It has been nearly 50 years since Catherine Deneuve made her film debut, in "Les collégiennes". Today the Parisian beauty, currently starring in "Palais Royal !", reigns as the grande dame of French cinema. A former Chanel model and now a MAC icon, she reveals her green thumb, an early love of Hermès, and a strong aversion to insects.

Which historical figure do you most identify with ?
George Sand.

Which living person do you most admire ?
Aung San Suu Kyi.

What is your greatest fear ?
The war.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself ?
Having too many things on my mind at the same time.

What is the trait you most deplore in others ?
Inconsistency.

What is your greatest extravagance ?
Spending all my money when I was 17 years old to buy an Hermès Kelly bag.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue ?
Beauty.

What do you dislike most about your appearance ?
My left ear.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse ?
Je ne finis pas mes phrases. [I do not finish my sentences.]

What or who is the greatest love of your life ?
Nature.

Which talent would you most like to have ?
The gift of a scientific mind.

What is your current state of mind ?
Restless.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be ?
My future.

If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
Nothing.

What do you consider your greatest achievement ?
A wild garden.

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be ?
A lime tree.

What is your most treasured possession ?
Lucidity.

What is your favorite occupation ?
Playing in the garden.

What is your most marked characteristic ?
Impassivity.

What is the quality you most like in a man ?
Fantasy and talent.

What do you most value in your friends ?
Uniqueness.

Who are your favorite writers ?
Rainer Maria Rilke.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction ?
Mandrake the Magician.

What is it that you most dislike ?
Insects.

How would you like to die ?
In my sleep or standing.

What is your motto ?
"À cœur vaillant, rien d'impossible" [With a valiant heart, nothing is impossible].