Imagine writing a love letter to an entire country. That is exactly what French pop icon Michel Polnareff does in Lettre À France. Penned while he was living abroad, the song treats France as a distant sweetheart: he is nine hours away by plane, yet it feels like years in his heart. Over a dreamy melody, Polnareff confesses that being far from home makes him feel far from himself, trapped in a glittering but isolating “boîte à musique” full of electric sounds and unreal fantasies. The catchy tune hides a deep homesickness that bubbles up in whispered thoughts, newspaper clippings, and memories of seaside towns.
At the same time, this is no simple postcard of nostalgia. Polnareff admits he has not always been faithful to France and freely points out that she is “not always the most beautiful.” Still, the bond is unbreakable. The refrain “N’oublie jamais ça” (Never forget that) reminds us that love for our roots can survive silence, distance, and even the passing of time. Lettre À France is a bittersweet anthem for anyone who has ever lived far from home: playful on the surface, heartfelt at its core, and proof that geography cannot silence true affection.