French president François Hollande has been hit with a backlash over the manner in which he dumped former first lady Valerie Trierweiler after being caught having a secret affair.

After losing her title as France’s first lady, Valerie Trierweiler has begun forging a new role as a goodwill ambassador, with her glamour and media savvy guaranteeing her maximum publicity on a charity trip to India.

A day after splitting up with France’s president, Valerie Trierweiler launched a new stage in her life with a charity visit to India.

Valerie Trierweiler, the ex-partner of French President Francois Hollande, flew to India yesterdayon a charity mission, despite Saturday’s announcement that the couple have split.

French president Francois Hollande has ended his relationship with his companion of seven years, Valerie Trierweiler, according to a French news agency.

French president François Hollande met Pope Francis amid tensions in his private life over a gossip magazine’s report about an alleged affair with an actress.

President François Hollande’s partner emerged from a week’s stay in hospital as the French leader faced calls to clear up his personal life after his affair with an actress was made public.

France’s first lady has ended a more than week-long stay at a hospital where she went to rest after a gossip magazine’s report about an alleged affair between President Francois Hollande and an actress.

French President François Hollande faced fresh scrutiny over his affair with an actress as the magazine that broke the story published claims he started seeing her before his 2012 election.

President Francois Hollande has visited France’s first lady for the first time since she was taken to hospital for rest following a gossip magazine’s report that he was having an affair with an actress.

Francois Hollande planned to announce to the world’s press last Tuesday that he and Valerie Trierweiler had officially split, but his plans were scrapped after his partner was hospitalised, according to reports.

Under pressure French president François Hollande has faced the media over accusations that he is having an affair but he coolly side-stepped giving any details on his personal life.

Embattled French President Francois Hollande is to face the media today for the first time since news of his alleged affair with a actress became public.

François Hollande’s partner Valerie Trierweiler is “ready to forgive” the French president for having a secret affair with a 41-year old actress, but wants “clarification” about his future intentions, it was reported.

France’s first lady Valerie Trierweiler would make her life a lot easier if she stopped living out of wedlock and became a “legitimate” wife: that’s the simple advice from her predecessor Carla Bruni.

A feud involving the French president’s live-in girlfriend, his former partner and his eldest son may have tarnished the new leader’s carefully cultivated image as Mr Normal – credited with helping him win the spring election among a populace weary of his flashy predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.

In a French election subplot, prominent Socialist Segolene Royal – the mother of Francois Hollande’s four children and the runner-up to Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential vote – lost her race in western France and her bid to become Parliament speaker.

President Francois Hollande’s partner has set the French political establishment aghast with a tweet seen as a dig against his ex-partner.

With a single tweet, France’s first lady has managed to take a swipe at her husband’s ex, put herself publicly at odds with the president, and thrown a spanner in the works of his Socialist party.

Humble beginnings and a good work ethic will help the new first lady hold her own in French circles, writes Elaine Ganley