French singer Johnny Hallyday. Photo: BERTRAND GUAY / AFPParis transport bosses have renamed a metro station after the legendary French rock star Johnny Hallyday, whose death has plunged France into mourning.
As speculation mounted that the singer will be given a state funeral, the RATP transport authority paid its own homage by temporarily changing the name of the Duroc station near Invalides where Napoleon is buried to “DuRock Johnny”.
Known as the “French Elvis”, Hallyday, 74, lost his long battle with lung cancer on Wednesday.
Adored by young and old, hard-living Hallyday was almost a national monument, selling more than 110 million records despite being almost unknown outside the French-speaking world.
Television channels cleared their schedules to broadcast tribute shows to the star who first came to fame in late 1950s yet managed to cleverly adapt to changing musical styles.
Paris Renames Metro Station After Rock Star Hallyday
