Simone Veil finally received a « legion d’Honneur », at the age of 81.

“You are a woman of character, a free woman (…) that I admire so much and for whom I have great affection,” said Sarkozy in the ceremony.

“The day that I die, it is the Holocaust that I think and all my friends with whom we have suffered so much,” said Mrs. Veil.

I always admire her, not only because she had suffered in the camp, but for her courage of fighting after having survived, of still staying an elegant woman at her age.

I do appreciate the lunch I’ve had with her a little bit earlier. It was the beginning of spring time; we had a nice view of garden from the room we were sitting in.

It’s was a small intimate lunch, she was more a lovely elegant lady than a female politician.

In a moment, we talked about the camp, she mentioned very slightly: « for a very long time, I’ve refused wearing dresses with sleeves not long enough… » after more than years, her eyes were still getting wet when she talked about that nightmare…

Then she changed the topics:

« Such a nice whether finally, what a lovely little garden »,

I felt at that moment a big tenderness in her eyes, very pure.