Very moving, the tribute ceremony to Jean-Pierre Pernaut took place this Wednesday morning in a basilica in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, in front of many relatives, personalities from the world of television or politics. If Evelyne Dhéliat, Michel Drucker or Nicolas Sarkozy wanted to be present, all eyes were on the family of the popular animator, who died a week ago from lung cancer.
Nathalie Marquay, his wife of 20 years, arrived with the coffin and her two children Lou and Tom, as well as with Julia and Olivier, her husband’s elders, born from his previous union with Dominique. On her arrival in front of the church, very dignified, Nathalie Marquay greeted the crowd as well as the priest, with whom she exchanged a hug full of emotion. You should know that in reality, the ex-Miss France knows very well the man of the church, Alain Maillard de La Morandais. In effect, he was the one who married them in 2007 !
A symbolic reunion, therefore, which must have greatly affected the one who had converted to an actress. The couple had actually met in 2002, the evening of the Miss France election, and had experienced love at first sight. The Miss France family had also moved in numbers on Wednesday to the Sainte-Clotilde Basilica: Sylvie Tellier, Iris Mittenaere, Elodie Gossuin, Delphine Wespiser and Amandine Petit had come to support their friend.
A “sad but serene” widow
They were able to meet many political figures: Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni were present to honor the memory of the one who often put the regions in the spotlight, just like Rachida Dati, Christian Estrosi or Eric Ciotti. Valérie Pécresse, presidential candidate, also made the trip.
“Sad but serene“, in the words of her friend Valérie Bénaïm, Nathalie Marquay greatly moved the crowd by kissing her husband’s coffin. Comforted by her children Lou and Tom, born in 2002 and 2003, she will now be able to begin her mourning and rest far from all the media agitation which has shaken their family for a week.