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| Paris Val-de-Grâce hospital of the elite to close under spending cuts | Paris Val-de-Grâce hospital of the elite to close under spending cuts |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Since the French Revolution, Paris’s Val-de-Grâce military hospital has offered healthcare to the world’s best connected people. | Since the French Revolution, Paris’s Val-de-Grâce military hospital has offered healthcare to the world’s best connected people. |
| Presidents, potentates, power-brokers of French-speaking countries and even pop stars’ children and fashion designers have been admitted as patients to the historic establishment, known as “Le Val”, originally set up to minister to wounded frontline soldiers. | Presidents, potentates, power-brokers of French-speaking countries and even pop stars’ children and fashion designers have been admitted as patients to the historic establishment, known as “Le Val”, originally set up to minister to wounded frontline soldiers. |
| However, the famous military establishment that the French press has called the “world leaders’ hospital of choice” has now been defeated by a defence reorganisation and spending cuts. | However, the famous military establishment that the French press has called the “world leaders’ hospital of choice” has now been defeated by a defence reorganisation and spending cuts. |
| On Wednesday, French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the closure of Val-de-Grâce. Its services are to be transferred to two other lesser-known military hospitals in Paris, though part of it may remain open for medical training and research. | On Wednesday, French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced the closure of Val-de-Grâce. Its services are to be transferred to two other lesser-known military hospitals in Paris, though part of it may remain open for medical training and research. |
| Former centre-right prime minister François Fillon, who was treated at Val-de-Grâce for a kidney stone, was reported to be surprised by the decision to close the hospital and accused the government of making decisions as they went along. | Former centre-right prime minister François Fillon, who was treated at Val-de-Grâce for a kidney stone, was reported to be surprised by the decision to close the hospital and accused the government of making decisions as they went along. |
| A spokesperson for Fillon said: “François Fillon is very surprised. He has followed the military programme law and it [the closure] wasn’t mentioned or in the budget, so he’s surprised that spending cuts are being carried out in such an ill-prepared way ... and improvised.” | A spokesperson for Fillon said: “François Fillon is very surprised. He has followed the military programme law and it [the closure] wasn’t mentioned or in the budget, so he’s surprised that spending cuts are being carried out in such an ill-prepared way ... and improvised.” |
| Florence Berthout, mayor of the 5th arrondissement of Paris, where the hospital is situated, said the decision was “mad and unjustified”, and has launched a petition to keep it open. The petition calls on the French president, François Hollande, to intervene, describing Val-de-Grâce as a hospital of “international renown”. | Florence Berthout, mayor of the 5th arrondissement of Paris, where the hospital is situated, said the decision was “mad and unjustified”, and has launched a petition to keep it open. The petition calls on the French president, François Hollande, to intervene, describing Val-de-Grâce as a hospital of “international renown”. |
| “Since the Revolution Val-de-Grâce has been the spearhead of military medicine, and today also civil medicine. The budget argument is not enough!,” it reads. | “Since the Revolution Val-de-Grâce has been the spearhead of military medicine, and today also civil medicine. The budget argument is not enough!,” it reads. |
| The two main unions at the hospital, the CGT and Force Ouvrière, have united and called for non-military staff – believed to number around 400 – to demonstrate against the closure. | The two main unions at the hospital, the CGT and Force Ouvrière, have united and called for non-military staff – believed to number around 400 – to demonstrate against the closure. |
| Berthoud said a number of high-level retired military personnel were planning a campaign to oppose the closure. | Berthoud said a number of high-level retired military personnel were planning a campaign to oppose the closure. |
| Few journalists have had access to the VIP areas of Val-de-Grâce hospital, adding to its mystique. Fantastic rumours have spread of its supposedly luxurious presidential suites, good food and secret entrances. | Few journalists have had access to the VIP areas of Val-de-Grâce hospital, adding to its mystique. Fantastic rumours have spread of its supposedly luxurious presidential suites, good food and secret entrances. |
| All have been denied, apart from the above-average hospital meals. However, when L’Express magazine contacted the hospital a few years ago to ask about the “presidential suite” – various reports had suggested the four-room complex was on the ground floor overlooking the hospital park, museum and 17th-century church – a military spokesperson replied: “No idea where it is, what it looks like or even if it exists”. | All have been denied, apart from the above-average hospital meals. However, when L’Express magazine contacted the hospital a few years ago to ask about the “presidential suite” – various reports had suggested the four-room complex was on the ground floor overlooking the hospital park, museum and 17th-century church – a military spokesperson replied: “No idea where it is, what it looks like or even if it exists”. |
| “Secrecy,” concluded L’Express, “is something of a speciality at Val-de-Grâce.” | “Secrecy,” concluded L’Express, “is something of a speciality at Val-de-Grâce.” |
| The former French president, François Mitterrand, was admitted under the pseudonym Albert Blot – the name of his doctor’s brother-in-law – and treated for the prostate cancer that would eventually kill him, but that was kept a secret from the French public until shortly before he died. | The former French president, François Mitterrand, was admitted under the pseudonym Albert Blot – the name of his doctor’s brother-in-law – and treated for the prostate cancer that would eventually kill him, but that was kept a secret from the French public until shortly before he died. |
| His secret daughter Mazarine, the result of his long-term double life, was admitted after falling from her horse as a teenager. Medics were said to be initially unsure if they were treating the president’s “petite fille” (little girl) or “petite-fille” (granddaughter). | His secret daughter Mazarine, the result of his long-term double life, was admitted after falling from her horse as a teenager. Medics were said to be initially unsure if they were treating the president’s “petite fille” (little girl) or “petite-fille” (granddaughter). |
| Mitterrand’s successor, Jacques Chirac, was treated at Val-de-Grâce after a suspected stroke, and his successor Nicolas Sarkozy was flown by helicopter to the hospital after collapsing while jogging in the park at the Château de Versailles. | Mitterrand’s successor, Jacques Chirac, was treated at Val-de-Grâce after a suspected stroke, and his successor Nicolas Sarkozy was flown by helicopter to the hospital after collapsing while jogging in the park at the Château de Versailles. |
| The Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has been flown to Paris for treatment by Val-de-Grâce doctors on several occasions, as were the late King of Morocco, Hassan II, the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, members of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s family, the leaders of Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, General de Gaulle’s widow Yvonne, Yves Saint Laurent (hospitalised for depression after military service), and rock star Johnny Hallyday’s daughter. | The Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has been flown to Paris for treatment by Val-de-Grâce doctors on several occasions, as were the late King of Morocco, Hassan II, the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, members of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad’s family, the leaders of Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, General de Gaulle’s widow Yvonne, Yves Saint Laurent (hospitalised for depression after military service), and rock star Johnny Hallyday’s daughter. |
| Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had been booked into a high-security room at the Val-de-Grâce but was taken instead to another military hospital in the south-west of Paris, where he died. | Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had been booked into a high-security room at the Val-de-Grâce but was taken instead to another military hospital in the south-west of Paris, where he died. |
| The hospital was built on the site of a former royal abbey in the heart of what is now Paris’ 5th arrondissement, founded by the French Queen Consort Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII and mother of Louis XIV, in 1621. | The hospital was built on the site of a former royal abbey in the heart of what is now Paris’ 5th arrondissement, founded by the French Queen Consort Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII and mother of Louis XIV, in 1621. |
| It was the traditional burial place for members of the royal House of Orléans, several members of which are interred in its church. | It was the traditional burial place for members of the royal House of Orléans, several members of which are interred in its church. |
| During the French Revolution, all royal symbolism was removed from the church, whose high dome dominated the Paris skyline, and the Benedictine abbey became a military hospital in 1796. | During the French Revolution, all royal symbolism was removed from the church, whose high dome dominated the Paris skyline, and the Benedictine abbey became a military hospital in 1796. |
| In the first world war, the writers Louis Aragon and André Breton worked at Val-de-Grâce as trainee doctors at a time when the hospital was developing facial reconstruction surgery. Its collection of before-and-after wax sculptures of disfigured human faces and the results of surgery, influenced the pair’s later work. | |
| In 1979, the hospital was moved into a new building constructed on what had been the Benedictine nun’s vegetable garden and a military museum and library as well as a medical school were established in the abbey. | In 1979, the hospital was moved into a new building constructed on what had been the Benedictine nun’s vegetable garden and a military museum and library as well as a medical school were established in the abbey. |
| Of the 1,000 staff at the 350-bed five-storey hospital, more than half are military personnel, including all the doctors and surgeons and most nurses and health workers. As the hospital is under the control of the defence ministry, employees are subject not only to medical confidentiality but diplomatic discretion. | Of the 1,000 staff at the 350-bed five-storey hospital, more than half are military personnel, including all the doctors and surgeons and most nurses and health workers. As the hospital is under the control of the defence ministry, employees are subject not only to medical confidentiality but diplomatic discretion. |
| As former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin remarked after being admitted for a gall bladder operation: “It’s not a four-star hotel, but it’s more important than that because it’s a centre of medical excellence that also keeps defence secrets.” | As former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin remarked after being admitted for a gall bladder operation: “It’s not a four-star hotel, but it’s more important than that because it’s a centre of medical excellence that also keeps defence secrets.” |
| The French government had been considering three options for the hospital: complete closure, partial closure or handing it over the hospital to the public health authorities. | The French government had been considering three options for the hospital: complete closure, partial closure or handing it over the hospital to the public health authorities. |
| However, keeping it open would have required €250m (£198m) to bring its facilities up to 21st-century standards. | However, keeping it open would have required €250m (£198m) to bring its facilities up to 21st-century standards. |
| Luc Scappini, secretary general of the CFDT Defense union, described the hospital as a “true showcase” for the military’s health service. A demonstration against the closure is planned for 23 October. | Luc Scappini, secretary general of the CFDT Defense union, described the hospital as a “true showcase” for the military’s health service. A demonstration against the closure is planned for 23 October. |
| • This article was amended on 17 October. A production error meant Louis Aragon and André Breton were referred to as painters. This reference has been removed |