From Jarnac to Chteau-Chinon, from Vichy to the Resistance, from Solutr to Larche, from government ministries to the Elyse Palace, adored or reviled, Franois Mitterrand has entered legend. Elected President of the French Republic in 1981 and 1988, he embodied immense popular hope, somewhat tarnished by the erosion of power. This book paints a portrait and traces the journey of this statesman, who left his mark on the end of the 20th century.