Sarkozy and Carla Bruni 'Both Having Affairs'

Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy's now notorious remark that she is "easily bored by monogamy" is also frequently quoted by the media.

But now, for the first time, rumours of trouble in the marriage have reached the mainstream French media.

Mr Sarkozy and Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy have both reportedly had affairs in past relationships.

Mrs Bruni-Sarkozy - whose string of previous lovers includes Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Donald Trump - is said to have had a relationship with Jean-Paul Enthoven, before dumping him for his philosopher son Raphael, with whom she has a son, Aurelien. But the younger Mr Enthoven left the former model, saying he felt she was "uncommitted to the relationship".

Mr Sarkozy is reported to have had an affair with Cecilia Ciganer-Albaniz, who eventually became his second wife, while still married to his first wife, Marie-Dominique Culioli, the mother of his two elder sons.

Mr Sarkozy and his second wife split during his presidential election campaign in 2007, when she started having an affair with Richard Attais, a US publicist.

Mr Sarkozy's spokesman at the Elysee Palace in Paris said on Tuesday that he had "absolutely no comment" to make on the rumours of extra-marital affairs among France's first couple.