Valérie Trierweiler 'Ready to Forgive Treacherous President Hollande' over Julie Gayet Affair

Valérie Trierweiler is said to be ready to forgive her partner, French president Francois Hollande, after reports that he had had a secret love affair.

"She seems ready to forgive," an unnamed source close to Trierweiler told Le Parisien newspaper.

"She does not want to slam the door in a fit of anger; however she wants to know very quickly what François Hollande's intentions are."

Trierweiler was admitted to a Paris hospital after a gossip magazine published claims that Hollande, 59, had had a liaison with actress Julie Gayet, 41.

Weekly tabloid Closer, which was criticised in 2012 for publishing pictures of the topless Duchess of Cambridge, printed photos purportedly showing the president and the actress arriving separately at the same time at a flat not far from the Elysee presidential palace in Paris.

According to the source, Hollande told her of the relationship the night before the scandal broke.

" Valérie was hit by a TGV [high speed train] in the gut. She was completely stunned," the friend said.

"Of course she was aware of the rumours that had been going around Paris for weeks. She simply wanted to believe that they were false. To her, they were still a couple."

As details of the affair were printed all over the world, Trierweiler was admitted to hospital "for rest and some tests", her office said.

She was initially expected to leave today (Monday) but her chief of staff, Patrice Biancone, said she might remain in the hospital for a few more days.

"[She suffered] a very strong emotional shock," Biancone said.

Hollande was expected to publicly address the issue on Tuesday in a scheduled press conference ostensibly on the state of the economy.