Marie Myriam, France�s last to date winner, will soon be releasing a Christmas CD in France. It will include songs in French, English and even Portuguese.

What can be considered as common in the Anglo-saxon countries is not at all usual in France.Christmas records are very few, compared to the English or the American markets. The most famous French Season’s song, Petit Papa Noël (recorded in 1946 by Tino Rossi) is usually re-released every year, with a new sleeve. Some artists tried to sing their own version of the tune, with no great success. The more-than-60-years-old original remains the most successful ballad, the one you learn in every school and in every family.

The CD recorded by Marie Myriam includes many French adaptations of foreign standards, such as Noël blanc (White Christmas), Au royaume du bonhomme neige (Winter Wonderland), Douce nuit (Stille Nacht), I’ll be home for Christmas (in English) and a Portuguese Ave Maria. There will be a French version of Josh Groban’s To where you are (composed by Richard Marx) and the track-list also includes a song simply entitled Noël, recorded back in 1980, on a Barry Manilow’s melody.