The culture of France and of the French people has been shaped by geography, by

profound historical events, and by foreign and internal forces and groups. France, and in
particular Paris, has played an important role as a centre of high culture since the 17th
century, first in Europe, and from the 19th century on, world wide. From the late 19th
century, France has also played an important role in cinema, fashion and cuisine. The
importance of French culture has waxed and waned over the centuries, depending on its
economic, political and military importance. French culture today is marked both by great
regional and socioeconomic differences and by strong unifying tendencies.
French Food
French restaurants are famous in all over the world for being elegant and expensive,
but that is only a stereotype. In reality, in France, you can eat very well without spending a
fortune.
France is the birthplace of crepes; on almost every street corner you will be able to
find a small kiosk serving crepes. There are savoury crepes (with cheese and ham) or sweet
ones (with chocolate cream, marmalade or just a bit of sugar). The smell in the air around
those shops is so good that its difficult to pass by without stopping to get a bite.
France is the country of cheese and wine. Every little village produces its own wine and
cheese and many are excellent. It will probably take a lifetime just to try all of them, but
some people could say that is a life worth living. A couple of the most famous French dishes
are, ratatui (ratatouille), a mix of garden vegetable such as zucchini, pepper, eggplants
(made famous by the latest Disney cartoon) and French onion soup, a very tasty soup made
from onion, bread and melted cheese.
A meal often consists of three courses, hors duvre or entre (introductory course,
sometimes

soup), plat principal (main

course), fromage (cheese course) or

dessert,

sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert.

French Bread
There is almost nothing more traditional in France than the sight of people lining up outside
of the local boulangerie (bread store) waiting for their fresh baguettewhich they will eat with
breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are even regulations on ingredients and method of
production of the baguette traditionelle.

French Clothing
In France there is no national dress, but there are many traditional costumes that were
inspired by the garments of people from the countryside. These are often worn during
holidays and religious celebrations. France has many regions (22), each with their own
traditional dress.
Those costumes can be very different from one region to another. Womens hats in particular
vary greatly, from small straw hats to huge starched lace veils very similar to something a
bride might wear. Womens costumes mainly consist of a long, simple white dress with a
wide, brightly coloured overdress, which may also be decorated. Over this is worn a lacy
apron and a shawl that can be worn over the shoulders or across the chest. This is all topped
off with a very complicated hairstyle.
Mens costumes are much more simple, just trousers, shirt, jacket and a hat similar to ones
worn by the local farmers on market day. The shirt is always white (made of silk or cotton
depending on the persons status) and the basic colour of the whole costume is a dark colour,
such as blue, brown or black.
The 20th century brought a lot of change and very quickly the traditional dress fell out of use,
only to be worn for special occasions such as performances, historical recreations or
traditional music and dance shows.
Nowadays, everybody dresses much more casually. French fashion and style (together with
the Italians) are famous all around the world and the names and addresses of the most
important shopping centers in Paris (such as the Primtemps or Galerie Lafayette) are listed in
all the city guides.
Still today, French fashion is signifies elegance and a high lifestyle and French brands
(maison de mode) and designers (coutourier) such as Chanel, Yves St. Lauren and Lavin still
dress royal families all across Europe.
Among these designers, one of the most famous is Coco Chanel, who, born in a small village
in the countryside in 1883 created the brand Chanel, which, still today, epitomizes elegance
and style. With her creations, she made women feel beautiful and comfortable, and she
invented one of the worlds most famous perfumes, Chanel no. 5.
Fashion is not just a hobby for wealthy people and many quality pieces of clothing can be
bought in the second hand markets (called March de pusses or Brick brack or Brocantes)
open weekly or monthly in every city.

Festivals, holidays, celebrations in France

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Beside Christmas and New Years Eve, one of the most important French holidays, especially
for Parisians is the 14th of July. On this day, the French remember the event that began the
French revolution. The event was the taking of the Bastille (14th July 1789). The Bastille was
a very big prison in downtown Paris where political prisoners (mostly people that were
opposing the king and his power) where kept. Following months of political crisis the citizens
of Paris entered the Bastille and freed the prisoners. As mentioned, this is considered the
beginning of the French revolution, a few months after this event King Louis XVI and the
Queen, Maria Antoinette were arrested and the Republic was proclaimed. During this time
the French national Song La Marseillaise (the song from Marseille) was composed and the
motto ` Libert, Fraternit and Egalit (Freedom, Brotherhood, Equality) become famous all
around the world.
Still today, people have a party in the street to commemorate the event and a big parade is
organized every year in Paris.
On the other hand, a much more Hollywood style event takes place every year in the
South of France: the Cannes Film Festival. For about a week, all the most important directors,
actors and producers meet on la Croisette (the area of the city where the festival takes place)
and present the new movies of the season. The winners get a small golden palm branch and
become the person that every TV and magazine want to interview.
French Holiday Traditions
There are many french traditions that are associated with holidays and celebrations.
Le Noel
The dominant religion in France is Catholicism, so many people attend the traditional late
evening Christmas Mass. Le Rveillon (referring to the birth of Christ) is the dinner that
follows and will usually include turkey, capon, goose, chicken, and boudin blanc (white
pudding).
Pre Nol (Santa Clause) fills shoes left in front of the fireplace instead of stockings. Pre
Fouettard might also appear if children have been naughty and will give out spankings
instead of presents.
Pques
This is the name for Easter in France, and there are several traditions associated with it. For
example, no church bells are rung from the Thursday before Good Friday until Easter
Sunday. When the bells resume, people hug and kiss each other. Instead of the Easter Bunny,
French children believe that the silent church bells become Flying Bells that depart before
Good Friday, taking with them all the grief and misery of mourners of Christ's crucifixion.
After they visit the Pope in Rome, they return on Easter Sunday, having hidden chocolate
Easter eggs for children to find.
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Poisson D'Avril
Translated as the Easter Fish this French tradition is much like April Fools Day, taking place
on April first. Children make fish out of paper and pin them to the backs of as many adults as
possible, running away while saying Poisson D'Avril.You can purchase a fish made of
chocolate which you would certainly not pin on anyone, but makes a delicious way to
celebrate this day!
Bastille Day
La Fte Nationale, celebrated on July 14 is much like the Fourth of July in the United States.
The celebration commemorates the day in 1789 when the prison at the Bastille was stormed
and pillaged by angry French citizens, the beginning of the French Revolution. Like July 4,
the day is marked with fireworks, parades and similar celebrations. The French national
anthem is often heard on this memorable holiday.
Wedding Traditions
At French weddings it is traditional for someone to behead bottles of champagne using a
specially-made saber. According to legend, the tradition originated with Napolean's
skilled Hussard horse soliders. They would ride up at a full gallop and cleanly chop the top of
champagne bottles held in the air by ladies.
French film traditions
France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant
contributions:[31] Antoine Lumire realized, on 28 December 1895, the first projection, with
the Cinematograph, in Paris.[3
Antoine Lumire realized the first projection with the Cinematograph, in Paris on 28
December 1895.[The French film industry in the late 19th century and early 20th century was
among the world's most important. Auguste and Louis Lumire invented
the cinmatographe and their L'Arrive d'un train en gare de La Ciotat in Paris in 1895 is
considered by many historians as the official birth of cinematography.
Brigitte Bardot was one of the most famous French actress in the 1960s, as well as the
actor Alain Delon.
During this period, French commercial film also made a name for itself. Immensely popular
French comedies with Louis de Funs topped the French box office. The war comedy La
Grande Vadrouille (1966), fromGrard Oury with Bourvil and Terry-Thomas, was the most
successful film in French theaters for more than 30 years.