Paris Soir - Maxime Chattam Reveals Rock Bottom After Faustine Bollaert Split

French author Maxime Chattam has described the end of his relationship with broadcaster Faustine Bollaert as a period where he "hit rock bottom," citing a convergence of personal losses that nearly destroyed him. The revelation appears in the book "Merci pour le NON - Et si nos échecs étaient nos chances ?" (Thank You for the NO - What If Our Failures Were Our Opportunities?), which collects confessions from 16 public figures about transforming their worst trials into opportunities.

Chattam, 50, and Bollaert met in 2010 when she interviewed him on Europe 1. Their relationship lasted fifteen years and produced two children, Abbie, born in 2013, and Peter, born in 2015. The couple recently confirmed their separation, with reports indicating that Bollaert initiated the end of the chapter.

In his contribution to Elisa Tovati’s book, Chattam details a year where multiple aspects of his life collapsed simultaneously. "There was a year when everything fell apart at once," he states without reservation. He lists the specific losses: the death of his father, the loss of his best friend, the breakdown of his marriage, and the departure from his home, which he describes as a refuge filled with objects and books that nourished his novels.

"The body, the head no longer responding, emotions we can no longer control... That is what I call 'rock bottom,'" Chattam explains. He notes that he lost his footing completely during this time.

Recovery came through concrete actions: moving to a new home, discarding possessions, and losing more than 25 kilograms. "I needed to lighten my life very concretely," he says. He frames this physical and material shedding not as vanity but as a necessary refusal of the forces that were slowly destroying him.

Chattam also credits finding new love with helping him recover. He officially acknowledged his relationship with Elsa Lafon, the general manager of Michel Lafon editions, in a joint interview with footballer Adrien Rabiot for Le Parisien. When Rabiot mentioned reading Olivier Norek’s novel "Les Guerriers de l’hiver," Chattam spontaneously added, "Her editor is my darling."

Lafon took over the leadership of the independent publishing house Michel Lafon in 2022, succeeding her father with a goal to modernize its direction. Under her tenure, the publisher has achieved significant success, including Norek’s award-winning novels and the manga phenomenon "Instinct" by YouTuber Inoxtag.

Chattam describes Lafon as someone who shares his passion for letters and helped restore his smile after one of the darkest periods of his life.

O.Bertrand--PS