The French presidency has quietly reverted the blue of the country’s tricolour flag back to the pre-1976 navy tone without much explanation for the change.

The change was first made a year ago but went largely unannounced, the light blue shade was adopted to match the blue of the European Union flag as decided by President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1976.

The reason for the change according to a member of staff from Mr Macron’s administration is aesthetics and political – “to revive a symbol of the French Revolution”.

“The President of the Republic (Emmanuel Macron) has chosen for the tricolour flags that adorn the Élysée Palace the navy blue that evokes the imagination of the Volunteers of Year II, the Poilus of 1914 and the Compagnons de la Libération of Free France,” the Presidency said.

“It is also the blue of the flag that has always flown under the Arc de Triomphe every (Armistice Day) 11 November,” it added.

No French institutions have been ordered to change their flags and presidency stressed that the new colour is not an anti-EU gesture.