French Banquets Spark Political Debate

So this is one of those Canal Francais banquets.

As you can see, there are hundreds,

no, thousands of people here

sitting on these long tables on benches,

eating good French local food,

good French local wine,

generally having a good time.

The ambiance, I would say,

is halfway between a rugby international and

one of those feasts at the end of the Asterix books.

Now, the organisers say they're simply answering a crying need

in the French countryside and provinces for a chance to celebrate tradition,

terroir, that means locality, local food,

and that's all there is to it.

But the problem is that these banquets have become

a political football in recent weeks

with their enemies on the political left saying

they represent only one part of France,

that's not the France of immigration,

it's the old, white France.

this is just a front for the far right, basically.

To which, I have to say,

every single question we've spoken to here

says absolutely not.

It's open to everyone.

We're here to have a good time.

And that's all there is to it.