How do rich/powerful French people live!

I am developing a story idea. Was looking for some help from someone who knows about French culture. I have never been to France so I don't know how the elite in France live.

My idea: The French president has taken America to task for some foreign policy issue/war, all Jacques Chirac during Iraq. The U.S. First Lady is on a European goodwill trip to Europe that culminates in a visit to Paris. But while there, she discusses to the French PM/President her true feelings -- he is right, he husband is wrong, and she believes French culture to be truly superior. And, of course, he has his way with her.

On top of that, I would like the First Lady to embrace elite French culture but only to a certain degree. The elite French treat her like a toy -- subservient as she attempts to shed her past and to serve them as they see fit.

Questions:

1) What areas of France or Paris do the elite live in? Go to vacation?

2) Do they have maids/butlers/assistants and the like?

3) Do they have boarding schools or an equivalent to Oxford?

4) What would be modern day aristocratic French hobbies be?

Thanks!

I've spent lots of time in France. I believe I can answer your questions:

1) What areas of France or Paris do the elite live in? Go to vacation?

The elite French folks all live at the top of the Eiffel Tower on a day to day basis. There is plenty of room up there, with dozens of three-bedroom apartments and at least a hundred studios. But they vacation in the catacombs far beneath the city, having orgies in the crypts and frequently indulging in necrophilia.

2) Do they have maids/butlers/assistants and the like?

But of course! No self-respecting Frenchman or Frenchwench would make their own croissant or french toast. They have indentured servants, usually English schoolgirls in chastity belts, to take care of such menial tasks.

3) Do they have boarding schools or an equivalent to Oxford?

No, absolutely not. The French do not believe in structured education. They make their young watch hundreds of hours of Jerry Lewis movies in order to indoctrinate them into proper French culture. It has worked for hundreds of years, and they are not likely to change any time soon.

4) What would be modern day aristocratic French hobbies be?

Watching porn, standing on their heads, translating the works of Shakespeare into Hindi, and of course eating their young. Anything that advances the values of French culture.

Hope that helps!.......Carney

julia_in_nj2007 said:

Questions:

1) What areas of France or Paris do the elite live in? Go to vacation?

2) Do they have maids/butlers/assistants and the like?

3) Do they have boarding schools or an equivalent to Oxford?

4) What would be modern day aristocratic French hobbies be?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

1. Anywhere away from the French Government's tax policies. Kensington and Chelsea in London, Monaco or Italy. Vacation? French speaking former colonies such as Martinique or Reunion.

2. Yes, but a concierge comes first to deter the plebs.

3. Finishing schools in Switzerland.

4. Sex. Having a mistress or two is de rigeur. The wife can have two or more gigolos.

1 House or apartment in Paris, and a place on the south coast, Nice, Antibes, or Cannes area.

2,3 Dunno

4. Eating fancy food, drinking fine wine, and as stated above, screwing around a lot.