By Iris Samuels<\/p>\n
If Versailles were the history book of France, the current chapter would tell the story of a strong woman. The palace\u2019s current president, Catherine P\u00e9gard, has the soul of a journalist, the mind of a politician and a fierce pride in her French identity. Former editor of weekly French magazine\u00a0<\/span>Le Point<\/span><\/em>, she now holds a position that some consider second to the minister of culture in France.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUsually if you\u2019re a journalist, you stay a journalist,\u201d she said, explaining her \u201cbizarre\u201d professional trajectory. She joined\u00a0<\/span>Le Point<\/span><\/em>\u00a0<\/span>in 1982 as a 28-year-old political journalist covering the French parliament.<\/span><\/p>\n The beginning of her career brought a serendipitous meeting with a young politician named Nicolas Sarkozy. Then mayor of the wealthy Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, Sarkozy would become the key to P\u00e9gard\u2019s political path. \u201cI followed him through his entire career,\u201d P\u00e9gard said. When Sarkozy became president of France in 2007, he asked her\u00a0to join him as his political advisor. \u201cI always tried to tell him the truth,\u201d P\u00e9gard said, explaining how she earned his trust.<\/span><\/p>\n Once P\u00e9gard left journalism, she knew she would not go back. \u201cShe became loyal to the government,\u201d said Elaine Sciolino, former bureau chief for the New York Times in Paris. \u201cShe was always correct with us [journalists].\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But P\u00e9gard maintains that even after she left professional journalism, her journalistic skills remained useful. \u201cWhen you are a journalist you have to tell what you know,\u201d she explained. \u201cI was a journalist for the president.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In 2011, Sarkozy nominated her for the role of President of Versailles. It is often considered a political nomination, but when Fran\u00e7ois Hollande, a socialist candidate, beat Sarkozy, he renewed P\u00e9gard\u2019s appointment. \u201cI\u2019m very proud of that,\u201d she said. It was proof that she is good at her job.<\/span><\/p>\n Now she lives in Versailles, and oversees more than 7.5 million annual visitors. \u201cYou need to be a journalist in order to be here,\u201d she said, sitting in a conference room in the Grand Commun, an office building outside the main gates of the Ch\u00e2teau de Versailles. \u201cYou must tell a story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n With the classic French grace and a thoughtful expression, P\u00e9gard\u00a0seemed uncomfortable sharing details of her personal life, but was eager to share lessons from\u00a0her professional life. Throughout her career, she encountered challenges as a woman in power. \u201cBut it\u2019s easier now,\u201d she said. \u201cThe most important things have been done,\u201d she added,\u00a0explaining that the French\u00a0workforce is far more equal now than in the past. \u201cThere are more women everywhere.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Victor Hugo once described Versailles as the binding to the history book of France. P\u00e9gard maintained that this link is still relevant. She is now overseeing the creation of exhibits that travel as far as Tokyo and New York. The history of Versailles still charms and intrigues crowds around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n P\u00e9gard herself still enjoys sitting alone in the theater of Marie Antoinette, or visiting the famous Hall of Mirrors during sunset, when the room takes on a lovely shade of pink. \u201cYou must always think about what it was, but also what it is today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Iris Samuels If Versailles were the history book of France, the current chapter would tell the story of a strong woman. The palace\u2019s current president, Catherine P\u00e9gard, has the soul of a journalist, the mind of a politician and a fierce pride in her French identity. Former editor of weekly French magazine\u00a0Le Point, she … <\/p>\n