this cruel response from François Mitterrand the day she confronted him

Thirteen years after the disappearance of Danielle Mitterrand, who died at the age of 87 on November 22, 2011, Gala.fr looks back on her love story with François Mitterrand and reveals what he would have said to her when talking about his infidelities.

13 years already! On November 22, 2011, Danielle Mitterrand died at the age of 87. The former First Lady would be 100 years old if she were still alive today. Her husband, François Mitterrand, had already been dead for around fifteen years at the age of 79, on January 8, 1996. The Socialist had been widely talked about for his infidelities, learned by the general public when he discovered the existence of Mazarine, the daughter of his mistress Anne Pingeot. For a long time, his wife had already had to deal with her extramarital affairs. “Danielle can’t stand him anymore. She screams, she cries, makes scenes with him”recounted Robert Schneider in his book First ladies published ten years ago by Editions Perrin before a Pocket edition saw the light of day. “Marriage is not the inquisition”would then have responded with a certain cruelty.

“She made do”continued the author in his book. “François always liked to please! It’s part of his personality. Why criticize a man for liking to seduce?” explained Danielle Mitterrand. “He has mistresses, she will have lovers. At the time, she even takes pleasure in telling François about her adventures. As a challenge. He will have wanted it”wrote Robert Schneider in his book. And the main person concerned no longer hid it at the end of her life. In 2010, a year before her death, she raised the subject in the columns of Paris Match. “I liked to seduce, and I seduced. Especially since I was very cute. I didn't take a vow of chastity because my husband cheated on me”she explained.

If François Mitterrand had mistresses, Danielle Mitterrand had a lover

Long before François Mitterrand became President of the Republic, his wife began to look elsewhere. Danielle Mitterrand fell in love with a man who was twelve years younger than her: Jean Balenci. “In the 1960s, family and friends saw the appearance of a handsome dark-haired man, not very tall but athletic, broad shoulders, flat stomach, bulging muscles, friendly smile. He was a gymnastics teacher, organizing member of CLAN, the Leisure Club Alpine and Nautical. In winter, he is a ski instructor.revealed Robert Schneider in his book First ladies. He had gradually become “the handyman of the family”. François Mitterrand seemed to have finally accepted that he was getting closer to his wife. However, he reportedly demanded that he disappear when he won the presidential election in 1981. His wife never really forgave him.

Article written in collaboration with 6Medias