The taciturn and inscrutable Mr Singh - an "antidote to the comedic stereotype of the brash and irate Sikh", as historian Patrick French once described him - hardly gives interviews.

BBC: Manmohan Singh and the politics of decency

In design news, French designer Patrick Jouin unveiled his Bloom Table Lamp, a 3D-printed lamp that opens and closes like petals of a flower.

ENGADGET: Inhabitat's Week in Green: go-kart made of Lego bricks, TOTO toilet bike and the launch of 'Willow Glass'

"I like it, " said Patrick Vieira, the former French international whose side lost the 2006 World Cup final to Italy on penalty kicks.

WSJ: Euro 2012: An Apologia for the Penalty Kick Shootout

Henry joins Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Zinedine Zidane, Patrick Vieira and Didier Deschamps as the French players to have played 100 internationals or more.

BBC: Henry reaches 100-cap milestone

"The emergency services have been deluged with phone calls, which was to be expected, " said Patrick Pelloux, president of the association of French emergency hospital doctors.

BBC: France hit by mass health strike

It was Patrick Ricard's wish that the founder's French heirs remain at the helm of the group ever since Paul Ricard first commercialized pastis, originally produced as absinthe, in 1932.

BBC: Pernod Ricard names heir as new chief from 2015

But the new station, which is based in a former French navy club, has been promoted by Breton militant Patrick Le Lay, head of France's popular TF1 channel.

BBC: Brittany joins Celtic TV first

In France, Patrick Roger offers a bespoke service, and even Jacques Genin, the self-taught genius of French chocolate, is open to customizing his creations.

WSJ: The Perfect Box of Chocolates