The 1990s
Gall took a break from singing in the early 1990s and did not record any more for several years to come. She did, however, make an album called Double Jeu with Berger.
Following the release of Double Jeu, Gall and Berger announced a series of concerts in various Parisian venues, such as La Cigale and Bercy. This project was nearly cancelled by Berger's death from a heart attack on 2 August 1992.
Although Gall was strongly affected by Berger's death, she wanted to complete the project they had planned. However, she decided to commit to the performances at the Bercy and promoted the songs that she and Berger created together. However, Gall was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 1993, which was successfully treated. She finally performed at the Bercy in September. All the songs she performed were written by Michel Berger from Double Jeu, and from their discographies.
A year later, she went back on stage and performed in a new show in the Pleyel in Paris featuring new musicians. The repertoire featured songs written exclusively by Berger though Gall included her own versions of songs originally performed by others.
In 1996, Gall asked Jean-Luc Godard to produce the video clip of her song "Plus haut", taken from her album "France". Godard initially refused Gall's offer but later agreed, and directed a dreamy, picturesque video entitled "Plus Oh!" near his residence in Rolle (Switzerland). It was given its first and only airing on 20 April 1996 on the French television channel M6. It was only shown once, due to copyright issues.
After a year in Los Angeles, she released her eighth studio album, France in 1996. The album featured Gall's own interpretations of some of Michel Berger's songs. In 1996, Gall finally decided to appear as a headline artist at the legendary venue for French artists, the Paris Olympia. In 1997, she announced her retirement and recorded an unplugged show for French television showcasing songs from her final album.
In December 1997, Pauline, Gall's elder daughter with Michel Berger, died of complications of cystic fibrosis. Her illness was never made public. Her son Raphael is a music supervisor.
Since the death of her daughter Gall has made only occasional public appearances. As a farewell to her career, a documentary movie was shot in 2001, France Gall par France Gall, directed by Eric Guéret. Nine million people tuned in to watch the documentary when it aired on French television that year. She also staged and appeared in the 2007 France 2 documentary "Tous pour la musique" marking the fifteenth anniversary of Michel Berger's death.
Today she is a patron for French charity Coeurs de Femmes – a group helping homeless women.
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