A Memoir of the American First Lady of Nice, France and the French
Riviera
Memoir
Date Published: March 17, 2024
Publisher:
BookBaby
Growing up in Beverly Hills with two famous uncles – a cosmetics magnate
and a well-connected mobster – eventually led Ilene Médecin to a
romantic and glamorous life as the American First Lady of Nice and the
French Riviera. “Arrested” follows Ilene through her marriage to
Jacques Médecin, a Medici Count fondly known as “King
Jacquou,” who was the last scion of a century old political dynasty.
Her unique experience is from the perspective of an American woman living in
France, married to a powerful French politician ruling the Côte d’Azur
as they shared their social circle with Princess Grace Kelly and Prince
Rainier. Life was extraordinary among royals, celebrities, and politicians.
From the enchanted pages of a storybook Camelot, being at the pinnacle of a
fantasy existence, only to fall from grace to the depths of a French prison
cell. While there were trysts and scandals, nothing prepared Ilene for the
demise of a prominent political family and her eventual arrest for her
husband’s alleged wrongdoings. As for Jacques, sadly, taking up residence in
Uruguay was a puzzling end to a stellar political career.
Neither political exile nor arrest had ever been on Ilene’s bucket list,
but she found herself checking them both off. Her late husband, Jacques
Médecin, had been Mayor of Nice, President of Alpes-Maritimes
(presiding over the Côte d’Azur), French Minister of Tourism, Member
of Parliament, and a Medici Count. Rest assured, “King Jacquou”
was no ordinary politician as he ruled the expanse of the French Riviera.
Curiously, he also gained notoriety being the official reference for proper
Salad Niçoise as the published author of a widely acclaimed cookbook,
“Cuisine Niçoise, Recipes From A Mediterranean
Kitchen.”
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