A decade ago, former French President François Hollande figured his scooter helmet was all he needed for anonymity. Little did he know, the Parisian paparazzi had eyes everywhere. In January 2014, Hollande got caught in an affair when paparazzi snapshots emerged of him leaving the presidential palace on a scooter to meet his mistress. The photographs sparked a national scandal, greatly tarnished his reputation, and led to the breakup with his partner.

A decade later, the affair still stirs fascination. The three-wheeled scooter that carried Hollande to his clandestine rendezvous recently fetched a hefty sum at auction – selling for more than €20,000, double its initial price and far beyond its secondhand value. It was bought by a collector of historic vehicles, who called it “a piece of French history.”

The vehicle is what sparked the scandal: at the time, it was not Hollande's adultery that scandalised the nation, but rather the fact that he did so by riding a scooter. The sight of the President Hollande, helmeted and riding a scooter, seemed incongruous with the stature expected of a French president and reinforced his dorky image to the public. Eventually, he became so unpopular that he did not seek re-election in 2017.