The French President Francois Hollande has been honoured at a state dinner at the White House.
Some 300 guests attended the lavish ceremony where plenty of “bonhomie” was on the menu.
Earlier, Hollande and Barack Obama hailed the US-French alliance saying it “has never been stronger.”
Shared sentiments they repeated during the night as they heaped praise on each other.
“To our Friend and partner Francois Hollande, to all of our friends from France who are here today, Vive la France, God Bless America,” said Obama.
During his toast before the meal, Hollande joked about the two countries’ affection for each other.
“We love Americans, although we don’t always say so. And you love the French, but you’re sometimes too shy to say so,” he quipped.
Obama lavished some praise on a favorite French import.
“Now, it is true that we Americans have grown to love all things French – the films, the food, the wine. Especially the wine,” he said in his toast.
The guests later listened to a performance by singer Mary J Blige.
