She was natural within Boulogne-Billancourt, France. She was found by Gene Kelly, who chose her to come out opposite him in the classic musical comedy An American in Paris.

She went within to star in Daddy Long Legs (1955) with Fred Astaire, Gigi with Maurice Chevalier and, Lili, plus more classic films placed around France. She continues to work, appearing recently e.g. in the acclaimed film Chocolat. She is one of a pack leading ladies (or even actors of any nature and severity for that matter) from either a classic era of MGM musicals who is however active inside film.

Within 1953, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starring role in the film Lili.

Filmography
An American in Paris (1951) The Man with a Cloak (1951) The Million Dollar Nickel (1952) (short subject) Glory Alley (1952) The Story of Three Loves (1953) Lili (1953) The Glass Slipper (1955) Daddy Long Legs (1955) Gaby (1956) Gigi (1958) ''The Doctor's Dilemma (1958) The Man Who Understood Women (1959) The Subterraneans (1960) Austerlitz (1960) Fanny (1961) Three Fables of Love (1962) Guns of Darkness (1962) The L-Shaped Room (1962) Father Goose (1964) A Very Special Favor (1965) Promise Her Anything (1965) Is Paris Burning? (1966) The Head of the Family (1969) Madron (1970) Chandler (1971) Purple Night (1972) Surreal Estate (1976) The Man Who Loved Women (1977) Valentino (1977) Nicole (1978) Goldengirl (1979) The Contract (1980) All Stars (1980) Chanel Solitaire (1981) Imperative (1982) Dangerous Moves (1984) Courage Mountain (1990) Damage (1992) The Genius (1993) Warriors and Prisoners (1994) A Hundred and One Nights of Simon Cinema (1995) (scenes deleted) Funny Bones (1995) The Reef (1999) From Russia to Hollywood: The 100-Year Odyssey of Chekhov and Shdanoff (1999) (documentary) Chocolat (2000) Le Divorce'' (2003)