Basque beret goes from peasant cap to 'emblem of France'

The beret has come a long way since its humble beginnings as the headgear of choice for pelota players in the Basque country, becoming a must-have accessory as far afield as China.

The jaunty topper preferred by Che Guevara and Pablo Picasso added a saucy touch to Monica Lewinsky's look in a famous photo of her getting a hug from then president Bill Clinton at a 1996 White House event.

In Oloron-Sainte-Marie, France's "Basque Beret Capital", one company, the House of Laulhere, lays claim to being the oldest producer of the flat cap, turning them out for nearly 200 years.