It’s been a notable week for French President Emmanuel Macron, who made headlines after footage emerged of his wife, Brigitte Macron, playfully pushing his face aside during a state visit to Vietnam. Predictably, the video sparked online speculation, with claims that the couple’s marriage was in crisis. Responding to the rumours, President Macron dismissed the controversy, explaining that they were merely “joking around, as we do quite often.” He wryly addressed other past misinterpretations, jesting that people had previously claimed he “shared a bag of cocaine, tussled with the Turkish president, and now I’m supposedly arguing with my wife. None of it is true. Everyone needs to calm down.”
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Beyond the headlines, attention also turned to the remarkable setting from which Macron governs: the Élysée Palace. This grand Parisian residence, located in the prestigious 8th arrondissement, is rarely accessible to the public—except during European Heritage Days, held once a year. Spanning 365 rooms across bedrooms, offices and ceremonial halls, the palace dwarfs most stately homes. Though not quite as vast as Buckingham Palace with its 775 rooms, it is still nearly twice the size of the White House.
The palace is steeped in history. Originally commissioned in 1718 by Louis-Henri de La Tour d’Auvergne, the Count of Évreux, the Élysée’s grounds once lay in a wooded district of modest homes. Few could have foreseen its future as the residence of French presidents. Over the centuries, it has hosted figures such as Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon, General de Gaulle, and François Mitterrand. Its lavish halls have witnessed decisions and secrets that shaped French history.
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The gardens are equally storied. Once marshland, they were transformed by the Marquise de Pompadour into a whimsical retreat complete with waterfalls and a labyrinth. Later redesigned in 1786 as an English-style garden, today it features over one hundred tree species and twelve thousand seasonal blooms. Inside, the palace houses 500 artworks and more than 100 clocks. Should any real discord arise between the Macrons, at least they have ample space to cool off in royal style.
