France bid farewell to two beloved giant pandas on Tuesday, as they set off on the long journey back to China.

Huan Huan and her partner Yuan Zi, both 17 years-old, have lived at Beauval Zoo in central France since 2012.

The two pandas were due to stay in France until January 2027 but will instead return to the Chengdu panda sanctuary earlier than planned after Huan Huan was diagnosed with a minor kidney problem.

The director of the Beauval zoo said her health condition was not serious at the moment.

While in France, the panda couple produced three cubs: a male, Yuan Meng, born in 2017 who left two years ago for China, and twin females Yuandudu and Huanlili in 2021, who will remain at Beauval zoo.

The pandas, a national mascot, were initially on a 10-year loan from China to strengthen ties with France, in what is known as "panda diplomacy."

They remain the property of the Chinese state.