Seu JorgeToday, mourners, families and friends of the victims of Monday's crash of an Air France jet in the Atlantic gathered for a memorial service at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. This flight attendant was one of several airline industry workers who went to pay their respects. There's another family too that had grown out of the Rio de Janeiro-Paris connection. Here's The World's Marco Werman.

It's fitting that Brazil boasts the greatest number of Alliances Francaises -- the cultural centers that the French government has spread out across the world.

Brazil and France have enjoyed a strong bilateral relationship in politics, business and culture for many years. This is music from the Brazilian compilation Postonove, released by Favela Chic.

Favela Chic is in Paris. Its part bar, part restaurant, part nightclub, and a non-stop homage to Brazilian music. The bar is also a record label, and it's released four of these Postonove collections.

Rosane Mazzer is the Brazilian who opened Favela Chic nearly fifteen years ago. She says she's certain that at some point, some of the people on the plane must have dropped by Favela Chic.

“I'm sure that some guys already came here, and spent some time with us. Because we are at the heart of this connection, French Brazil since long time now.”

And how long has that been Roseann?

“I don't know. I think it's much before it's maybe still from the time of the colonization of Brazil.”

Well, she's right. France and Brazil's relationship goes back to 1555 when France decided to create a colony for itself in Rio de Janeiro. It was called France Antarctique -- antarctic France -- France's first new world adventure.

After 12 years it failed. No hard feelings developed though between Brazil and France. On the contrary. Today says Rosane Mazzer, there's a lot the two countries share.

“I used to say the Brazilians can feel everything, even the things they cannot explain. And the French can explain everything even the things they cannot feel. And I think it's a very good sign about this, now we are very close. Now we are connected.”

Explaining what happened to flight 447 though is hard right now. Rosane Mazzer says both Brazilians and French are dealing only with feelings. We feel very sorry for all the families and people that was involved in this. You know we are all part of this big family.”

The Brazilian singer and actor Seu Jorge is a part of that family.

He's been a good friend to Favela Chic over the years, has performed there and has been featured on the Postonove collections. Seu Jorge's latest recording -- out in France last year and not yet out here -- has a song on it called "Taking Care of Me."

It captures how this French-Brazilian family has been shaken in the last few days.

And the hopes that the pain will ease.

For The World, I'm Marco Werman.