Among the apple trees, at the end of a small path in the heart of the Pays d'Auge, Nicole Lambert and Cyril de Turckheim moved into a discreet Norman cottage three years ago. Their son Siegfried, 39, and his partner Victoire also live here, with their children. Iris, their daughter, 36 years old, is renovating the house next door. In this family cocoon that she recreated in the countryside, far from Paris, the 76-year-old designer continues to bring to life her joyful tribe of Triplets, characters she gave birth to in 1983. She published two new albums this year, Le Bruit des bêtises and Nos mots d’enfants, and is working on a screenplay for the cinema… His Triplets give her the energy of a young woman. Invigorating encounter.
GALA: The Triplets turned 40 last year, what do you think of them?
NICOLE LAMBERT : I realize that I am part of the childhood of thousands and thousands of people over several generations. It's worth having forty more years to experience it. Especially since I don't feel like I'm getting old at all.
GALA: What inspires you for your stories?
NL: My childhood, first. My memories are inexhaustible. My family too of course, I am surrounded by children all the time.
CYRIL DE TURCKHEIM: And readers’ letters…
NL: Yes, they send me words, nonsense… Some parents or grandparents write everything down. Children's words are so extraordinary, I am proud to have saved some of them from oblivion. I invent some sometimes but it's never that good.
GALA: Have you had to observe your children more carefully?
NL: Yes, whenever they did or said something funny. Sometimes they were confused because after their stupidities, I scolded them and, an hour later, I exulted, saying that I had my idea of the week. They didn't understand.
GALA: Were they jealous of their paper brothers and sisters?
NL: No, but one day my son Siegfried broke the TV and said to us: “It's not me, it's the Triplets!” »
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GALA: Cyril, you have your own career as a music composer. Have you ever taken umbrage at Nicole's success?
C. D. T. : No, because my career started at the same time as The Triplets. But with Madame FigaroNicole was more exposed. I didn't ask myself the question in fact, I told myself that we were lucky to do the job we love and to earn money. We lived in an apartment in Paris, our children were happy. After the bath, in their dressing gowns, they went from my recording studio to Nicole's workshop, we showed them what we were doing, it was great. What we call the house of happiness.
GALA: When did you meet?
NL: In 1971, on the benches of a drawing school. We have been together since 1973. I was 25 years old. I got married for the first time when I was 16 and I wasn't officially divorced yet. With Cyril, we haven't been married for over 50 years.
C. D. T. : Yet she wanted it, even if she claims the opposite!
NL: I don't want to get married because I love it when you propose to me. On the other hand, what is great in life is still being with the grandfather of your grandchildren.
C. D. T. : We bicker but we have never had a hurtful sentence, which is often the cause of a separation.
GALA: Why did you come to settle here in Normandy?
NL: We followed our son, who fell in love with a Norman woman, they have three children. We bought this house which was for sale in their village. A real ruin. Our daughter is fixing up the one next door. The whole tribe migrated here, we see our grandchildren all the time, it's a dream. I never thought my life would change so much, having always lived in Paris.
C. D. T. : When we saw this house, I didn't want anyone to buy it because it was so dilapidated. But Nicole insisted. Then, she drew all the plans, down to the positioning of the switches. I participated in the work. The all-wood kitchen area was made by me. NL: It's a place where I love working. With its large windows, this kitchen is bathed in light. She is the heart of our house.
GALA: How long do you plan to continue Les Triplets?
NL: I don't think I'm ever going to die, so I don't know! Very sincerely, I would like them to survive me. They make me laugh so much.
This article could be found in Gala N°1645, available on newsstands on December 19. To follow the news live, you can join Gala's WhatsApp thread . The new issue of Gala is on newsstands from this Thursday, December 26, 2024. Enjoy reading.
