Rosalie van Breemen breaks her silence more than two decades after leaving Alain Delon, detailing severe physical and verbal abuse during their 15-year relationship in her new autobiography Amour fou.
The autobiography hits bookshelves on November 12, 2026, published by Robert Laffont, bringing new scrutiny to the domestic life of the late French cinema icon at his Douchy estate. Van Breemen recounts multiple instances of domestic violence, including an evening where she states the actor broke her nose twice.
The Life Shared at Douchy
- Van Breemen details volatile outbursts, broken objects, and intimidation during their shared years from 1987 until her departure on January 5, 2002.
- The author credits her decision to speak out to public comments made by her son, Alain-Fabien Delon, regarding past violence.
- Despite the abuse, van Breemen remained at the actor’s bedside until his death on August 18, 2024, at age 88, attributing his actions to unmanaged bipolarity and anosognosia.
Van Breemen Describes Violent Domestic Assaults
In excerpts published exclusively by Paris Match, van Breemen describes harrowing encounters inside their home. She recalls an episode in the kitchen where a violent strike broke her nose in front of their children, Anouchka and Alain-Fabien, and staff members, followed by a second assault later that night.
“Après m’avoir cassé le nez, tu l’as nié quand je t’ai demandé pourquoi. Et c’est pour cette raison que tu l’as recassé peu après. Deux fois, et je ne sais pas laquelle a été la pire…” writes the former model in Ode (Purepeople).
Rosalie van Breemen describes her book as a letter to Alain Delon, recounting their intimacy, the violence of their relationship, and the final moments of the French cinema icon.
“Nous étions bien plus, beaucoup plus qu’une histoire d’amour,” she writes in the work.
She also recounts visiting the emergency room in Montargis and attempting to file a complaint at a gendarmerie, where she states military personnel declined to log her statement, as reported by Sudinfo.
Van Breemen explains that doubt lingered in her mind for years until their younger son publicly addressed similar experiences. The young Alain-Fabien had previously discussed these scenes of verbal and physical violence in the investigative book Les Derniers jours du Samouraï by Laurence Pieau and François Vignolle.
Mental Health and Final Days at Bedside
During an appearance on RTL France with Marc-Olivier Fogiel, van Breemen discussed the psychological toll of living with an undiagnosed and unmanaged condition. She described alternating phases of high energy, creativity, and deep depression.
“J’ai voulu décrire, écrire ce que c’est que d’aimer et de vivre avec quelqu’un qui est, à mes yeux, bipolaire et qui traverse des phases où c’est le bonheur, le côté exalté, l’énergie, puis le grand plongeon, la déprime, le mal de vivre, la souffrance,” explained van Breemen to RTL France.
Despite separating in January 2002 to protect her children, van Breemen returned to Douchy in January 2024 as the actor’s health deteriorated, remaining at his side until his passing. She said that such behavior had not occurred with his first wife.
| Key Event | Date | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Meeting | 1987 | Met on the set of the music video Comme au cinéma. |
| Birth of Anouchka | November 25, 1990 | First child born to the couple at Douchy. |
| Birth of Alain-Fabien | March 18, 1994 | Second child born to the couple. |
| Separation | January 5, 2002 | Van Breemen leaves Douchy permanently. |
| Passing of Alain Delon | August 18, 2024 | Actor dies at age 88. |
Intrusive Family Dynamics
The book also addresses tensions within the household, including early interactions with Mireille Darc, Delon’s former partner who frequently visited Douchy. Between 1968 and 1983, the two actors had formed one of the most glamorous couples in the seventh art.
“C’est tout de même louche de se retrouver aux aurores, les yeux à peine ouverts, avec l’ex de son Jules sur le rebord du lit !” writes van Breemen, in excerpts highlighted by Voici, adding that she eventually grew close to Darc over time.
Delon Educated Himself and Rehearsed for Television Appearances
The man who held only a simple butcher’s certificate had educated himself entirely, feeding his insatiable intellectual curiosity and constant desire to learn. When preparing for appearances on television shows hosted by era stars like Anne Sinclair or Bernard Pivot, Delon would ask Rosalie to make cue cards for him and help him rehearse.
