Five famous French sex and politics scandals

French President Francois Hollande is being plagued by allegations that he has been having an affair with a film actress.

French celebrity magazine Closer alleged Mr Hollande and actress Julie Gayet have been meeting at a Paris apartment building, but the report has since been removed from its website at the request of Ms Gayet's lawyer.

Mr Hollande is far from being the first French politician to be embroiled in such a scandal - here are five others:

Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Dominique Strauss Kahn, once tipped to become French president, was forced to stand down as International Monetary Fund chief following a series of allegations made against him.

In 2011, a maid at a New York hotel accused Mr Strauss-Kahn of sexually assaulting her - criminal charges were eventually dropped and he subsequently reached a settlement in a civil case brought by the maid.

Mr Strauss-Kahn was also implicated in the "Carlton affair", which centred on claims that a prostitution ring was operating at a top hotel in Lille. He has denied the allegations.

Francois Mitterrand

The former French president was found to have been living a double life throughout his presidency and had a long-term mistress, Anne Pingeot, with whom he had a daughter Mazarine.

At his funeral in 1996, both Ms Pingeot and Mazarine attended alongside Mr Mitterrand's wife, Danielle, and their two sons.

The existence of his second family was not revealed publicly until near the end of his life.

The Alegre affair

French public officials were alleged to have protected a serial killer charged with murdering prostitutes who attended orgies at a Toulouse court house.

Patrice Alegre, who was jailed for life in February 2002, claimed he organised the orgies and that the city's senior officials ordered some of the murders in a bid to protect themselves from blackmail.

The Ballets Roses scandal

This 1959 scandal involved girls aged 14 -17 years old taking part in "ballet performances" at official residences that ended in orgies.

Andre Le Troquer, who was the president of France's National Assembly, was implicated in the scandal and charged with "offences against morality".

Felix Faure

French political scandals are nothing new - Felix Faure, who was president from 1895-1899, was said to have died in bed with his mistress Marguerite Steinheil at the Elysee Palace.