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Drawing on French diplomatic archives, this article reflects on the dynamics of the coup d’état staged in Burma (now Myanmar) by General Ne Win on March 2, 1962, as well as the perceptions and reactions of French diplomats under the presidency of De Gaulle. The study first unveils new first-hand evidence of the early developments of the military coup left by French diplomats stationed in Rangoon. It then sheds light on how the French diplomacy interpreted and examined the causes of the intervention of the Burmese armed forces. Lastly, it shows that the threat of the non-recognition of a statocracy was not part of De Gaulle’s global diplomacy. France indeed sought to establish cordial relations with the new Burmese junta soon after Ne Win had seized power.