The ceremony will take place in the Saint-Jean church in Montmartre, rue des Abbesses. This Friday at 10:30 am, the religious building will host the burial mass for Michou, who died Sunday at the age of 88 of respiratory problems. The cabaret owner was then buried in the Saint-Vincent cemetery, next to the church, where Michou had acquired a tomb in dark blue marble.
In his autobiography "Michou, prince bleu de Montmartre", published at the end of 2017, Michou explained that he had everything planned for his funeral: he wanted his blue coffin to be "exhibited in (his) cabaret" and that the mass, at the Saint Church - Jean, lasts "an hour". As for the homage paid to the cabaret, only the very close - and not the public - can meditate around his coffin.
No dress instruction given
These last farewells to the king of the night should attract many artist friends, but also a crowd of residents in this district of which Michou had become an essential figure. No dress code will be given, but many residents could come dressed in blue to pay tribute to the one wearing only this color and whose apartment, on the eighth floor of a Montmartrois building, was entirely monochrome.
Born in Amiens where he was raised by his grandmother, Michou had landed in Paris shortly after his 20 years. He had settled in Montmartre, with which he had fallen in love. In 1956, he opened his cabaret and installed transformist shows there. Since then, the establishment called “Chez Michou” has never been empty and attracted celebrities as much as those whom Michou affectionately called “neighborhood grannies” and whom he invited each month.
This Sunday, Orlando, Dalida's brother and Michou's friend, told us that he wanted the cabaret owner to have a statue in Montmartre and that the rue des Martyrs be renamed “rue Michou”.