It has been an eventful week for French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been making headlines after his wife was filmed pushing his face away during a state visit to Vietnam.
As usual, things were blown out of proportion, with people online accusing him of having marital troubles with his spouse, Brigitte Macron, with headlines swearing that their marriage was over.
The French President is not one to bite his tongue, and promptly answered the accusations, saying that the couple was just “joking around, as we do quite often”.
He also took the opportunity to bring attention to previous footage of him and his wife that had been misinterpreted in the past, joking that he had allegedly “shared a bag of cocaine, tussled with the Turkish president, and now that I’m having a domestic dispute with my wife. None of this is true. Everyone needs to calm down.”
A home bigger than a castle
The Élysée Palace is the official residence of the President of France and one of the most spectacular buildings in Paris, located in the elegant 8th arrondissement.
Gaining a glimpse of its interior is usually only possible during the European Heritage Days, which are held annually over one weekend.
The palace is so vast that it would be impossible to see it all in one day or even a week.
With 365 rooms, between offices, bedrooms and staterooms, the President’s residence is bigger than most castles, and twice the size of the White House.
That said, it’s still not as large as our very own Buckingham Palace, which boasts a grand total of 775 rooms.
© China News ServiceA functioning museum
It seems incredible to think that, when Louis-Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, Count of Évreux, purchased the land in 1718, the Faubourg-Saint-Honoré area, now one of the most exclusive locations in the French capital, was nothing but a dense forest of trees and small, humble houses.
Even he probably couldn’t imagine that the sumptuous abode he was about to build would be the residence of all future French Presidents.
From Madame Pompadour and Napoleon to General De Gaulle and President Mitterrand, the history of France was written in the palace’s rooms.
Who knows how many secrets are still hidden in its crevices?
© Getty ImagesA garden full of history
The 1.5-hectare grounds are just as impressive and historically interesting as the building itself.
Once a swamp, the Marquise de Pompadour, also known as the chief mistress of King Louis XV, had it converted into a fabulous playground, with labyrinths and waterfalls.
It was in 1786 that the former owner, Nicolas Beaujon, transformed it into the English-style garden its residents can still enjoy.
Today, the garden boasts over one hundred different species of trees and twelve thousand flowers, which are planted every year. While the 365 rooms inside the palace are filled with 500 pieces of art and no fewer than 100 clocks.
Even if the couple did have marital issues, they would have plenty of space to distance themselves and take a breather!
Words by Alessia Armenise
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