French President Nicolas Sarkozy ‘s dream of having a presidential jet to rival Air Force One of the United States is about to come true.

“Air Sarko One,” a $241-million Airbus A330-200, has made its first test flight in Bordeaux, southwestern France.

Although not quite as big as the Boeing 747-200 that is Air Force One, the French A330-200 will be at least ten metres longer and two metres higher that the aircraft used by other European leaders.

A Peugeot for the French President, a Mercedes for the German Chancellor and a Cadillac for the US President — a look at the powerful cars that transport the world’s most powerful people.

Nicolas Sarkozy wears a Girard-Perregaux 1966 Annual Calendar and Equation of Time, Palladium case.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Wednesday that his health was good as he has returned to work after his collapse while jogging at the weekend, but acknowledged that he needed a rest.

Sarkozy will start a three-week summer holiday this weekend, flying south to a family villa of his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, on the Mediterranean.

The residence, on the secluded promontory of Cap Negre, near the resort town of Saint-Tropez, is a solid masonry built on a rock headland.

Nicolas Sarkozy’s ‘bling bling’ reputation reached new heights last week when it emerged his new 80 million jet has been named ‘Carla’ after his wife.

The French President defied the recession last year to order $390 million worth of planes, including an Airbus designed to be bigger than any flown by other European leaders, and two corporate run-arounds for shorter trips.

The first, a hugely luxurious Dassault Falcon 7X, has now been delivered complete with the hand-painted legend ‘Carla One’ glistening on its side, in honour of First Lady Carla Bruni.

President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla have provoked an outcry in France by spending the weekend at the El Tamarindo Beach and Golf Resorts in a one bedroom villa owned by a millionaire friend of Mexico‘s President Felipe Calderón.

The vast holiday home came complete with private pool, outdoor Jacuzzi and the service of a butler, personal cook and maid.

It is currently high season at the resort, with the villa costing $3,500 plus 17 per cent taxes and obligatory 10 per cent service charges – making a total of just over $4,300.