Doctor of law
Titled a Doctor of law, specialising in the environment, she entered the office of the Minister for the Environment, Michel d'Ornano. A powerful man from Calvados, he convinced her to invest in her native department. After administrative posts at Honfleur then on the General council of Calvados, she entered politics as deputy to Michel d'Ornano on the National Assembly of France in 1988, and took over from him on his death in 1991.