Thus began the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the Liberation… Sunday April 7, Emmanuel Macron went to the national necropolis of Glières, in Haute-Savoie. There, in this place that has become a symbol of the Resistance where nearly one hundred and fifty resistance fighters lost their lives in March 1944, during deadly battles with the German army and the Vichy militia, he took the opportunity to recall his vision for France. “Live free or die: this is our viaticum, yesterday, today and tomorrow, so that the Republic may live and France may live,” launched the president. Before shaking a few hands.
But not just any pranks. Facing Emmanuel Macron, the various standard bearers of the army reviewed wore white gloves. In military protocol, these are in fact obligatory, out of respect for the institution. Note in passing that the protocol in question absolutely does not require soldiers to remove their gloves when shaking the hand of a member of the civil authority, even if he is the President of the Republic. On the contrary, they are even advised not to waste time with this kind of superfluous striptease.
In the same way, the veteran shaking hands with the Head of State had not taken his hair off, giving us a beautiful specimen of “crepe”, or rather “pie”, to admire. This is indeed what the beret worn by French mountain troops, and in particular Alpine hunters, is nicknamed. Adopted in 1889 and manufactured according to the principles of the traditional beret of Béarnaise origin, it is distinguished by its particularly imposing size. The tart actually measures almost 30 centimeters in diameter, which allows it, it is said, to protect the wearer from head to toe…
Since we’re talking about headgear, let’s note that the young woman to the president’s left is not left out. In response to her neighbor’s tart, she wears a navy felt cap called a “postilion”. So named in reference to the hat worn by the postilions – the former drivers of the horse post office – this headgear is today the ceremonial hat of the women of the French gendarmerie.
Finally, Emmanuel Macron’s two-button suit allows us to conclude on two important points. The first is that the color black, banned in daily life, is actually acceptable during a commemorative ceremony. The second point relates to the body and bust of the president, inelegantly embedded in the fabric. In fact, tailors know it well: properly dressing a man with a chest swollen from sport is the most difficult mission, much more difficult, for example, than dressing a man with a belly swollen from beer…
