The actress and director Alexandra Lamy spent her youth between her parents’ house near Alès and the conservatory of Nîmes. Then she flew to Paris, to pursue her artistic career. However, his departure is not synonymous with farewell to the region. The family and emotional ties that she has forged with the Cévennes encourages her to return there regularly, in particular to the village of Anduze. Involved in the local artistic fabric, it actively contributes to the development of the Cévennes economy.
Under the summer sun, Anduze shines. This village, nestled at the foot of the Cévennes, Alexandra Lamy knows it well. “Here she finds not anonymity but a form of tranquillity”, says the former mayor of Anduze, who celebrated the marriage of the actress and Jean Dujardin, in 2009.
Here, it is a bit part of the landscape. “We see her often, the last time was last June”, says Laurence, shopkeeper from the center of Anduze, manager of Le Tranquilo sandwich shop. And we understand why. The Cévennes art of living combines serenity, conviviality and human warmth. Every summer, many tourists come here to enjoy this relaxed way of life.
The actress, “Chouchou” of the French since the series A boy a girlblends in perfectly with this warm landscape. “She is a very accessible and available person. And then she has her little habits here, at the Cabanon or the Garage des Cévennes for example”, emphasizes Laurence.
Aerial view of the charming village of Anduze, nestled at the foot of the Cévennes.
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A village that has become a film set
Alexandra Lamy has also materialized her attachment to Anduze by including it in the cinematographic landscape. For his movie Affected released in 2021, devoting her first steps as a director, the actress requisitioned several places in the city, like the Café des Arts.
To get there, go up the main square, cross charismatic alleys and pass in front of the municipal school. This bar is a family affair. Held for fifteen years by Émilie and Elvis, the typical place embodies a friendly and family atmosphere. Atmosphere far from being distorted by the film crew. “She’s like you and me.” “For us it was positive. For several days, all the tables were full”, says Emily.
Franck Dubosc, Jose Garcia, Melanie Doutey…
Anduze invites you to stroll. And we took on this role very easily. But Alex’s local roots, as those close to him call him, are not limited to this village. So, head for the town of Alès, about twenty minutes by car from Anduze.
“In the same way that the cinema is an economic, cultural, social player, it, at its level, is too.” It is in these terms that the director of Ciné’Planète d’Alès describes the impact of the actress. She has been its sponsor since its inauguration in 2015. And she takes this status very seriously. “Whenever it’s a movie she’s in, she makes sure to drop by here for the previews.”
The cinema has thus welcomed, with her, the artists with whom she tours: Franck Dubosc, José Garcia, Mélanie Doutey… According to Philippe Mercier, Alexandra Lamy acts as a “engine” generating a shape “of emulation” for his cinema. “In Paris, he sometimes talks about us, so it makes the cinema known to distributors.”
Friendly evenings at local restaurants
The least we can say is that the actress and the film crews are not confined to the Alès cinema. After the screenings, a form of ritual is essential. “It never stops at the end of the screening, it always ends in a bar on the banks of the Gardon.”
A way, too, to honor local merchants and contribute to their economic development.
Alexandra Lamy’s dream? “Making a film about the Camisards of the Cévennes”, says Philippe Mercier. The love story between the actress and the region is therefore not about to end…
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