Show summary Hide summary
- Who really is Hugues Aufray? His origins and public identity 🎸
- The journey before fame: between military rigor and folk discovery
- Great memorable hits and a career that has lasted 70 years
- A private life reflecting his style: honest, free, and a bit unconventional
- Some surprising anecdotes and little-known details of an extraordinary journey
- Recent projects and news of an eternal troubadour
So here we are, Hugues Aufray, you surely know his name, maybe even more his songs, that voice that carries the open sea breeze for more than seven decades. Born on August 18, 1929 — yes, 96 years old in 2025, just celebrated in style — he shows no sign of his age! When you come across him, you think he could wake up any stage, again and again.
He is about 1.78m tall, somewhat like a stature you don’t necessarily think about, yet well rooted on his two feet. Married to Hélène Faure until 2022, then to Murielle Mégevand since 2023, he has that quiet strength that only a long life dancing with music can give.
His journey is quite a cultural world tour. He was partly trained at the Royal Military School of Sorèze, then at the French high school in Madrid. Imagine the richness of a guy immersed in several languages, several rhythms, even before really putting his guitar on stage.
And then came the big leap: the 60s and the folk craze arrived, with songs like Santiano or Adieu Monsieur le Professeur, which still ring out today like a timeless, almost magical anthem. He was especially the one who lifted the veil of Bob Dylan for France, translating his songs at a time when nobody yet knew this genius.
Who really is Hugues Aufray? His origins and public identity 🎸
Son of a family of intellectuals with an actress sister and two brothers with diverse talents, Hugues grew up between Paris, Sorèze, and Madrid. This life shared between cultures and countries gave him that open-mindedness found in his songs.
He started his career inspired by American myths like Woody Guthrie and of course Bob Dylan, whom he discovered in Greenwich Village. In 1961, his destiny definitively changed after an invitation to New York by Maurice Chevalier.
There, he mingled with Peter, Paul and Mary, experienced that incredible folk effervescence and decided to bring this fresh breath back to France. His concerts remain legendary, notably at the Olympia where he regularly rocked the house from the 60s until 2024, a real lesson in longevity!
And his imprint doesn’t stop at music, as he is also a painter, sculptor, passionate about horse riding and sailing – a man of a thousand talents who refuses to be pigeonholed.
The journey before fame: between military rigor and folk discovery
Not easy at first, this journey. In 1949, he performed his military service in the 27th Battalion of Alpine Hunters in Annecy, a way to forge the character that would serve him all his life. Then his studies in Spain, before the guitar became his favorite weapon.
You can feel he always had a form of discipline, but also inner freedom. It’s this duality that shapes his style: between rigor and lightness, Hugues’ music is a true blend, it travels, it talks about friendship, brotherhood, that human bond that warms the heart.
Then America, the shock of the New York scene, where he met a young Dylan unknown to the public, it marks a man for life. Coming back, he launched into the French adaptation of American folk, a bridge between two cultures, between two worlds.
His first hit song, Y avait Fanny qui chantait, dates from 1959. The rest, you know, is almost history, at this stage more than alive.
Great memorable hits and a career that has lasted 70 years
Frankly, trying to summarize Hugues Aufray’s career is a bit like wanting to count stars. Santiano, J’entends siffler le train, Stewball… Hits already iconic in 2025, songs that do not age.
He has recorded more than 400 songs and about thirty albums, always with that unique folk touch that inspired generations. And on stage, you have seen him, he moves, he conveys, he is an old hand, but a child’s soul that never dies.
His way of being has long pushed the limits of the genre in France, and I find it incredible that at his age he is still capable of filling the Olympia and touring. He is among the few to have this extraordinary vitality.
His publishing house, La Compagnie, created in the 70s, also testifies to a commitment in music far beyond his simple career as a singer.
A private life reflecting his style: honest, free, and a bit unconventional
Married since 1951, father of two daughters, grandfather of five grandchildren, that’s a nice picture. But Hugues’ life is a bit more complicated than a simple family cliché.
After Hélène’s death in 2022, he remarried Murielle Mégevand in 2023, which shows that even at 94, you can still believe, you can still move forward. No stiff talk with him, just disarming honesty.
He has long lifted the taboo on his love life, mentioning with a touch of humor a somewhat special Swiss specialty, and simply saying that he is “a normal man”.
For him, balance rhymes with transparency, when everyone finds their place without pretense. It’s rare and precious in this field where the table is often well set to hide the truth.
Some surprising anecdotes and little-known details of an extraordinary journey
Wait, I’ll tell you something: did you know that Hugues is not only a talented sculptor but that he made a bust of Bob Dylan displayed at the Cité de la Musique? Between his concerts, he plays with his brushes and sculptor’s tools.
And then, he is a true horse enthusiast, even organizing equestrian relays and a Musketeers’ route. A complete enthusiast, off the beaten path.
He has also been awarded Knight of the Legion of Honour, Commander of Arts and Letters… not bad for a guy who, very early, just wanted to “sing his stories”.
Finally, and I love that, he organized a meeting with Pope Francis in 2024, playing an excerpt of Le Petit Âne Gris on guitar. Proof of this incredible bridge he builds between generations and even institutions.
Recent projects and news of an eternal troubadour
In 2024, he still filled the Olympia, proof that he has lost none of that flame on stage. And in 2025, he remains the oldest male artist regularly touring in France, a feat that truly commands respect.
He continues to create, record, and even exhibit his sculptures and paintings. He is also very active on his official Facebook page and shares his latest adventures with his fans.
His official website huguesaufray.com lists all his dates, works, and news. Honestly, he’s a man who never stops, ready to surprise you at every corner of a concert or exhibition.
He also sometimes collaborates with other artists, always in that folk and authentic vibe that has characterized him forever. No bling, always heart.
- Regular concerts all across France and abroad 🎤
- Painting and sculpture exhibitions in galleries 🎨
- Various and original musical collaborations 🎶
- Commitments to humanitarian and social causes ❤️
- Presentations and interviews in the press and media 📺
