Cazenave!!! Ughhhh! The mere mention makes me cringe!
My first job as a bike mechanic was at a CT chain called "Euro-Bike", started by a big shop owner, who will remain nameless ;-) and some other backer/partners. These were "bread and butter" bikes we were forced to sell to the unwitting populace during the "bike boom" years. If it had 10 speeds, they'd buy it, no matter what it was. Boy, we hated assmbling those. Misaligned rear triangles abounded. At least they moved easily with the right length 2 X 4! And those brakes....give me a break! I don't think Mafac had anything to do with them. I mean, we weren't exactly Mafac fans back them, despite the veneration they now get in classic circles, but the Cazenave brakes were pathetic, IIRC. I think they used a rigid yoke cable that was also the spring for the pivots? Memories a bit cloudly there, I could be confusing it with another "boom" bike.
We would secretly discourage folks from buying these bikes, not unlike the recent car commercial where the dad is buying his daughter's first car. As for Sam... I seem to recall the cartons spelling it S.A.M. Benotto, so I doubt there was a "Sam". (I am?)
Mark Hoffman
New Britain, CT