The caseé an Odd couple

Y vonne Rousseau was working as a midwife at Orleans Hospital, France, when she met Pierre Chevallier, a medical student.

It was 1935, and society still very much adhered to a rigid social class system. So it must have caused a few raised eyebrows when the two of them got together.

Young Yvonne was believed to have come from a farming family, whereas Pierre was from wealthy, well-respected lineage.

But class meant nothing to the lovers. Yvonne was swept away by passion.

Their feelings for each other soon overrode any social expectations and they became a couple. They married four years later and, in 1940, Yvonne gave birth to their first child, a boy called Mathieu.

But now Adolf Hitler had risen to power in Germany, and France was being invaded.

Pierre joined the French Resistance, rising quickly up the ranks.

A hero, he received awards during the war and, after, was elected Mayor of Orleans.

The War ended in 1945 – and, the following year, the couple’s second son Thugal was born.

Now the handsome and intelligent Pierre spent more time in Paris for politics – while Yvonne, described as dull and not very bright, stayed at home in Orleans with the children.

Was it any wonder that the couple grew apart?

But Yvonne was desperate to win back her husband’s love. She read about art, literature and politics. She went to fashionable beauty salons, bought more flattering clothes. All to no avail.

Then, in the summer of 1951, Yvonne became suspicious that husband Pierre was cheating on her. By now, he was spending more nights in Paris – apparently on business – than he was at home. Was he seeing another woman? Yvonne thought so and, in the spring of 1951, her worst fears were confirmed. Yvonne discovered that Pierre was indeed having a relationship. The woman’s name was Jeanne Perreau, and she was beautiful and sophisticated – and married to the owner of the most prestigious department store in Orleans. Then Yvonne found a passionate letter, written to Pierre from Jeanne. Distraught, she tried to force her husband to confess and apologise, but he refused. Yvonne felt scorned, deceived, and humiliated. On 11 August, Pierre Chevallier was appointed Secretary of State for Technical Education, Youth and Sport. The following morning, he left Paris at about 7.30am in a chauffeur-driven car. He was dropped at his apartment in Orleans at around 9.30am so he could get changed. A smoker, he’d dropped hot cigarette ash on his trousers, causing a hole. On the doorstep, Pierre saw his youngest son, before heading to his room, careful to avoid conversation with Yvonne – with whom his relationship had been frosty for several months. Yvonne was desperate for one final attempt at reconciliation with her husband. Instead, however, Pierre announced that he wanted

His mistress was beautiful