Bordeaux

Former president will not stand trial on allegations - which he denied - that he abused frailty of L'Oréal heiress to get election campaign funds.

A couple were found hanged and their children aged 13 and 16 had been poisoned, according to police who are investigating the family 'tragedy'.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy has been dramatically placed under formal investigation for allegedly abusing the mental frailty of billionaire L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. It followed a second round of questioning by judges in Bordeaux investigating the Bettencourt affair, which involves claims of political corruption and abuse of power. The news has caused fury on the Right, however, who insist that it is a politically-motivated decision coming just days after the resignation of budget minister Jérôme Cahuzac, who is also facing an investigation.

The wine estate near Bordeaux will not release a 2012 vintage of its famous sweet Sauternes wine after heavy rains spoiled quality of harvest.

The former French owner of an 18th century Bordeaux chateau razed to the ground by Polish builders has said her family is 'traumatised'.

When Nicolas Sarkozy descended the central courthouse buildings in Bordeaux on the morning of November 22nd, entering an underground office to be questioned by magistrates leading investigations into the wide-ranging corruption allegations surrounding the affairs of L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, the former French president faced a humbling moment in more ways than one. For not only did he find himself in exactly the same situation as his predecessor, Jacques Chirac, whose corruption-tainted years he had promised to break with, his interrogation over suspected illegal financing of his 2007 election campaign was carried out by members of the French judicial corps known as investigating magistrates which he had, when president, attempted to disband. Michel Deléan reports.

Bordeaux wine houses see red red over US wine producers attempts to use 'château' label descriptions on wines shipped to Europe.