Antoine Bienvault // Photo credit: CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP
While the French are gradually going on vacation, the members of the government are also taking a few days off. If the ministers are about to leave, the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron and his wife arrived at Fort Brégançon in the Var this weekend. A traditional vacation spot for Heads of State. For the occasion, European 1 went back to her archives.
Because the fort of Brégançon and the presidents, it is a love story which lasts for 55 years among the inhabitants of Bormes-les-Mimosas, commune on which thrones this imposing military building of the 18ᵉ century. The passage of heads of state always creates excitement, such as this warm welcome reserved for François Hollande for his first stay in 2012.
Walkabout
In front of dozens of onlookers, the socialist president, freshly elected at the time, had taken the time to exchange a few words. “It was incredible. He spoke to me without difficulty. He told me that he would go swimming, etc. Simple as anything”, explained a Varoise at the microphone ofEuropean 1.
And if the socialist president was more of a fan of walkabouts during his vacation, this was not the case for all his predecessors. In 2017, before Emmanuel Macron’s first visit, the inhabitants of Bormes-les-Mimosas did not hesitate to indulge in the little game of comparisons.
Well-established habits
“The nicest was Giscard. He was a good guy, who came to see us and talked to everyone,” recalls a local resident. “But the most visible was Sarkozy. He was riding his bike, he was greeting people. Whereas Chirac himself, he didn’t stop and drove by,” he continues.
And each president had his little habits. Jacques Chirac, for example, often went to masses in the church of Bormes-les-Mimosas, while Nicolas Sarkozy, he preferred to embark on long bike rides in the surroundings.