Fribourg resident Marie-Antoinette is turning 100 in November, a feat she will share with just half a million people in the world.
To celebrate her centenarian status, Marie-Antoinette will be gifted 100 bottles of wine by her Swiss canton (district). Since 2000, the local government of Fribourg has been offering bottles of wine and a bouquet of flowers to centenarian residents.
Until 2015, residents were given the choice of a free armchair, Fribourg state bailiff Claude Freiburghaus told Swiss Newspaper Le Matin Dimanche. When no one seemed interested in such a gift, the canton opted for wine.
But not everyone in the canton of 311,000 residents is keen on vino. Instead, new centenarians can donate 1,500 Swiss francs ($1,646) to a charity of their choosing. Other options include receiving a voucher that can be used at local merchant shops.
“In 2020, we celebrated 27 centenarians. Five of them opted for the donation and two for the gift voucher,” Freiburghaus told the newspaper.
Other cantons around Switzerland offer similar gifts to those turning 100. In Geneva, those reaching the milestone receive three bottles of wine or a bouquet of flowers, according to Bloomberg. Elsewhere in Vaud, centenarians are given 12 bottles of locally-harvested wine and 500 Swiss francs for personal use. Other cantons, such as Neuchatel, offer flowers and a letter.
With Marie-Antoinette’s special birthday fast approaching, she can rest assured that the drinks are covered for the celebration.
