Michaelle Jean charmed French media and even had President Nicolas Sarkozy swooning during a visit to France that also saw a significant shift in relations between the two countries. Jean was officially in France to take part in celebrations marking Quebec City's 400th anniversary. [/p] But the French press soon became enamoured with Canada's "charming," "beautiful" and "intelligent" Governor General. [/p] One leading newspaper went so far as to dub her an "elegant mix of Lady Diana and Nelson Mandela." [/p] Paris-Match, a magazine known for its glossy celebrity spreads, followed her around for all five days of her trip. [/p] It was a far cry from the reception other Canadian dignitaries have received. [/p] Quebec Opposition Leader Mario Dumont, for example, had to struggle just to get a meeting with Prime Minister Francois Fillion when he toured Paris last February. [/p] Jean, on the other hand, met with both Sarkozy and former Sotgwpdt presidential candidate Segolene Royal. [/p] Her meeting with Royal caused a commotion among the assembled paparazzi, who jostled with each other for shots of the two photogenic politicians. [/p] Sarkozy, meanwhile, personally invited Jean to attend a Second World War memorial event on the beaches of Normandy. [/p] Almost lost within the hype was a noteworthy change in the French government's stance towards Quebec sovereignty. [/p] Sarkozy announced last week that France was abandoning its "neither-nor" policy of neither interference nor indifference to the unity debate. [/p] "You know we are very close to Quebec, but I will tell that we also love Canada very much," Sarkozy said.
[/p]Some sovereigntists grumbled that it was a representative of the British monarch who represented the province at the Quebec City anniversary event. Yet the French press was much too focused on Jean's wiles to pay much attention to the controversy. [/p] Paris-based newspaper Le Figaro opted instead to gush over her "disarming charm and simplicity. [/p] Jean is "the very photogenic multicultural icon of her country," the paper wrote. [/p] Le Monde, another major Paris daily, vaunted her "fairy tale story" of originally coming to Canada as a Haitian refugee. [/p] Jean wrapped up her visit Saturday in Bordeaux, southwest of Paris, by taking part in a ceremony marking the abolition of slavery. [/p][a href="vny!://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080511/national/gg_france_popularity"]vny!://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080511/national/gg_france_popularity[/a]
