- Title: People queue to pay tribute to Jacques Chirac lying in state in Paris
- Date: 29th September 2019
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 29, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FUNERAL PROCESSION CARRYING COFFIN OF LATE FRENCH PRESIDENT, JACQUES CHIRAC, ARRIVING AT HOTEL DES INVALIDES VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAN WHO CAME TO PAY HIS RESPECTS, PASCAL HANIQUE, SAYING (ON WHY HE CAME): "Well because he was the president and because of the man he was in general because he was kind and humane. Meaning that when he met people he didn't hesitate to shake their hand and he was very kind as well." PEOPLE QUEUING TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) WOMAN WHO CAME TO PAY HER RESPECTS, CATHERINE TUFFREAU, SAYING: "I want to write him a message from the bottom of my heart to pay tribute to him. He was a man of great stature with a lot of charisma and honesty, he was very close with people. In a way he was like a father for France." PEOPLE QUEUING IN FRONT OF GATES VARIOUS OF MEDIA FRENCH FLAG FLYING ABOVE HOTEL DES INVALIDES
- Embargoed: 13th October 2019 12:28
- Keywords: Jacques Chirac lying in state former French president coffin France
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AYPM7GN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Dozens of people braved the rain on Sunday (September 29) to queue in front of the gates of Paris' Hotel des Invalides to pay their respects to late French president Jacques Chirac who died last week at the age of 86.
A funeral procession carrying Chirac's coffin arrived to applause from the crowd standing outside.
Chirac was president from 1995 to 2007. He shaped his style in the mould of post-war leader Charles de Gaulle, seeking to strengthen France's status as a player on the world stage and was best remembered for his opposition to the war in Iraq.
"I want to write him a message from the bottom of my heart to pay tribute to him. He was a man of great stature with a lot of charisma and honesty, he was very close with people. In a way he was like a father for France," one mourner said.
Chirac passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones, his son-in-law Frederic Salat-Baroux told Reuters.
Some 30 heads of state and government are expected to attend a ceremony in Paris on Monday (September 30) in honour of Chirac, who will be buried alongside his daughter Laurence in the Montparnasse cemetery.
(Production: Antony Paone and Pascale Antonie) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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