Emmanuel Macron is calling for the tradition of ‘presidential hunts’ to be revived despite increasing support for a ban on hunting with hounds among the public and some of his own MPs.

“I will be the president who develops hunting,” Mr Macron told a recent meeting of the French Hunters’ Federation, adding that hunts were “a great asset for biodiversity”.

He said presidential hunting parties could be a diplomatic asset as visiting leaders could be invited to experience “a part of French culture”.

Former French presidents often invited visiting heads of state, political and business leaders to presidential hunts until they were abolished in 2010 under the presidency of Nicolas Sarkozy. The prestigious events, which derived from the royal hunts introduced by King François I in the 16th century, were held in the grounds of the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley and other stately homes.