Just over a year since she left France's presidential residence, the Élysée Palace, after her husband's electoral defeat, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy told CNBC she doesn't miss being the country's first lady.
Since Nicolas Sarkozy's five-year reign as president ended in May 2012 with his defeat by François Hollande, the former president has kept a low political profile, while Bruni-Sarkozy has focused on her music career.
Asked whether she missed her time at the Élysée, Bruni-Sarkozy said, "Oh, not at all. I mean, it was wonderful, but I don't miss it.
"You know, it's really nice to be without pressure. It's really nice to be without stress, and family life is more is more is easy now...I loved it, but I don't really miss it."
Bruni-Sarkozy met her husband in late 2007 and married him on February 2, 2008, at the Élysée Palace.
An ability to focus more on family life is one reason why Bruni-Sarkozy is happy to be out of the presidential limelight. On October 19, 2011, she gave birth to a girl, Giulia, although both Sarkozy and she already had children from previous relationships.
"You know it was wonderful to be at the Élysée and its great to be in our life now, to go back home, have more time for the children," she told CNBC.
"We know we have five children because I have a boy, he has three boys and we have a daughter together... Now it's like a really nice family life. I must say it's nice because the pressure goes off, you know, and that's really pleasant."
Bruni-Sarkozy said she was also happy that her husband had some time off from politics.
"My man is so much like a 100 percent person that I thought he might get a little rest, you know...and also go back to a normal life."
CNBC Meets: Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will air on Wednesday 14 August.
