France enthralled by first lady's battle with Hollande's ex

PARIS (AFP) - France's Socialist President Francois Hollande hoped he could keep his love life private and distinguish himself from his showy predecessor Mr Nicolas Sarkozy. But his feisty first lady appears to have dashed those plans.

Valerie Trierweiler has been quiet since launching an explosive tweet in June that rocked French politics and made headlines across the world, but her alleged feud with the president's ex-partner - the mother of his four children - continues to fascinate.

"The Battle of the Ladies," said the front-page headline of the latest edition of Le Nouvel Observateur magazine, beside a picture of Ms Trierweiler and Ms Segolene Royal, Hollande's former partner of three decades.

"The Royal Headache," Le Parisien punned last Friday, while the weekly Marianne led with: "Secrets of a Trio from Hell".