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Photo by David Redfern

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​Alexandre "Sacha" Distel (29 January 1933 – 22 July 2004) was a French singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor. Born in Paris, Sacha’s father was a Russian émigré, his mother Andrée Ventura was a pianist. His maternal uncle Ray Ventura was a top bandleader (“Les Collégiens”) who settled in Paris and became a remarkable mediator between American and French music. Under "Uncle Ray's" tutelage and that of Sacha's neighbor Henri Salvador, Distel became an outstanding jazz guitarist in his youth. He lived in the tony 16th arrondissement village of Auteuil and his family circumstances exposed him to inspirational role models at the top of the music world. 

Distel’s boyish good looks and smooth voice made him the epitome of a suave, sophisticated Frenchman. He composed, performed and collaborated with many of the biggest names in show business, including dalliances with Brigitte Bardot and Juliette Greco along the way. 

Sacha and Brigitte Bardot, St. Tropez, 1958, Photo Burt Glinn

In 1959, his version of an American hit “Scoubidou” sent him to top rank. As explained on the next page, the song featured on this website, “La Belle Vie” first appeared in 1962. In 1967, he recorded Stevie Wonder’s “You are the Sunshine” with Brigitte Bardot, under the title “Le Soleil de Ma Vie.” His biggest subsequent hit (1970) was a French language cover of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” (“Toute La Pluie Tombe Sur Moi”) written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." ​

Sacha Distel Song
​La Belle Vie ("The Good Life")