I wish to express my wholehearted appreciation to my wife and to my children, Brigitte and Bruno, who accepted with patience and selflessness all the constraints that my commitment to Alcatel Alsthom introduced into our family life.

I wish to express, as well, my immense gratitude to Francine, my loyal assistant, who, for a quarter of a century and without interruption, witnessed this adventure, including the final desert crossing.

I dedicate this book to my grandchildren, Audrey, Clémence, Adrien and Florian, as well as those who may yet be born. It is written to respond in advance to their curiosity when the day comes that they will want to know what happened to their grandfather the century before in the country which professes to be the nation of Human Rights.

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