Posted on 08/04/2007 10:56:29 AM PDT by blam
Nicolas Sarkozy risks revolt with US holiday By Henry Samuel in Paris Last Updated: 2:29am BST 04/08/2007
Nicolas Sarkozy risked horrifying the historically anti-American French establishment yesterday by choosing to spend a two-week summer holiday in New Hampshire.
Wolfeboro is not far from President George W Bush's family estate in coastal Maine
The French president, who has already drawn howls of protests for his unashamedly pro-Anglo-Saxon stance, spurned his homeland and the Francophone destinations favoured by his predecessors when he arrived yesterday in the select lakeside town of Wolfeboro, north of Boston.
The choice of an American destination was seen by some as proof of his desire to bolster Franco-American ties sorely strained by the invasion of Iraq.
"Mr and Mrs Sarkozy are on holiday at the invitation of friends in a house situated two hours' drive from Boston. They went there as a family on a regular flight," said an Elysée spokesman.
Mr Sarkozy, 52, his wife Cécilia and their son Louis are reported to be staying in a luxurious villa owned by Mike Apple, a former Microsoft executive, which costs £15,000 a week to rent. The residence has a private beach, a marina with room for four boats, a spa, private cinema and video gaming room.
Wolfeboro is not far from President George W Bush's family estate in coastal Kennebunkport, Maine, sparking suggestions yesterday in the French press that the two leaders might use the opportunity to get to know each other, perhaps going running together. Both are keen joggers.
Like Mr Bush, the French president is teetotal - another source of irritation in wine-producing France. "It would really be astonishing if the two men would not benefit from this to meet each other," said Le Parisien.
Mr Sarkozy, who has been pictured wearing Manchester United and NYPD T-shirts, is seen as a breath of fresh air by American conservatives who loathed his predecessor, Jacques Chirac.
Mr Chirac's refusal to back an allied invasion of Iraq in 2003 sparked nationwide anti-French sentiment epitomised by the line "cheese-eating surrender monkeys".
Like many food outlets, the cafeteria at the New Hampshire State House, then dominated by Republicans, briefly renamed its French fries as "freedom fries".
But the expense of the trip was already raising questions. "Who will pay?" asked René Dosière, a Socialist who has studied the budget of the Elysée, pointing out that the cost of the two-week holiday, including flights, would come to more than his official annual salary.
If you're doing that for nationalistic reasons, that's one thing. But if you're looking at quality for the buck (which is really my only consideration), then Yokohama makes a heck of a good tyre, better than anything I've seen come out of the US. If you can turn me onto something better, I'm more than willing to take a look at it.
I keep hearing rumors that some of California’s elite left winos (lefties owning California vineyards) have cancelled scheduled vacations in France this month due to his/Sarkozy’s election.
I don’t know where he is staying. There are a few nice houses on the lake. Personally, I would have gone in the fall, though, rather than summer.
reminds me the the Yogi Berra line, nobody goes there, it’s too crowded”
Except his name is not Mike Apple, it's Mike Appe (Pronounced "App-ee").
He's a great guy.
actually true...it became one of the first true vacation destinations in the colonies. Gorgeous area...we rented a house on the lake a few years back....one of the nicest vacations I can remember.
Welcome to America, Sarkozy. Sit down. Relax. Have some FRENCH fries.
Considering it’s the U.K. Telegraph I wouldn’t read too much into the news given that Brits enjoy rattling the French.
Hehhehheh. Not a whole lot of palm trees in Wolfeboro last time I was through there.
Boycott is still on but Sarko is a major improvement over Chirac. Nothing is perfect as we see with W and any other politician. It is interesting how elections can change things in countries. At the start of the W Presidency France had Chirac and now Sarkozy (upgrade), Britain Blair and now Brown (downgrade),Germany Schroder and now Merkel (another upgrade), Canada Chretien and now Harper (huge improvement there), Australia Howard and still going strong but that too will change.
Oh, and sandy beaches too.
LOL!
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