IN PICTURES – The statue of Charles Aznavour inaugurated in Bourg-lès-Valence: “It gave me goosebumps”

The French and Armenian flags, sewn togethercover the statue in the Michel Terisse square, this Saturday noon. Marlène Mourier, the mayor of Bourg-lès-Valence, and Tavros Sapeyan, mayor of Talin, an Armenian city, pull on it to reveal together the face of Charles Aznavour. The dozens of inhabitants present applaud: the bust of the Franco-Armenian singer has just been inaugurated.

After The blessing of the statue by two priests of Armenian churchessinger Ahsmiko Zakaryan-Gomes sang ‘For you Armenia’ with her choir: the unveiling of the statue “gave me a bit of goosebumps”says the Armenian woman who has lived in Bourg-lès-Valence for ten years to join her French husband. “I really wanted to sing with a lot of emotion because we We have a lot of history with Charles. This is our Charles. He represents Armenia, He represents our people. We are still proud.”

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‘Take Me’ on Armenian Duduk

Musician Chris Bégot then offers a very moving interpretation of ‘Emmenez-moi’ with his duduk, a traditional Armenian instrument. Charles Aznavour’s son, Mischa Aznavour, is present. Almost Six years after the death of the French-Armenian singerhe states in his speech: “It’s very touching here because the friendship of Talin and Bourg-lès-Valence allows him to still be alive and people will be able to walk past his statue and think of him.” This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Charles Aznavour, who defined himself as “100% French, 100% Armenian.”

The city of Tallinn offered this statue on the occasion of the 20 years of twinning between the Armenian and Drôme communesIts inauguration on September 21, Armenia’s Independence Day, takes on its full meaning for Tavros Sapeyan, the mayor of Talin: “Charles Aznavour is a hero for every Armenian and we owe respect to every hero.” With his delegation, this is the first time he has come to France: “Charles Aznavour is very big for us.”

A chosen place

The town hall of Bourg-lès-Valence chose the location of the bust well, however: “a stone’s throw from the music center” and near the “ViaRhôna passage”explains Marlène Mourier. The mayor left nothing to chance: “There are many tourists, many pedestrians, many cyclists who will be able to come and discover this statue. We were looking a place that is shaded, that is intimate, but which at the same time allows visitors to realize that Charles Aznavour is here.”

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