French ministers to go cheap and cheerful

This year’s credit crunch has kept French politicians at home…

Many spent the grand vacance in August sampling the delights of their home country instead of jetting off to their usual tropical jaunts – a far cry from times gone by when politicians spent their summers competing for the most air miles.

President Nicholas Sarkozy holidayed at his wife Carla Bruni’s family home in Cap N�gre to give him a chance to recover from his illness in July. This is a dramatic change from Sarkozy’s past holidays, which include yachting holidays in Malta and stays in the chic surroundings of New Hampshire in the USA. It’s no wonder these holidays earned the president the nickname President Bling Bling’.