François Hollande, the former president of France, was formally initiated into the "ban bourguignon," a traditional Burgundian toast, on Saturday at the 54th Fête de la Rose in Frangy-en-Bresse, in the Saône-et-Loire department, TF1info reported.
Hollande served as guest of honor at this year's edition of the festival. His initiation into the local custom was shown in a 33-second video produced by TF1info's video news desk and published through TF1info Shorts. TF1info listed the clip under its "Insolite" and "100% politique" segments.
Hollande, a Socialist Party figure since the 1990s, was the first left-wing president elected in France since François Mitterrand left office in 1995. He did not seek a second term in 2017 and was succeeded by Emmanuel Macron.
A long-running political gathering
The Fête de la Rose is an annual political festival held in the small Burgundian town of Frangy-en-Bresse. The rose has long been the emblem of France's Socialist Party, the party under whose banner Hollande was elected president in 2012. Fêtes de la Rose are held in various French towns each year, organized by local Socialist Party federations, and traditionally draw serving and former politicians as guests of honor.
Frangy-en-Bresse sits in the Saône-et-Loire department, part of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France. The region is best known internationally for its Burgundy wines, produced in vineyards not far from Frangy-en-Bresse.
The ban bourguignon tradition
The "ban bourguignon" is a customary toast performed in Burgundy to honor a guest, typically involving raised glasses and a rhythmic, call-and-response chant. The toast is closely tied to the region's winemaking heritage and is often performed at gatherings that involve sharing local wine.
Other political coverage from TF1info
TF1info is the news website of the French broadcaster TF1, which also produces short video reports for social media under the TF1info Shorts label. Its politics video coverage also included a separate report on the death of Édouard Balladur, a former French prime minister who died at the age of 97.
Balladur, a member of the Rally for the Republic party, served as prime minister under President François Mitterrand during a period of political cohabitation. He later stood as a candidate in the 1995 presidential election, in which he was eliminated in the first round. TF1info published its report on his death on 31 August 2026.
