Adultery and Croissants: François Hollande’s Scooter for Sale

The scooter used by François Hollande to deliver croissants to Julie Gayet is up for auction.

On January 10, 2014, France’s tabloid press revealed a man on a scooter, helmet on his head and small croissant bag in hand, making a romantic morning visit to the woman of his heart in an apartment on Rue du Cirque. Nothing particularly extraordinary as this banal scene could be observed anywhere across France. Croissants, charentaises, and little pookies are not necessarily the symbols of France, but they are certainly social markers in the hexagon!

The long French presidential adulterine tradition

So why did this photo cause such a sensation? Simply because the lover on the scooter was none other than the President of the Republic, François Hollande, the current head of state, who was staying at the Élysée with his then-companion, and his secret lover was the famous actress Julie Gayet. She has now become his legitimate wife, and the scooter, after its long service to the state, has moved into the private sector.

This romantic trio is centered around the trio of wheels of the famous scooter, a Piaggio MP3 125cm. The scooter was declassified by the domain services in 2016, before being bought by a couple from Vendôme to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. It will be auctioned by Rouillac auction house during their sale on May 26, aptly titled “Garden Party.” The final word can only go to the man with the helmet, who authenticated the precious scooter by dedicating his book to them: “To Patrick and Manola, who were lucky enough to ride my scooter and share their happiness.”

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