Francoise Hardy on the ‘Grand Prix’ set seen wearing co-star James Garner’s helmet, 1966.

Francoise Hardy was a wistful breath of fresh air during the sex, drugs & rock ‘n’ roll of the 1960s. Mysterious, sweetly naive, and utterly desirable. She was adored by Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and more. The incredible enduring images of Hardy, particularly those by famed photographer Jean-Marie Perier (who shot her donned in Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Andre Courréges, and Paco Rabanne), made her an instant and timeless style icon. With her faraway gaze and lazy smile, Francoise Hardy is like a melancholy dream that you simply don’t want to wake up from. Her unease with fame and adoration is at times clearly evident in her photos– serving only to make her even more alluring.

Francoise Hardy resting in a Formula One race car during the filming of Grand Prix, 1966.

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Francoise Hardy sitting on a Formula One race car during the filming of Grand Prix, 1966. –Photo by Francois Gragnon

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Francoise Hardy perched atop a Honda motorcycle is an all-time internet #babesonbikes favorite.

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Francoise Hardy resting in a Formula One race car during the filming of Grand Prix, 1966.

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Francoise Hardy sittting in a Formula One race car during the filming of Grand Prix, 1966.

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Francoise Hardy, Antonio Sabato, and director John Frankenheimer on the set of 1966’s Grand Prix, which won three Academy Awards. The four stars— James Garner, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford and Antonio Sabato did their own driving on real GP tracks. World-famous “Grand Prix” drivers who appear in the picture include 1962 world champion Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, World Champion in 1959, 1960 & 1966; five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56 & ’57), and 1961 World Champion Phil Hill. via

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Francoise Hardy with Formula One racing legend (Sir) Jack Brabham, three-time World Champion, during the filming of Grand Prix, 1966. Brabham was the first driver in history to be knighted for his services to motorsport, and the only Formula One driver to have won a world title in a car of his own construction – the BT19 – which he drove to victory in 1966. The following year the Brabham team won its second successive world championship when New Zealander Denny Hulme drove the BT20 to victory. via

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Francoise Hardy snapping photos during the filming of Grand Prix, 1966.

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Francoise Hardy – Photo by © Jean-Marie Périer

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Francoise Hardy posing at her Paris home (in a 670/671 Eames lounge chair?), 1970— Image by © Leonard de Raemy/Sygma/Corbis

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Francoise Hardy – Photo by © Jean-Marie Périer

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Francoise Hardy playing guitar

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Francoise Hardy in Central Park, 1969. — Image by © JP Laffont/Sygma/Corbis

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Francoise Hardy in Montmartre – Photo by © Jean-Marie Périer

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Sylvie Vartan & Francoise Hardy on French TV. — Image by © James Andanson/Apis/Sygma/Corbis

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Francoise Hardy at Olympia Hall in Paris, 1965. — Image by © Pierre Fournier/Sygma/Corbis

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Francoise Hardy in Amsterdam, 1969. — Photograph by Joost Evers

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Singers/songwriters/spouses, Jacques Dutronc & Francoise Hardy, 1965. — Image by © Leonard de Raemy/Sygma/Corbis

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Georges Moustaki and Francoise Hardy, 1969 International Pop and Rock Festival of the Isle of Wight. — Image by © Jean-Louis Atlan/Sygma/Corbis

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Georges Moustaki and Francoise Hardy on a Honda motorcycle in Paris, 1970. — Photo by © Jean-Marie Périer

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