Trivia

Sings in French, English, Spanish, Italian and German.

Sang the duet "Puisque vous partez en voyage" with her husband Jacques Dutronc, while her son played the guitar (2000).

French singer and actress

Born at 9:30pm-BST

Famous in the '60s as an avant-garde fashion icon.

Made her musical debut in 1962 on the French label Disques Vogue with the song "Tous les garçons et les filles".

Finalist at the Sanremo Music Festival 1966 with the song "Parlami di te".

Had an unhappy and troubled childhood.

In 2006, Hardy was awarded the Grande médaille de la chanson française by the Académie Française, in recognition of her music career.

Studied German at the Sorbonne .

Became a muse for fashion designers such as André Courrèges, Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne, and has collaborated with photographer Jean-Marie Périer.

Author of both fiction and non-fiction books, Her autobiography, Le désespoir des singes... et autres bagatelles, was a best-seller in France. She has also written extensively on the subject of astrology.

The Spanish artist Salvador Dalí was known to be a great admirer of her work. Bob Dylan was reputedly infatuated with her and Mick Jagger once described her as his "ideal woman".

Her most beautiful songs include "Viens", "Comment te dire adieu", "Nous tours", "J'aurais voulu", "Mon monde n'est pas vrai", "la maison ou j'ai grandi", "Au fond du rêve doré", "Où va la chance", " Effeuille-moi le coeur" and "Le temps de l'amour".

Known for her shyness, disenchantment with celebrity life and self-deprecatory attitude, attributed to her lifelong struggles with anxiety and insecurity. She also suffered from stage fright.

Appeared on the cover of Paris Match in January 1963.