Eighteen months after the book by Dominique, Bernard Tapie's wife, here is that of his daughter-in-law (1). The opus too many? We fear it before hanging the first page. We are then surprised, then touched by the sincerity of the testimony. Marie Griessinger Tapie describes a man on edge, often odious, sometimes fascinating, whom she gradually got to know. Far from hagiography, its truth is perhaps not gospel, but it comes directly from the heart.
When you met Bernard Tapie in 1991, you were only 17 years old. What did he mean to you?
He was not part of my world. I grew up in Polynesia, between an oceanographer father and a teacher mother. My parents didn't like him too much; they found him did you see me. [Elle rit] But when I left Tahiti to find his son Laurent in Paris, I quickly understood that I would have to deal with him.
You say that the beginnings were difficult. For what?
I had never seen someone so authoritarian, so obnoxious. And angry! At first, it was okay: I was the pretty young girl passing through, Bernard was happy for Laurent. Things started to spiral when he felt that I was encroaching on his close relationship with his younger brother. The thing is, I also have my character. If he spoke badly to me, I responded. Believe me, he could be very cash – both in private and in front of journalists.
How did you hold up?
One day, an argument went too far. We left the house, which we shared with Bernard and his wife Dominique, to take an apartment. A shock! At that moment, paradoxically, I took a step forward with Bernard. Which shows his intelligence and his lack of resentment.
Was your partner able to flourish with such a father?
Bernard said that his son had all his qualities, without any of his faults. Laurent had the intelligence to never take his father head on. Concretely, he was not crushed by this dominant male. On the contrary, he was in awe and grateful for everything he put her through.
Was your decision to leave France in 2015 difficult to make?
We left because of Bernard's difficult character, but also because of the media and legal whirlwind which even affected our children. For him, it was a very difficult time. We came back when his cancer broke out.
Among the faults that you recognize in your father-in-law is the propensity to lie. Did you ever think that, when it comes to “business,” he might not be telling you the truth?
[Un silence] On VA-OM (2), I had all the versions: I have no deep conviction. On the Crédit Lyonnais affair (3), on the other hand, I am convinced that Bernard was cheated. We lived through 27 years of procedure, from the inside, with the lawyers. I saw him fight every day, from morning to night, alone against the State. If he hadn't been deeply convinced that he was right, he wouldn't have lasted this long. He was often advised to let it go; he never wanted to. He wanted to continue to assert his right. It wasn't just about money. He felt dirty.
Do you think he would have avoided all his troubles if he had stayed away from politics?
I am convinced of it. I heard that he joined for the influence, for the money… Do you know a lot of people, ready to get rid of a company like Adidas to be Minister of the City? The truth is that he got into politics because he really hoped to make a difference.
Was it sometimes difficult to carry the name Tapie?
I never suffered from it. But as an author, I decided to publish my first book under my maiden name to avoid people thinking that I was edited because my name is Tapie. [Elle rit] Bernard was mad at me!
The man you describe was also extraordinarily human. This really made up for it?
On a daily basis, we were often overwhelmed by our faults. But looking back, after three years of mourning, I realize that he was an exceptional man. I have always been able to count on him for my children, for my parents. All my life I believed I could walk over a precipice and have a safety net because of it. It was a well of solutions. He had this faith in existence, a sometimes delusional optimism.
When Bernard died, the whole family was stunned. Didn't you anticipate anything?
He had survived so many things… We had come to believe that he was indestructible. When the doctor told Laurent that his father would not make it through the night, he literally collapsed.
You mention its relationship to religion. Bernard was a believer, you write, but he expected a sort of “return on investment” from his practice?
[Elle rit] It was a bit like that. He told the pastor that if his test results did not improve, he would stop praying! But his faith was true, deep and ancient. Even when one of his dogs died, he would put a cross on the coffin. In his prison cell in Luynes, he had hung lots of small icons on the walls.
Bernard had enemies, but also friends of absolute loyalty. You cite Jean-Louis Borloo in particular. What was his role after Tapie's death?
We understood the strength of their bond after his death. Borloo hosted Bernard's wife for a year. He helped us with all aspects – administrative, legal. Dominique found herself with all the creditors directly; Jean-Louis was completely available. Like Xavier Niel (4) who came to see him almost every week and stayed for hours at his bedside. He too was very present for our family.
How is your mother-in-law today?
Dominique has found a balance. She now lives in the same building as my mother. The worries start to go away. We gave up everything, the inheritance. It wasn't easy.
You started this book in 2015 with the green light from Bernard Tapie. You published it three years after his death. Did you censor yourself?
No not at all. I wanted my story to be authentic. My husband only read it after it was printed. Fortunately, he loved it – like Dominique.
You recount a painful episode which took place in Saint-Tropez: already very ill, Tapie was jostled and thrown into the sea by a young man…
We witnessed this scene, but we never spoke about it in front of him. He wouldn't have put up with it. [Un silence] Obviously, he would never have allowed me to say that.
After the disappearance of Bernard Tapie, you carried out a sort of investigation by meeting people who were important in the life of your father-in-law. What did you learn that you didn't know?
I didn't know that he had impressed people like Niel or Mélenchon to that extent. When the leader of the Insoumis told me that Bernard had the potential to be President of the Republic, I was amazed. The pastor told me that he refused painkillers to endure the suffering like Jesus did. He was truly an extraordinary man.
1. Tapie, like Bernardby Marie Griessinger Tapie, Les Presses de la Cité editions, 272 pages, 22 euros.
2. This affair broke out following the match won 1 to 0, on May 20, 1993, by Olympique de Marseille on the field of US Valenciennes-Anzin. Players from Valenciennes said they were asked to slow down in exchange for a sum of money.
3. This case pitted Bernard Tapie against Société de Banque Occidentale (SdBO), a subsidiary of Crédit Lyonnais, from 1992 to 2021, around the sale of Adidas.
4. Founder of Free, Xavier Niel owns the Nice-Matin Group via his personal holding company NJJ.
