Spectacle funeral for Johnny Hallyday

paris - Johnny Hallyday will be honored on Saturday in Paris. The family takes it big, in consultation with the president: his coffin is driven over the Champs-Élysées and Emmanuel Macron comes to speak for a speech.

France is still under the spell of the death of Johnny Hallyday, who died of lung cancer on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. On television, hour-long shots are broadcast and fans gather together in front of his house in Marnes-la-Coquette.

Thousands of people are expected for today's commemoration. No fewer than 1,500 police officers have been summoned for security. At twelve o'clock the Johnny's coffin leaves from the Arc de Triomphe. Accompanied by 700 motorbikes, the procession goes to the Madeleine church, where a service is held. Macron will speak there. The singer is buried Monday on St. Barths, the island in the Caribbean where he also had a house.

There were voices to give Hallyday a state funeral, but Macron went too far. That is why he came up with this solution, which he called a 'homage popular': 'a tribute to the people'.