In articles published jointly² in US and French newspapers, they said "our deepening partnership³ offers a model for international cooperation".

 

A state dinner will be held on Tuesday.

 

The trip comes as Mr Hollande is mired⁴（陷入困境） in low approval ratings at home and a personal scandal.

 

After Mr Hollande's arrival on Monday afternoon, he and Mr Obama flew to Monticello in the state of Virginia, the home of Thomas Jefferson, one of the founders⁵ of the US, an envoy⁶ to France, and the third US president.

 

The two toured Jefferson's home, how on the campus of the University of Virginia, stopping by his study, the kitchen and the quarters of slaves who helped build and run the estate.

 

 

In remarks after their tour, Mr Hollande said Monticello was a symbol of US-French relations, "because here [Marquis de] Lafayette was welcomed".

 

He was referring to a French aristocrat⁷ who served in the Continental⁸ Army, which defeated the British and won American independence.

 

"Together, Lafayette and Jefferson imagined something that seemed impossible - mainly American independence and human rights and the rights of the citizen," Mr Hollande said through a translator.

 

The US president said the visit was an opportunity to reflect on the history of US-French relations. 

 

"Tomorrow we'll have an opportunity to talk about not only our current bonds and alliance but also ways that we can strengthen our cooperation in the future," Mr Obama said.

 

In articles published jointly in the Washington Post and Le Monde on Monday, the presidents hailed their efforts in the Middle East, including negotiations⁹ with Iran that led to an interim¹⁰ agreement on its disputed nuclear programme, and in Syria, where they said their threat of force had "paved the way for the plan to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons".

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