On April 24, 1997, Paris and Montmartre paid tribute to her by naming a small square at the top of the hill “Place Dalida”.A crowd gathers early in the morning to witness the unveiling of the bronze statue of Dalida, which will forever stand in this square. Joan of Arc and Sarah Bernard were the only two women to have their own statue in Paris, and Dalida once again enters the legend... And as usual, through the front door!.
In Paris, cemeteries and modern celebrities go hand in hand. Père Lachaise attracts fans of Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, and James Morrison. Montparnasse has Jean-Paul Sartre and Jean Seberg. The suburban Cimetière des Chiens in Asnières-sur-Seine has the tomb of Barry (the St. Bernard who saved 41 lives). But only Montmartre can claim to be the permanent home of Dalida, a Paris-based singer and cult figure who sold 170 million albums over a 31-year period that ended with her death in 1987 at the age of 54.