis-des-Murs Sainte-Anne-Saint-Priest Sainte-Marie-de-Vaux Saint-Gence Saint-Genest-sur-Roselle Saint-Georges-les-Landes Saint-Germain-les-Belles Saint-Gilles-les-Forêts Saint-Hilaire-Bonneval Saint-Hilaire-la-Treille Saint-Hilaire-les-Places Saint-Jean-Ligoure Saint-Jouvent Saint-Julien-le-Petit Saint-Junien Saint-Junien-les-Combes Saint-Just-le-Martel Saint-Laurent-les-Églises Saint-Laurent-sur-Gorre Saint-Léger-la-Montagne Saint-Léger-Magnazeix Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat Saint-Martial-sur-Isop Saint-Martin-de-Jussac Saint-Martin-le-Mault Saint-Martin-le-Vieux Saint-Martin-Terressus Saint-Mathieu Saint-Maurice-les-Brousses Saint-Méard Saint-Ouen-sur-Gartempe Saint-Pardoux Saint-Paul Saint-Priest-Ligoure Saint-Priest-sous-Aixe Saint-Priest-Taurion Saint-Sornin-la-Marche Saint-Sornin-Leulac Saint-Sulpice-Laurière Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles Saint-Sylvestre Saint-Symphorien-sur-Couze Saint-Victurnien Saint-Vitte-sur-Briance Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche Saint-Yrieix-sous-Aixe Les Salles-Lavauguyon Sauviat-sur-Vige Séreilhac Solignac Surdoux Sussac Tersannes Thiat Thouron Vaulry Vayres Verneuil-Moustiers Verneuil-sur-Vienne Veyrac Vicq-sur-Breuilh Videix Le Vigen Villefavard

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2008)

Clara Morgane
Born	Emmanuelle Aurélie Munos (1981-01-25) 25 January 1981 (age 31) Marseille, France
Ethnicity	Caucasian
Height	1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	54 kg (120 lb)
No. of adult films	8 (per IAFD)
Website
http://www.claramorgane.com

Clara Morgane (born Emmanuelle Aurélie Munos on 25 January 1981 in Marseille) is a former pornographic actress, a French singer, media personality and TV host.

Biography[link]

Clara Morgane was born and raised in Marseille.

She was unusual in that at first, she appeared in a series of films with only one partner; Greg Centauro, who was her boyfriend at the time. Post-Centauro, she performed with other male porn actors, such as Ian Scott in the movie La Cambrioleuse.

She was the anchorwoman of the Journal du hard on the pay-TV channel Canal+, from September 2001 to August 2008. She also writes sex advice columns in a few French magazines for teenagers and adults. In France, she often appears on national TV and provides a kind of socially acceptable, family friendly representation of porn.

Meanwhile she arranged her singing career. Rudy Lansard produced her first song "J'aime".

Clara Morgane has created two brands of lingerie, 'Clara M.' and 'Shocking Princess.' She is also the spokeswoman for the French soft drink Gini.

In 2003 she published her first autobiography, Sex Star.

Singing career[link]

In 2007, she started a singing career. Her debut album, DéCLARAtions was released 18 June 2007, with a mixture of funk, hip-hop and R'n'B. Clara Morgane wrote the lyrics for all the songs. The first single, J'Aime featuring rapper Lord Kossity and Sexy Girl have been available online since 26 March 2007.

Titles and awards[link]

She received the Hot d'Or for "Best French Starlet" in 2001.

She was elected the top French and eighth sexiest woman in the world by the French edition of the magazine FHM.

She was also the first French woman to be featured on the cover page of the U.S. edition of Penthouse and has appeared on more than 40 magazine covers including VSD, FHM, Penthouse, Private, Playboy, Newlook and Maxim.

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Album[link]

• 2007: DéCLARAtions (released 18 June)
• 2010: Nuits Blanches

Singles[link]

• J'aime (duo with Lord Kossity) (2007)
• Sexy Girl (2007)
• Nous Deux (2008)
• IL (2009)
• Le Diable au Corps (2010)
• Good Time (2011)

Music videos[link]

• J'Aime
• Sexy Girl
• Nous Deux
• Nous Deux (remix) (by Hakimakli)
• Le Diable au Corps

Publications[link]

• (French) Sex Star, Adcan Edition, 2003, ISBN 2-84814-009-7
• (French) Kâma Sûtra, Adcan Edition, 2004, illustrated ISBN 2-9516572-1-8

Companies[link]

• Sarl Péché Capital Media (PCM) – created 2003-12-06
• Sarl M Holding – created 2007-04-12

Further reading[link]

• (French) Clara Morgane (2003). Sex Star – Adcan Edition – ISBN 2-84814-009-7

Notes and references[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Clara Morgane

• Official web site (French)
• Filmography and pictures (Xclusive France) (French)
• Clara Morgane at the Internet Movie Database
• Clara Morgane at the Internet Adult Film Database

This article may be expanded with text translated from the corresponding article in the French Wikipedia. (December 2009) Don't speak French? Click here to read a machine-translated version of the French article. Click [show] on the right to review important translation instructions before translating. Google's machine translation is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. After translating, {{Translated|fr|Johnny Hallyday}} must be added to the talk page to ensure copyright compliance. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

Johnny Hallyday
Johnny Hallyday in 2003
Background information
Birth name	Jean-Philippe Smet
Born	(1943-06-15) 15 June 1943 (age 69)
Origin	Cité Malesherbes, Paris, France
Genres	Rock and roll
Occupations	Singer, actor
Years active	1959-Present
Labels	Vogue Philips Warner Universal
Website	http://www.johnnyhallyday.com/

Jean-Philippe Smet better known by his stage name Johnny Hallyday (born 15 June 1943, Cité Malesherbes, Paris, France) is a French^[1] singer and actor.^[2] An icon in the French-speaking world since the beginning of his career, he was considered by some^[3] to have been the French Elvis Presley. He was married for 15 years to popular Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan. They formed the golden couple of the sixties and seventies in Europe. Johnny has completed 100 tours, had 18 platinum albums, and sold more than 110 million records.^[4] Hallyday announced his retirement from performing on 3 December 2007, saying that he will retire in 2009,^[5] after a farewell tour. Hallyday, though, announced in March 2012 that he would perform in Los Angeles on April 24 and in New York City on October 7.

Early life[link]

This section requires expansion.

Hallyday's father, Léon Smet (1908–1989), was Belgian, his mother Huguette Clerc (1920–2007) was French. Hallyday took his stage name from his aunt Desta's husband and dance partner Lee Hallyday, a pseudonym for Lee Ketcham, an expatriate Oklahoman, performer and MC at the Cafe de Paris when Johnny began his singing career. Johnny was raised by Desta and Lee from a very young age, with Lee being his first manager.

Career[link]

Influenced by Elvis Presley and the 1950s rock revolution, Hallyday became famous in the 1960s for singing rock and roll in French. His debut single, "Laisse les filles" was released on the Vogue label in March 1960.^[6] His first album, Hello Johnny, was released in 1960.^[7] In 1961 his cover of "Let's Twist Again" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.^[8] It topped almost every European chart, although the track did not appear in the UK Singles Chart.^[9] He appeared on the American Ed Sullivan Show with American singing star Connie Francis in a show that was taped at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris. He also staged many appearances in the Paris Olympia under the management of the late Bruno Coquatrix. For their first concert, The Jimi Hendrix Experience opened for Johnny Hallyday in Évreux on 13 October 1966. Black and white footage, also from October 1966, exists of Hallyday partying with Hendrix, his manager Chas Chandler and others.

1965

At the end of the 1960s, Hallyday made a string of albums with Mick Jones and Tommy Brown as musical directors, and Big Jim Sullivan, Bobby Graham and Jimmy Page as session musicians. These are Jeune Homme, Rivière... Ouvre ton Lit (aka Je suis né dans la rue) and Vie. On Je suis né dans la rue, Hallyday also hired both Peter Frampton and the Small Faces. Amongst their contributions are the songs "Amen (Bang Bang)", "Reclamation (News Report)" and "Regarde Pour Moi (What You Will)" which are variations of Small Faces and Humble Pie – which was Frampton's band – tracks and they can be heard playing on the album. Often forgotten is Hallyday's non-LP single and EP track "Que Je T'aime" from the same sessions.^[10] By 1969 alone, his sales of records exceeded twelve million.^[8]

Many^[who?] consider Hallyday to have developed well and become a greater performer in his later years. One of his concerts, 100% Johnny: Live à La Tour Eiffel in 2000, attracted an audience of 500,000 and 9.5 million television viewers (the show was broadcast live on French TV).^[11] In December 2005, Hallyday had his third number-one single in France, "Mon Plus Beau Noël" (after "Tous ensemble" and "Marie"), dedicated to his adopted daughter Jade. Shortly before announcing his retirement from touring, he released a blues-flavored album, Le Cœur d'un homme, on 12 November 2007. The album hit #1 in both France and French-speaking Belgium. In addition to the lead single "Always", Le Cœur d'un homme features "T'aimer si mal", a duet with bluesman Taj Mahal and "I Am the Blues", an English-language song written for Hallyday by U2 frontman Bono. His next album, Ça ne finira jamais, released in 2008, another #1 on the French album chart, and its lead single, "Ça n'finira jamais", also reached #1. In 2008 he recorded a series of acoustic songs with French musician Drexl Jonez. Hallyday's most recent album, also a #1 hit in France, is Tour 66: Stade de France 2009, a live set recorded at Stade de France during his farewell tour with appearances by Drexl Jonez on the guitar.

Hallyday remains largely unknown outside of France, thus earning the nickname "the biggest rock star you've never heard of" in English-speaking countries.^[12][13][4] He was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur in 1997.^[14]

French movie producers Michèle and Laurent Pétin introduced Johnny Hallyday to Hong Kong film director Johnny To. Hallyday was cast as the main role of To's Vengeance after meeting with the director in early 2008. The shooting began in November 2008 and concluded in February 2009. The filming took place on location in Hong Kong and Macau, with a crew mainly based in Hong Kong.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life[link]

In November 2005, Hallyday started a procedure to obtain Belgian citizenship but his request was turned down in 2006 because he failed to fulfill the residence requirements. In late 2006, Hallyday announced that he would move his permanent residency to Gstaad, Switzerland to escape the high tax rate imposed by the French government. Swiss law allows wealthy individuals to claim residency if they live six months and one day in the country and then pay a fixed tax based on expenses, such as rent or assets in Switzerland, rather than a percentage of their income. Hallyday has said that he would move his residency back to France if it changes its tax laws.^[15]

He maintains a second home in Los Angeles, where he has been spending increasing amounts of time in recent years, enjoying his relative anonymity in the U.S. One of his favorite leisure activities is riding his Harley-Davidson on long trips through the California desert, staying in small motels along the way.^[4]

Hallyday married Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan on 12 April 1965. Their son David was born on 14 August 1966. Hallyday and Vartan divorced in 1980. He was then briefly married to Babeth Étienne; the marriage lasted less than three months, ending in February 1982. A four-year relationship with French actress Nathalie Baye followed; their daughter Laura Smet was born on 15 November 1983. He was married to his third wife Adeline Blondieau for two years, divorcing her in 1992. He has been married to Laeticia Boudou since 25 March 1996. The couple have adopted two girls from Vietnam: Jade Odette Désirée, born 3 August 2004 (formerly Bui Thi Hoa), in November 2004,^[16] and Joy (Maï-Huong), born 27 July 2008, in December 2008. From all those relationships, the one with SYLVIE VARTAN is the most popular and symbolic for the french audience. Not one article is written without mentioning Sylvie Vartan who remains the number one french female selling artist of all time and the queen of rock and pop in Europe.

Hallyday supported Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 French presidential election. The Masked Avengers referenced this in their prank call to American vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin when an Avenger impersonating Sarkozy named Hallyday as his "Special American Advisor".

In July 2009, Hallyday was diagnosed with colon cancer,^[17] for which he was operated on. On 26 November 2009^[18] Hallyday underwent surgery in Paris to repair a herniated disc. He suffered complications and was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. It was announced that Hallyday had been put into a medically induced coma in order to repair lesions that had formed as a result of the surgery and to relieve his pain. On 17 December, it was announced that Hallyday and his wife had started legal proceedings against Dr. Stephane Delajoux, who had performed the original surgery.^[19]

Albums[link]

The embedded lists in this section may contain items that are not encyclopedic. Please help out by removing such elements and incorporating appropriate items into the main body of the article. (August 2011)

Studio albums[link]

• Hello Johnny (1960, Vogue)
• Nous les Gars, Nous les Filles (1961, Vogue)
• Tête à Tête avec Johnny (1961, Vogue)
• Salut les Copains! (1961, Philips)
• Johnny Hallyday sings America's Rockin' Hits (1962, Philips)
• Les Bras en Croix (1963, Philips)
• Les Rocks les Plus Terribles (1964, Philips)
• Halleluyah (1965, Philips)
• Johnny Chante Hallyday (1965, Philips)
• La Génération Perdue (1966, Philips)
• Johnny 67 (1967, Philips)
• Jeune Homme (1968, Philips)
• Rêve et Amour (1968, Philips)
• Rivière... Ouvre ton Lit (aka Je suis né dans la rue) (1969, Philips)
• Vie (1970, Philips)
• Flagrant Délit (1971, Philips)
• Pleins Feux Sur... (1971, Philips)
• Country-Folk-Rock (1972, Philips)
• Insolitudes (1973, Philips)
• Je t'Aime, Je t'Aime, Je t'Aime (1974, Philips)
• Rock'n Slow (1974, Philips)
• Rock à Memphis (1975, Philips)
• La Terre Promise (1975, Philips)
• Derrière l'Amour (1976, Philips)
• Hamlet (1976, Philips)
• C'est la Vie (1977, Philips)
• Solitudes à Deux (1978, Philips)
• Hollywood (1979, Philips)
• À Partir de Maintenant... (1980, Philips)
• En Pièces Détachées (1981, Philips)
• Pas Facile (1981, Philips)
• Quelque Part un Aigle (1982, Philips)
• La Peur (1982, Philips)
• Entre Violence et Violon (1983, Philips)
• Hallyday 84: Nashville en Direct (1984, Philips)
• En V.O. (1984, Philips)
• Rock'n'Roll Attitude (1985, Philips)
• Gang (1986, Philips)
• Cadillac (1989, Philips)
• Ça ne change pas un homme (1991, Philips)
• Rough Town (1994, Philips)
• Lorada (1995, Philips)
• Ce que je sais (1998, Philips)
• Sang pour sang (1999, Philips)
• À la vie, à la mort ! (2002, Mercury)
• Ma Vérité (2005, Mercury)
• Le Cœur d'un homme (2007, Warner Music France)
• Ça ne finira jamais (2008, Warner Music France)
• Jamais seul (2011, Warner Music France)

Live albums[link]

• Johnny et Ses Fans au Festival de Rock'n'Roll (1961, Vogue)
• À l'Olympia (1962, Philips)
• Olympia 64 (1964, Philips)
• Olympia 67 (1967, Philips)
• Au Palais des Sports (1967, Philips)
• Que Je t'Aime (1969, Philips)
• Live at the Palais des Sports (1971, Philips)
• Palais des Sports (1976, Philips)
• Pavillon de Paris (1979, Philips)
• Live (1981, Universal Music)
• Palais des Sports 1982 (1982, Universal Music)
• Au Zénith (1984, Universal Music)
• À Bercy (1987, Universal Music)
• Dans la Chaleur de Bercy (1990, Universal Music)
• Bercy 92 (1992, Universal Music)
• Parc des Princes (1993, Universal Music)
• À La Cigale (1994, Universal Music)
• Lorada Tour (1995, Universal Music)
• Destination Vegas (1996, Universal Music)
• Johnny Allume le Feu: Stade de France 98 (1998, Universal Music)
• 100% Johnny: Live à La Tour Eiffel (2000, Universal Music)
• Olympia 2000 (2000, Universal Music)
• Parc des Princes 2003 (2003, Universal Music)
• Flashback Tour Live (2006, Warner Music)
• La Cigale (2007, Warner Music)
• Tour 66: Stade de France 2009 (2009, Warner Music)

Films[link]

• Cherchez l'idole (1963) as himself
• Le Spécialiste (1969) as Hud / Brad
• L'aventure c'est l'aventure (1974) as himself
• L'Animal (1974) as The Male Star
• The Case of the Missing Bottle (1983) as Monsieur Waitor
• Détective (1985) directed by Jean-Luc Godard
• Terminus (1987) as Stump
• The Iron Triangle (1989) as Jacques
• Why Not Me? (1999) as José
• Love Me (2000) as Lennox
• L'homme du train (The Man on the Train) (aka Man on the Train in the US) (2002) as Milan
• Crime Spree (2003) as Marcel Burot
• Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse (2004) as L'ermite borgne
• Quartier V.I.P. (2005) as Alex
• Jean-Philippe (2006) as Jean-Philippe
• Vengeance (2009) as Francis Costello
• The Pink Panther 2 (2009) as Laurence Millikin

See also[link]

• List of best-selling music artists

References[link]