Bargains

If you are lucky enough to be in Paris this week and have a few euros to spare, you may be interested to hear that hundreds of items of clothing, furniture and gifts that belonged to the late Francois Mitterrand are to be auctioned.

According to media reports, the wife of France’s longest serving president (1981 to 1995), has decided to sell much of his old stuff to raise money for “humanitarian” projects.

Among the items, there are wool designer suits, hats, a piggy bank and gifts given by world leaders to Mitterrand, including what is described as a “crocodile-skin briefcase” that was a gift from … Fidel Castro.