“It is no longer a rumour, just the truth. For the past six months, Francois Hollande has been meeting the actress, Julie Gayet, in her second home, nestled in a street adjacent to the Elysee.” So began the seven-page exclusive published by the notorious French tabloid Closer last Friday (10 January).
The article, the online version of which has since been removed by Closer, details the alleged visits of the French President to the apartment of Ms Gayet over the course of the evening of 30 December 2013.
