Giant banquets rile radical left in France
Giant banquets rile radical left in France
Giant banquets rile radical left in France - France’s rural heartland has seen a surge in large-scale communal feasts, drawing crowds of over 3,500 people to a single event in the Alsace town of Colmar. These gatherings, known as banquets géants, feature traditional Alsatian dishes, endless wine, and spirited singing, creating a lively atmosphere that has sparked debate beyond the dining tables. Organized by Le Canon Français, a company founded during the pandemic, the banquets aim to revive a historic French tradition of shared meals.
The events take place in a sprawling hangar-like space, where attendees are seated at long tables flanked by 50 guests each. Many participants don berets and braces, while others don traditional Alsace attire. Before the feast, a brief reminder of the "charter" outlines expectations for respectful behavior, but the focus quickly shifts to the food and entertainment. Servers present platters of choucroute, local cheeses, and kougelhopf, with music from the 20th century setting the mood.
A cultural revival or political pawn?
While the banquets are celebrated as a return to community, the radical left party La France Insoumise (LFI) has criticized them as a tool for the far right. The party claims evidence of racist chanting and discriminatory remarks toward immigrant staff, particularly highlighting the inclusion of pork on the menu. They argue the events are designed to exclude Muslims and vegetarians, and point to the financial backing of Pierre-Edouard Stérin, a billionaire known for his conservative policies, as proof of a hidden agenda.
"If they were in good faith, Le Canon Français would never have accepted Stérin as an investor. But they did— they took his money," says Emma Fourreau, an LFI member of the European Parliament.
Stérin, who built his fortune in the gift voucher industry, funds a think tank promoting right-wing ideas like restricting immigration, opposing abortion, and preserving France’s Christian heritage. LFI accuses the organizers of aligning with this political ecosystem to advance the far right’s goals.
At the Colmar banquet, such claims are met with laughter and dismissiveness. Attendees, mostly in their 20s and 30s, emphasize the joy of togetherness. "We come for four things: atmosphere, friends, alcohol and food," says one young man, echoing the sentiment of the crowd. Politics is not the focus, though some suggest the controversy has amplified attention on the event.
"None of this was an issue, but then Stérin became a shareholder and that gave the LFI an excuse to attack. Don’t forget there are elections next year," says Quentin from Besançon.
The majority of attendees are white, yet none of the BBC’s observers noted offensive language or behavior. For the founders of Le Canon Français—Pierre-Alexandre de Boisse and Géraud de la Tour—the banquets are a tribute to France’s past. They trace the events to a medieval tradition of mass dining, with similar gatherings emerging after the French Revolution and in village festivals until recently.
"Nowadays people waste so much of their time alone, in their homes, on social media. They’ve lost the habit of being together and talking," says de Boisse. "What gives us the most pleasure is when we see the lawyer sitting next to the baker, chatting away."
Despite the political accusations, the founders insist the banquets are neutral. "Of course we cannot police the minds of all the people who..." de Boisse trails off, leaving the implication that the event’s culture is open to interpretation.