1970-1971 : reporter at France-Culture for the programme "Panorama" produced by Jacques Floran.

I visited the Michelin, Empire of the tyres. And other social reports …

Then, I was sent to the asylum of La Borde, at the Château of Cour-Cheverny, that was the “temple of another way to conceive psychiatry” at the time in France. People could even go for the evening and drink a glass (of orange juice) in the neighbouring city of Blois. There was the ex-husband of a movie star (the last time I met her, she was living in Hollywood with her new husband), and a composer of music for movies, J.B. who played piano for me. I remember the incredible evening, when, waiting for a film on TV, the actress Simone Signoret (wife of Yves Montand) presented it, adding : “J.B., a very old friend, has become mad. I tell it, because he is perfectly aware of it” : the shrilling laugh in the room, then, the silence, the strained face of J.B., clenching his teeth on his pipe. When returning to our rooms and crossing the park in the dark, with a very soft voice, he asked me : “Why did you put pins in my mail ?”. The last morning, when the Radio technician went to record everybody, he played a wonderful piece of music. I went back to Paris, moving very slowly, like all of them, with no more the sense of time, the eyes wide-open looking at the normal people around, rushing in and out of a box underground, and running on stairs – the stairs themselves running under their feet.

1971 : Report on the Feast for the 2500th Anniversary of the Persian Empire, in Iran, for France-Culture.

Radio sent me to the Feast of the Shah. The plane landed at Teheran – not, as expected, Chiraz – after a Bomb alert, two motor fires and landing gear out of order ! Near to me, Leon Zitrone (the French Johnny Carson) was holding my hand, and behind, the pastrycooks of the renowned French Pâtissier Potel et Chabot were fearing for the “pièce montée”.

In Iran, I went to the “son et lumière” show organized in Persepolis, with the reporter of the Corriere della Serra, Silvano Villani. Just before, waiting for the kings, princes and Begum, it was so freezing that we protected ourselves in a crevice. Buses suddenly stopped, disgorging the “Grandees” and powerful people of our little planet. They thought themselves alone : the Ethiopian Negus took a huge colorful handkerchief and blew his nose ; the Begum discreetly put her strap right … As we were now part of the little troupe - being in smocking and evening dress -, we were directed in the direction of the prince’s and royal dais. In the course of our walk, I was talking with my neighbor, a tall and good looking man, very charming in a cool English way ; I thought I had seen him somewhere before, on the TV maybe : “- Oh, your name is Elizabeth, funny, isn’t ?” A little late, I understood that he was Prince Philip of Edinburgh.

After the Feast, we decided, Clara Falcone,
of the Tempo, and me, to visit the behind the scenes landscape
with a guide and a jeep, to the desert of Nishapur.

Later, I visited the North of Iran, till the Afghan frontier, with the reporter of Life Magazine and of AFP, a very French and nice guy who used to claim all the time : “When I think that I’m much more done for Love and Hugs !”

Was it at my return that Djavad Alamir, Prince Dawallou, decided to invite me to the ball of Petits Lits Blancs, organized for the purposes of charity in Persepolis, at the place where the kings lived? That evening, I discussed a lot with First Minister Hoveyda, a very courteous and cultured man. I think often at him, of his tragic end, sent to jail and killed. I hear his voice telling me to come with them in the pictures, I see the orchid on his lapel. The world was dancing on the top of a volcano, and we had already a premonition of it.

Juin 2003 : Participation on the piece on the call girls of Madame Claude, by Elsa Brunet (France-Culture).