From damp cellars to the gold of the Republic: French electronic music and “French Touch” officially include intangible cultural heritage. A late but resounding recognition for a scene that made the whole world dance.
Emmanuel Macron had promised it between two DJ sets at the Élysée on June 21, it has now been implemented since December 17. France, land of Daft Punk, Laurent Garnier and Justice, finally recognizes that its synthetic beats and its club culture are worth as much as its baguette or its zinc roofs.
This inclusion in the national inventory is not just a simple administrative stamp: it is the official end of the demonization of a movement which for too long rhymed with police repression before becoming one of France's best export products.
From tear gas to laurels
For veterans of the night, the symbol is powerful. Tommy Vaudecrane, president of Technopol and figure of the Techno Parade, sums up this paradigm shift with palpable emotion: “The first tears I shed for electronic music were under tear gas when it was demonized. The little tear that I shed today is the joy of seeing our music finally included in the cultural heritage. » From the pioneers of Ondes Martenot in 1928 to the Olympics ceremony, the circle has come full circle.
Berlin in the crosshairs
As TV5MONDE reports, this step validated by the Ministry of Culture allows France to follow in Germany's footsteps. Berlin had already led the way in classifying its own techno scene, recognizing the vital role of its clubs in the city's identity since the fall of the Wall. For the French Touch, this national registration is the first essential step before aiming for the Grail: registration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Couture and Clubbing: the French split
Electro does not arrive alone in the pantheon. In this new heterogeneous promotion, turntables rub shoulders with hands. There Haute Couture Parisian (Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, etc.) is also entering the inventory. A juxtaposition which perfectly sums up the French cultural paradox: celebrating on the same day the hushed know-how of luxury workshops and the fury of sound systems.
By The Editorial Team
