François Hollande and Valérie Trierweiler enter the Élysée Palace

On Tuesday, François Hollande officially became the new president of the French Republic. The ceremony was understated, as Mr. Hollande had wished, but he hadn't anticipated Mother Nature's actions for the occasion.

An unexpected thunderbolt

So far, everything was going well. The President had paid his respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, given a short speech at the Élysée Palace, another at the Tuileries Palace, followed by an address at Paris City Hall, before flying to Berlin to meet with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor. It was at this moment that the plane Mr. Hollande was flying in was struck by lightning… It was therefore necessary to quickly return to the airport where the President had to take another plane to go to the German capital.

From one Lady to another

On the occasion of the transfer of power, François Hollande's partner, Valérie Trierweiler, was welcomed to the Élysée Palace by the outgoing First Lady, Carla Bruni. Ms. Trierweiler, a reporter for Paris Match, inaugurated her role with her characteristic elegance and good manners. The two ladies vied with each other in chic, one in a charcoal gray suit, the other in a black dress and classic white jacket.

Unlike Ms. Bruni, who was unfamiliar with diplomatic meetings, official trips, and the political sphere when Nicolas Sarkozy was elected president, Ms. Trierweiler has been involved in this world for a long time. In addition to accompanying François Hollande in many of the official activities that his mandate entails, Valérie Trierweiler intends to continue her career as a journalist. She is also the mother of three children.

On Friday of this week, the couple will fly to the United States, as the French President will attend the G8 and NATO summits.