White House officials prepare a state visit for French President Francois Hollande to showcase strong U.S.-French cooperation on a host of global priorities.
Hollande, 59, who just broke up with his longtime partner after an alleged affair with a much younger actress, arrived solo on Monday to begin two days of pomp and ceremony including a high-profile visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate with U.S. President Barack Obama.
The Monticello stop is intended to showcase the enduring alliance between the two countries. Jefferson, the third U.S. president, was one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence. Without French assistance, the fledgling American army might not have defeated the British.
It will be the first state visit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in nearly 2-1/2 years, since South Korea's president visited in October 2011.
