The town has only 2000 inhabitants. A village then. However, the name of Astafforta small town located not far from Agen, is known well beyond the borders of Lot-et-Garonne. The gentle way of life in the Garonne valley is undoubtedly no stranger to its notoriety, as the fact that it was the birthplace of Alain Aspect, 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, as Purepeople Paul Bonnet, the mayor of the municipality. But if the name Astaffort resonates in a familiar way, particularly to the ears of music lovers, it is above all because for almost 71 years old, which he celebrates this November 23resides there, in a large house in the middle of the vineyards, one of the most popular artists in France: Francis Cabrel.
“I'm ten years younger than him, but we grew up together,” notes the chief magistrate. “We were both municipal councilors in the 90s. Francis Cabrel, in Astaffort, is a citizen like any other.”
Like the others? Well almost. Forty years of career, 25 million records sold, fourteen studio albums, he sang with Balavoine and Coluche for Ethiopia, made duets with Goldman and Vanessa Paradis and left to posterity unalterable hits like The ink of your eyes or I love him to death which are still broadcast on repeat by radio stations. As for the clip of his latest creation, A piece of sugara tribute to the city of Toulouse, it has been viewed more than 1.5 million times on YouTube. The artist's journey is extraordinary.
Vianney, BigFlo and Oli or even Julien Doré, came to sing here thanks to Francis Cabrel
But who is the man? Who is Francis Cabrel when the stage lights go outthat the tours stop and that he returns to this land where his parents, like hundreds of Italian immigrants, came to take up residence in the middle of the last century, fleeing Mussolini's fascism and coming to rebuild an agricultural workforce that the great war had decimated?
“Everyone knows him, everyone says 'hello' to him and he says 'hello' to everyone. For us, it's not Cabrel, it's Francis,” says Eric, who describes himself as a lifelong Astaffortais. He continues: “I remember when he or his wife Mariette –NDRL The “Little Marie” of the song with whom he has been in a relationship for over 50 years– took his children to school, we saw him every day. Obviously, his daughters have grown up but we still see him regularly in the village, especially during musical events…”
"He is very invested in the music school," confirms the mayor, who is delighted to have such a figure in his town. “He does so much for the village. He organizes courses several times a year through his association Voices from the South continues the chosen one, and regularly, his shows conclude with concerts. Vianney, BigFlo and Oli or even Julien Doré, –who has just made a disturbing revelation for his fans– came to sing here. It's thanks to him. Ditto if we have a 600-seat performance hall. This is a huge opportunity for us. And then there is what we know less, because that he is discreet but our media library, for example, is installed in a building which belongs to it and which it makes available to the city.”
We would be proud to serve him, it would be nice if he came
While many locals are happy to live so close to such a celebrity, others are less enthusiastic. “I only saw him once or twice in my bar restaurant, he was with guests,” remembers Cédric, the boss. “We see him in the village, we see him going to the pharmacy, but he’s not the type to come and have a drink like that in the evening, it’s a shame,” deplores the trader.
Failing to drink drinks, the Aquitaine troubadour undoubtedly consumes bread. “Not ours, or he’s not the one who came to buy it,” notes Nicolas, who runs the bakery Le Fournil de l'Abbé. “I only saw him once, about three years ago, with a mask. Philippe, his brother, comes to our house, but Francis Cabrel, I don't know where he gets his bread and my colleague from the bakery next door tells me that he doesn't see it either. However, we would be proud to serve him, it would be nice if he came, especially since I work the old-fashioned way. Before, we supplied his restaurant (run by his daughter Aurélie Editor's note), but it closed its doors. Fortunately, we work well at our association's events.”
Francis Cabrel may be an artist, but this happy father of three daughters cannot live solely on music. The management of the local supermarket confirms this to Purepeople. “He comes from time to time to do some shopping, but it is rather his wife that we see. You know, Francis Cabrel, in Astaffort, he doesn't bother anyone, and no one bothers him. He is very kind, always there when the city needs him. He is an artist who need calm and we give it to him.”
Francis Cabrel: “It’s as if he was locked in his universe”
Discreet Cabrel? Certainly. A little too much even in the eyes of Jean-Claude Bertrand, a painter who lives in the village but who exhibits all over France and abroad. “I have been living here for 20 years, I have a large workshop. He never set foot there,” he notes. “I exhibited once in his cellar because he and his brother have vineyards and they sometimes organize events but it was through a mutual acquaintance. He kindly came to see me, told me introduced his wife but I did not sense in him a particular attraction for pictorial art. I regret it a little. I understand that he doesn't want to mingle with the crowd, but I would appreciate it if he stopped by my workshop unannounced. Especially since music has greatly inspired my works. Jazzmen have even improvised on my paintings. I appreciate what Cabrel does, I would like him to be more curious. He has great sensitivity, I'm sure of it, I would like to discuss artistic things with him. But it's as if he was locked in his universe…”
“Its discretion, coupled with a deadpan side, can give the impression of a slightly distant man, tempers a village resident. But we must not forget that he lived there all his life, it is there that his mother Denise lived, – who recently disappeared – there that his brother, his sister and his daughter still live. Astaffort is his home: there are his friends, -there or in Agen-, and he doesn't want to perform there, something he doesn't like to do anyway. This is also why his media presence is so rare. He shows up when he wants to, mainly during musical events, and in these cases, he is always available and generous, not hesitating to pick up his guitar or sing. We must also keep in mind that he is certainly the artist, even the citizen, the wealthiest in the region. We only lend to the rich, they say. This perhaps also applies to bad intentions…“
