The ceremony, celebrated in the heart of Nice, brought together nearly 1,300 people, all there for a final tribute: this Thursday, June 13, the relatives of the artist Ben and his wife Annie Vautier, both of whom died at the beginning of the month, had organized a great moment of contemplation in their memory. A moment to which Christian Estrosi was of course added, who wanted to recall how important the couple had been for Nice.
“Nice, who owes you so much, must continue to tell the world that you are alive!“, he said with emotion during his speech, before paying a beautiful tribute to their close couple: “Annie, living with Ben is not easy. But Annie, you know, living with Ben is really living. Well, living with Annie is unexpected. But Ben, you proved it to us, living without Annie is simply hopeless. This is the love with which you dazzled us“.
It must be said that the couple, of whom a huge photo was displayed behind the mayor of Nice, will not have actually lived separately: it is less than 24 hours after learning of the death of his wife Annie, who died of a stroke, that the artist whose iconic phrases cover many derived objects, decided to commit suicide.
Ben’s family well surrounded
Very moved, the mayor of Nice was of course supported by the person who has shared his life for almost ten years, the journalist Laura Tenoudji. Discreet, she wore a black jacket and was able to greet and offer her condolences to the family of the two deceased, whose coffins arrived covered with the Occitan flag and to the sound of traditional tunes performed by the Nice group Nux Vomica.
And in particular to Eva and François, their children, as well as to Benoit Barbagli, their grandson, who spoke, making the moment even more poignant. Christian Estrosi and Laura Tenoudji then stepped aside to let the family grieve in complete privacy, as they had an appointment at the crematorium in the afternoon. Not without leaving a note in the guestbook like the thousands of anonymous people…
