In Beaune, Macron and Merkel say goodbye

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron arrive to address a joint press conference in Berlin on June 18, 2021. AFP - JOHN MACDOUGALL

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Angela Merkel meets this Tuesday Emmanuel Macron in Beaune, Burgundy, for the farewell of the Chancellor who is preparing, after 16 years, to leave power.

The head of the German government has cooperated with four French presidents since 2005.

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In 16 years in power, Angela Merkel will have known four French presidents.

Paris is delighted that she chooses France to end her farewell tour.

On the occasion of this last visit to France as German Chancellor, 

 will present the insignia of Grand'Croix of the Legion of Honor to

For the occasion, the Élysée has prepared a tailor-made program for Angela Merkel, music lover and wine lover.

A piano concert and a visit to the famous Hospices de Beaune are therefore on the program.

It is also here that François Mitterrand hosted Chancellor Helmut Kohl in 1993 for a Franco-German summit.

The Macron and Merkel couples will then go to dinner at Clos de Vougeot, a UNESCO heritage site, where bottles of Pinot Noir sell for between 200 and 1,000 euros.

They will be able to taste the specialty of the place: eggs meurette.

This day "

" , underlines the Élysée Palace.

It is also about honoring the exceptional longevity of the Chancellor who has ruled Germany for 16 years.

"

In every beginning, there is magic

"

In four years, Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel have forged a real relationship. After some cold snaps, the two leaders got closer, making it a habit to share a drink late at night during European councils. According to the

Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel also shared a bottle of red wine until 4 a.m. in Brussels last week.

"

".

When she received the new French president in Berlin for the first time in May 2017, the very sober Angela Merkel quotes the German writer Hermann Hesse.

At the time,

trembled when she saw Marine Le Pen in the second round of the presidential election but is reassured to welcome a pro-European head of state who also promises reforms, reports

our correspondent in Berlin,

Just as with the American Obama at the start, the very pragmatic Angela Merkel struggles with the impetuous temperament of the new French president.

Emmanuel Macron's speech on Europe two days after the German legislative elections in September 2017 remains unanswered.

Gradually, the initial magic evoked by Angela Merkel fades.

And a year later, Emmanuel Macron, disappointed, evokes a Franco-German relationship marked by the expectation of answers.

Angela Merkel is not a visionary, she is weakened in her country.

"A generous gift to the French"

Over time, the duo changes gear.

The new Treaty of Aachen was adopted in early 2019 and a joint parliamentary assembly was created.

It is above all the abandonment by Germany of a dogma which marks a new stage with the Franco-German initiative leading to the European recovery plan last year.

For the first time, Berlin accepts joint debts.

The impossible becomes reality and does not cause major turmoil in Germany.

"

," the conservative daily

commented on Wednesday

.

The magic evoked by Angela Merkel in 2017 will have finally worked out late.

His relationship with Emmanuel Macron during the last four years has, as often in the Franco-German couple, required time to become more fruitful.

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• Germany

• France

• Angela Merkel

• Emmanuel Macron