"She's beautiful but she's small, isn't she?"

asks Valentin, 9 years old, to his sister, pointing to Neige, the muse cow of the 58th edition of the show and elite of the Abondance mountain breed, 1.42 meters at the withers for more than 650 kilograms.

“She saw the president, it seems,” replies her sister.

Certainly far from the ton displayed by certain meat breeds - Neige gives milk to make a creamy Reblochon that Prime Minister Jean Castex did not fail to taste -, the star of the show attracts visitors, who come in large numbers to find the great Parisian fair, after a blank year due to Covid-19.

Around 9 a.m., President Emmanuel Macron cut the inaugural ribbon under the gaze of Neige, after a serious exchange with unions and sectors.

Referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he warned that this war would "last" and called for the "resilience" of the agricultural world, welcoming the holding of this great popular meeting.

A Beaufort producer at the agricultural show on February 26, 2022 Ludovic MARIN AFP

"We left early this morning by bus from Calvados, just for the day," says Sylvie Marie, 48, a housekeeper, who came with her mother, sister and daughter.

"It's a real pleasure to come back. For me it's a way to get some fresh air, to see people. It's been two years since we've been out so you understand, it feels good", rejoices- her with AFP.

"We're going to see the pigs!"

screams Thomas, 8, who discovers with dismay that the Limousin black ass pig is not pink and smooth but "has hair everywhere" with black spots.

Not far away, a family gives in to the pleasure of the selfie in front of the Charolaise "Obama", a woolly colossus and famous meat breed.

A vaccine for the occasion

Student, banker, teacher: many are first there to "see the animals".

In a master's degree in rural law in Lyon, Justine Dupont, 22, came especially for the "ovinpiades": she had herself "vaccinated to be able to be there" and support her brother, who is taking part in a competition for young shepherds.

Visitors on February 26, 2022 at the Paris Agricultural Show Ludovic MARIN AFP

There are the old regulars who come back every year to their favorite stand - here the fries from the Atlantic, there the garlic cream from the Drôme - and those who discover, often amazed, the rich French palette, where barley used to feed animals, make bread and beer.

Conversely, it is a "first time" for Simon Jouanneau, 17, who is following "agricultural studies" in Loir-et-Cher.

He dreams of having his cattle farm later.

"It's an opportunity to see show animals with a high genetic level," he explains.

At the Brittany stand, those nostalgic for their region are leaning on the bar.

Employed at Google in Paris, Maxence Le Stunff, 25, brought his two best friends and his brother to the capital: "It's nice to find this simplicity again: I lived in Brittany for 25 years and there were stuff that I didn't even know. Did you know that we made cheese in Brittany? Or cider with rum? In any case, I was able to eat a sausage pancake, I'm happy."

At the agricultural show on February 26, 2022 Ludovic MARIN AFP

With his brother, Matthias, a 21-year-old fisherman, they are enjoying their first major event since the Covid.

And "when we drink an aperitif, we don't have the mask", enthuses Matthias, taking a sip of beer.

© 2022 AFP