French actor, who died aged 88 last Sunday, had expressed wish to be buried like ‘anyone else’

Alain Delon had expressed the wish to be buried just like “anyone else”.

But as a crowd of journalists, television crews and fans gathered outside the wrought iron gates of his country home on Saturday, it was clear this was not the funeral of just anyone.

Tensions between his children had erupted behind the gates of the French actor’s home in the village of Douchy

It has been some time since Alain Delon was last seen in the village of Douchy, his country home for the past half a century and the place he designated as his final resting place. Local people remember when back in the 1970s and 80s he would be spotted at the nearby chemist shop or the only restaurant, or even at the annual school fete with Mireille Darc, an actor and one of the great loves of his life.

“When I was a schoolgirl they would come for the end-of-year party. They would play Father Christmas and give everyone a present,” one woman recalled.