Political animals: Paris Agricultural Fair is time-honoured ritual for presidential candidates

Affectionately known as the "biggest farm in France", the Paris International Agricultural Show, a nine-day fair spread over a vast exhibition lot on the French capital's southwestern edge, is the nation's showcase for the best the countryside has to offer, from livestock to terroir delicacies, primed for prestigious competition. But in an election year, the event's straw-strewn aisles are also home to another preening breed: that political beast known as the French presidential candidate.