The singer Georgette Lemaire, to whom we owe the hit “You were beautiful, madame”, died on December 21, her son announced. She ended her life in a famous Ephad after having experienced major money problems since the 1980s.
Singer Georgette Lemaire, whose real name was Georgette Kibleur, died at 82. His death was reported by his son, Antoine Blanc-Sellers. The ex-music star started his career in the 1960s, notably participating in talent show The Game of Luck. Then, she had multiplied the hits: I don’t know, What if it was true, You were beautiful, ma’am… Unfortunately, this was not enough to protect her from want.
Where did Georgette Lemaire die?
The singer ended her life at the Maison des artistes in Nogent-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne). A somewhat special sort of Ephad because the building is in reality an old castle built on a ten-hectare park, which has therefore been transformed into a living space for the elderly. It welcomes residents from the world of culture (50 to 100 places) – it is here that the late actress Micheline Presle also lived – and offers several artistic events such as concerts or screenings. However, the price of living there is very high: 3,321 euros per month according to data from the government directory of Ephad and retirement homes.
In 2023, France Sunday had mentioned the terrible situation of Georgette Lemaire by relating that she ended her days here “abandoned” And “sadly“. Furthermore, the magazine quoted the artist, who admitted his financial difficulties: “How do you expect me to pay rent of 500 euros with a pension of 800?“Because money has long been a problem for her.
Georgette Lemaire penniless? This politician did him a favor!
In the 1980s, Georgette Lemaire no longer had the same success and, financially, she experienced a very difficult period. Threatened with eviction from her Parisian accommodation due to unpaid debts (120,000 francs or around 33,000 euros today), the singer wrote to President François Mitterrand to request his help. And it did her a lot of good since the former socialist head of state appointed her as a member of the Economic and Social Council in 1989.
Although aware of the controversy, Georgette Lemaire – threatened with expulsion six times during her life – had not been choosy, willingly accepting this position which allowed her to bring money into the coffers. She also received this salary for 4 years! “He gave me this job so I could pay my rent. I went to meetings. I listened but I didn’t understand anything, it wasn’t my area. For me, it was always the politicians who helped me and not the people in the profession“, she admitted on France Info in 2014.
