France's President Emmanuel Macron standing in front of the French Republican Guard during a national tribute ceremony for Jean-Paul Belmondo. /AFP/ Ludovic Marin
Thousands in France are mourning Jean-Paul Belmondo, an iconic actor of its New Wave cinema.
Politicians, fellow actors, and thousands of members of the public gathered to participate in a ceremony to honor his memory at the Invalides monument in Paris on Thursday afternoon. Some lining up to take a last glimpse of his coffin.
France's President Emmanuel Macron will make a speech at the ceremony.
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Referencing one of his nicknames, Macron tweeted: "He will always be The Magnificent," after Belmondo died.
The actor was sometimes called "Le Magnifique," after he starred in a secret agent satire in the 1970s. Macron added that Belmondo was a "national treasure," and that "we all recognized ourselves in him."
Belmondo's contemporaries have also made similar remarks.
Jean-Paul Belmondo with fellow actor Beatrice Altariba during the filming of the movie 'Un Nommé La Rocca' in 1961. /AFP
Alain Delon, another well-known French actor, said: "We have made French cinema, the two of us, he and I, we are two icons of French cinema, you can't speak of one without the other.
"We are the same age. It won't be long before it happens to me, too."
Belmondo, also known as "Bebel" in France, appeared in more than 80 films and was internationally known for his role in the 1960s movie Breathless [A Bout de Souffle].
His extensive career led him to act in a diverse range of movies, from comedies to thrillers, in which he performed many of his own stunts.
Belmondo died on Monday, aged 88. No cause of death has yet been announced.
A private funeral will be held on Friday.