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We saw Polnareff in Marseille: here's why his Var tour is unmissable

We saw Polnareff in Marseille: here's why his Var tour is unmissable

Chloe Rouil Published on 07/11/2025 at 1:15 p.m., updated on 07/11/2025 at 1:15 p.m.

In addition to his closeness to his audience, Michel Polnareff is also very close to his musicians. Photo Valérie Le Parc
Web caption only. Photo Valérie Le Parc.

If you thought Michel Polnareff's voice had stayed in the 80s, you're mistaken. At almost 81 years old, the Admiral has lost none of his panache. Since last May, he has been on stage as part of his Derrière Tournée , to be seen in Toulon this July 12 and in Sainte-Maxime this July 17. On June 4, he was at the Dôme de Marseille for a memorable journey through time and a demonstration of his vocal and musical abilities. Even before entering the concert hall, you know you're in the right place: T-shirts bearing the artist's image, caps, wigs and glasses, the Polnafans have answered the call.

After a quality first part offered by Léman, the grids arranged on stage were raised, and Michel Polnareff appeared behind his piano, mythical white glasses on his nose, eternal blond curls, pastel blue Stetson hat screwed on his head and python-pattern leather Perfecto. The "Michel we love you!" burst out from all over the room. The interpreter of Lettre à France , teasingly, declaims: "Good evening Marseille, good evening OM and good evening Jul". He will spend the entire concert seated behind his instrument and yet, the atmosphere in the room soon becomes electric and overexcited.

For the opening of the ball, the Admiral performed Tam Tam l'homme préhisto , a song released in 1981, with projections of black and white manga boards scrolling behind him as a backdrop. At each "Tam Tam Tam Tam Tam" of the chorus, the man who had caused a scandal in the early 70s by showing his buttocks, turned to his "choristers ", as he liked to call them, pointed at them and invited them to sing the refrain in chorus. From the first notes of the second song, La Poupée qui fait non , the Polnafans began to rush to the front of the stage, causing the anger of the audience in the front rows who implored for very long minutes "sit, sit" , in vain. Michel Polnareff, imperturbable, smiled: "I have a suggestion, those who are standing, stay, and those who are sitting, stand up!" The man has lost none of his legendary impertinence, and the most ardent spectators will remain standing until the end of the concert. Accompanying the Admiral on stage are eight musicians, including a string quartet that adds a touch of sweetness and grace to the artist's timeless melodies.

Grand concert and grand finale

The show moves along, between hypnotic projections and covers of his many songs. He performs pieces from his latest album, Un temps pour elles , released at the end of April, such as Sexcetera and Tu n'm'entends pas , a song that the artist particularly likes and which evokes the difficulties of communication. The magic continues with Love Me, Please Love Me , performed under a sea of ​​cell phone lights, transforming the room into an improvised constellation.

The final bouquet lives up to the legend: Tout, tout pour ma chérie , well-paced and danceable, On ira tous au paradis transformed into a gigantic karaoke and of course Lettre à France , performed a cappella with a precision that gives you goosebumps. When the first notes of Goodbye Marylou ring out, the entire Dôme starts singing, from the elderly spectators to the parents who have come with their teenagers. If the majority of the audience is graying, judging by the number of phones filming in landscape format, Michel Polnareff's melodies remain multi-generational. To the applause of an audience that wants more, the encore is inevitable. Lettre à France returns in a very soft and moving acoustic version, followed by Sexcetera and this time, not a single spectator remains seated. The Admiral takes a long bow, visibly moved, before disappearing into the Marseille night.

As they left the venue, the audience was unanimous and won over. Séverine and Pascal, who had travelled from Gap, were delighted: "It was the first time we'd seen him and we loved it, I even shed a few tears. We still have a two-hour drive home and work tomorrow, but we don't regret it!" It was also a first for Annabelle, a psychology student at Aix-Marseille University, who came alone to listen to "the songs my father used to sing to me when she was younger" . That evening in Marseille, Michel Polnareff didn't just give a concert, he offered a masterclass as a total artist, proving that musical genius has no age.

Michel Polnareff at Son by Toulon on Saturday, July 12, at 8:30 p.m. From 79 to 120 euros.

At the Scènes d'Été in Sainte-Maxime, Thursday, July 17, at 9 p.m. From 62 to 72 euros.

In his Instagram bio, we can read "I am not the lake." He could be a comedian, and yet Léman is a singer, and it was he who opened for Michel Polnareff at the Dôme in Marseille on June 4th. He will also be in Toulon this July 12th, again opening for the Amiral. You might think that going on stage just before a big name in French song would be terribly stressful for a young artist, and yet, Léman already has everything it takes to be a great.

Then 23 years old, he was a candidate on the 6th season of the show The Voice, broadcast in 2017 on TF1. He got noticed with his cover of Daniel Balavoine's song "Vivre ou survie." His adventure on the show ended during the battles, but the artist continued to share his voice and lyrics on social media. He set the internet ablaze in 2023 with a dramatic cover of "La Danse des canards," which has now racked up several million views on TikTok. Since then, he has released several singles, such as "Petit garçon," "On attend," and "JVQTSM," which has been streamed more than 7 million times on Spotify. In June 2024, he released his first EP, "On est plein," consisting of six tracks.

On stage, he plays guitar and is accompanied on the piano by Estelle Mouge. His voice is powerful, almost crystalline, easily reaching high notes, and his lyrics are well-crafted and poetic. In the track "Adieu Musique," from his debut album, scheduled for release later this year, he discusses his desire to quit music due to the many constraints he faces.

"I was told that to be successful, I had to have a hate speech, close to that of the extreme right. I wrote this song at a time when I wanted to stop everything, but today, I am happy to announce that I signed to a great label, and it happens to be the same one as Michel Polnareff."

Léman amazed the audience at the Dôme in Marseille on June 4th, opening for Michel Polnareff. Photo CR
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