PARIS -- France on Monday awarded Kylie Minogue its highest cultural honor in a Paris ceremony at which the country's culture minister praised the Australian singer for her battle against breast cancer.

Christine Albanel gave Minogue, who kicks off a European concert tour in Paris on Tuesday, the Order of Arts and Letters and told her she was a "Midas of the international music scene who turns everything she touches into gold."

"I want to publicly salute the courage you showed by revealing publicly that you had breast cancer," Albanel said. "Doctors now even go as far as saying there is a 'Kylie effect' that encourages young women to have regular checks."

Minogue, who attended the ceremony along with her parents, said she had "fallen in love with France" since her first visit here.

Past recipients of the French award include singers Bob Dylan and David Bowie and Hollywood stars George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis.

Minogue was in December decorated in the British Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honors List.

The singer was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the annual list.