“Our friends were on the ass”: the day Isabelle Smadja became Madame Balkany

This April 13, 1976 is a special day for the Smadja family. After a visit to the synagogue on rue Copernic in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, the guests gathered at the town hall of Neuilly-sur-Seine. The youngest of the clan, Isabelle, 28, is about to marry Patrick Balkany. She wears a long haute couture dress, signed Pierre Cardin. She chose it with her mother, respecting tradition. Achille Peretti, irremovable mayor of the town, orchestrates the ceremony in front of beautiful people. Johnny Hallyday, Carlos or Lino Ventura were invited to the wedding.