AFP:
The famous scooter that Francois Hollande used to secretly join his partner Julie Gayet will soon be sold at auction. A statement to which the former president responded during the program C to you Thursday, April 4.
Francois Hollande’s famous scooter is back in the headlines. The car was a silent witness of many media events, especially in 2014. on January 10, when the press revealed the affair of the Elysée tenant with actress and producer Julie Gayet, while he was in a relationship with Valerie Trierweiler.
This iconic tricycle will be auctioned on May 26, 2024 at the Garden Party sale at Château d’Artigny by auctioneer Aymeric Rouillac, entrusted by its owner, Patrick Cionnot.
The scooter has not actually belonged to Francois Hollande since 2015, when the palace sold it to an individual living in Vienna. In 2022, Patrick Cioneau, a former mechanic, now 71, bought it and used it to celebrate his golden wedding anniversary with his wife, Manola. The event was immortalized in a photo that a friend of the couple showed Francois Hollande at the signing meeting. Allowing the latter to confirm the authenticity of his vehicle.
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Francois Hollande himself responded with humor to this sale on the CA Vous show that airs France 5:00 Thursday, April 4. “I invite anyone who has items that could have belonged to me to come to the bookstores so I can authenticate them and they can make a profit.”
The 123cm gray Piaggio MP3 scooter used by the former French president during his discreet escape to the home of actress Julie Gayet.3: has become a symbol of political scandal and exposure of personal life. Despite the years since the romance, public interest in this memory-laden object remains palpable.
“It’s worth more”
“I’ve always had a scooter, this was the last one, so it has more value, especially for people who move,” the former president admitted to France 5 before concluding: thorough sales to see if I’m getting value. A statement that suggests that the memories attached to an object go far beyond its simple function as a vehicle.
Speculation abounds as to the identity of the potential buyer and the future use of this historic scooter. Some already envision it joining a private collection, while others speculate it could be the subject of a public exhibition, a testament to a tumultuous period in French political history.
Auction on May 26
The auctioneer talked about the history of the scooter and its “importance”. “François Hollande’s scooter entered the category of legendary vehicles in January 2014, because it tells French women and men about a man like everyone else. of a nation torn between the pursuit of power and the realization of its degradation.
The auction starts with a starting price set at €10,000, but experts believe its turbulent history could push sales much further.
Source: Le Figaro
