French President Emmanuel Macron pulled out all the stops recently to woo business leaders a flashy summit at the Palace of Versailles, “Choose France” 2023. But the real showstopper may have been Macron’s one-on-one meeting with Tesla’s Elon Musk, who flew straight into Paris after reportedly dancing the night away at a Los Angeles nightclub.
According to reports, Musk rolled up to meet with Macron still wearing his disco boots from a late night of partying in L.A. Musk admitted he even dozed off in the car on his way to meet the French prez at the Élysée Palace because he was so “knackered” from tearing up the dance floor.
Discussions covered a range of topics, including France’s progress in attracting investment and promoting electric vehicles and energy. Musk praised Macron and the French government for their support of the industry, and expressed confidence that Tesla would make a significant investment in France.
During a lunch meeting with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, Musk was reportedly pitched on new tax credits for green technology investments announced by the French government. When asked directly whether France was trying to persuade Musk to build the Gigafactory in the country, Le Maire remained tight-lipped, citing fierce competition between rival groups.
While Musk was tight-lipped on details or timelines, he seemed pretty jazzed on France. “I am very impressed with President Macron and the French government’s welcome of business and innovation,” Musk said.
Between Versailles, disco nights and chummy lunches with government ministers, it looks like France pulled out the red carpet to entice Musk. – will France get its own Tesla Gigafactory? The party may just be getting started.