N.H. town says 'c'est la vie' to visit by Sarkozy

WOLFEBORO, N.H. -- Nicolas Sarkozy, the president of France, has ensconced himself in a lakeside house in this picturesque town, the home's driveway blocked by imposing security men.

But area residents interviewed yesterday took his visit in stride.

"I would hope for his sake that he could have some privacy. I can't think what it would be like to be on vacation and have everybody rubbernecking at him," said Jane Batchelder, 65, of nearby Tuftonboro, who said she comes to town every day with a friend to water flowers that their garden club planted near the docks.

Casey Hopkins, a traffic control officer for the town who was taking a break by the docks, said: "I'm not going to run up to him and introduce myself. I'm just always busy with work. We know what's happening, but it's nothing to get excited about."

The Globe reported Thursday that the president would take a vacation at an estate on Lake Winnipesaukee.

In Paris, officials at the Elysée presidential palace said Friday that the Sarkozys had left for "a house on a lake about two hours by car from Boston."

Sarkozy's presence was obvious on a quiet street off Wolfeboro's main road yesterday afternoon.

Sarkozy's security staff held a briefing later near the house to talk about arrangements for a presidential news conference scheduled for 9:30 a.m. today. Afterward, one security man said the president had been canoeing earlier on the lake with his son.

Wolfeboro is a popular vacation destination for many Bostonians, and the locals are no strangers to celebrity sightings.

Al Pierce, 76, who owns a store on Main Street that sells books and candy, said Drew Barrymore and the late writer Kurt Vonnegut were just two of his famous customers over the 43 years he's run the place.

"This man is on vacation and he would want some privacy. We'll leave them alone," Pierce said.

Gordon Hunt, owner of Bradley's Hardware, said a few of Sarkozy's security men had come in to buy items.

"I don't think he's a very big deal around here," Hunt said.

Just last week, Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani bought a flashlight, Hunt said. He said Republican candidate Mitt Romney is also a regular.

"The cult of the famous doesn't mean a big deal. We have [famous] people walking around town all the time," Hunt said.

Material from wire services was used in this report.