Last Friday the French tabloid weekly Closer gave the country a sweet “scoop”: First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has a bun in the oven -or rather a crispy croissant in the oven, this being France .

Bloggers instantly sank their teeth into the rumor, pondering the political implications of an Elysée baby born during a campaign year, and adding all kinds of alluring insights, if not credibility, to the story.

On Tuesday the website Atlantico “confirmed” that it had spotted France ’s First Lady coming out of a doctor’s office where she had just had an ultrasound.

RMC radio host Véronique Jacquier offered another tasty exclusive on her blog: apparently, the next issue of the very popular magazine Paris-Match is devoting its cover story to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Several websites have repeated that French daily Le Parisien has secured a tell-all interview with the president’s wife that will be out on Friday. Even the Huffington Post has weighed in on the tale, highlighting the Elysée’s refusal to comment on the subject.

Without a doubt, the stage has been set for a grand announcement.

But beware, rumours about Carla Bruni being pregnant have grabbed headlines before, only to fizzle out later. Her big interview on Friday could just be about her “breakthrough” role in Woody Allen’s upcoming movie.

The good news, if there is one, is that the suspense gripping the French blogosphere will not last long. By their own design, nothing the Sarkozy-Bruni couple does remains private. If there is to be an Elysée baby in the fall, the world will know about it all too soon.