Francois Hollande's inauguration
This ceremony followed the formal handover of investiture ceremony between France's president Francois Hollande and his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, on May 15, 2012.
Hollande, 57, was elected to a five-year term earlier this month after voters ousted incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy after only one term.
Hollande became president of France on May 15, 2012, in a ceremony steeped in tradition, taking over a country with deep debts. The Arc de Triomphe is seen in the background.