French RepublicRépublique française

Geographic position

▪ The largest country in Western Europe and the third-largest in Europe

▪ Clymathe zone: northern temperate zone

▪ Division: 27 administrative regions

▪ Capital: Paris

▪ Population: 65,350,000

▪ Language: French

Important history facts

▪ 260: Foundation of the Gallic Empire

▪ 1415-1429 Hundred Years' War with England

▪ 1789 14 July: The French Revolution began with the storming of the Bastille.

▪ 1804: Napoleon becomes the emperror.

▪ 1815 18 June: Battle of Waterloo

▪ 1992 7 February: Maastricht Treaty is signed creating what is known as the European Union.

▪ 1998 31 December: Introduction of the euro.

Stereotypes

The French people:

▪ are rude

▪ hate Americans

▪ wear berets

▪ smoke cigarettes

▪ are bad drivers

▪ are cowardly

▪ are food snobs

National Character

▪ Equality between the people is very important

▪ The French speak a lot

▪ Intellect, sensuality and humor are valued

▪ Family is important

▪ The French are fashion conscious

Social Behaviour

▪ Flirting can be a powerful tool. Considered as one of the most important skills a French woman can learn.

▪ Being independent is the norm; dinner bills at restaurants are split halfway.

▪ Good posture is essential.

▪ People tend to stand close when talking to each other.

French cuisine

▪ Drinks: Wines, champagne, coffee and cognac

▪ Food: Onions, garlic, croissants, baguettes, patisserie, French onion soup, champignons, snails, frog legs, cheeses.

Traditions and Customs

▪ Beheading Bottles of Champagne - a tradition that is popular at wedding.

▪ August month is a vacation for many people.

▪ On Christmas Eve, French perform a puppet show for children.

▪ Sports are important – rugby, soccer, parkour, cycling (Tour de France) etc.

Holidays

▪ New Year's Day, 1 January

▪ Easter

▪ May Day/Labour Day, 1 May

▪ Victory in Europe Day, 8 May

▪ Bastille Day, July 14

▪ All Saints' Day, 1 November

▪ Remembrance Day, 11 November

▪ Christmas Day, 25 December

Most famous people

▪ Edith Piaf – singer

▪ Serge Gainsbourg – singer

▪ Bridget Bardot – actress

▪ Gerard Depardieu – actor

▪ Claude Monet – artist

▪ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – writer

▪ Alexandre Dumas – writer

▪ Marie and Pierre Curie - chemists

▪ Joan of Arc

Contribution to world

▪ Universal Declaration of Human Rights

▪ Perfumes andcosmetics

▪ French fashion

▪ Invention of the cinema

▪ First modern Olympic Games

▪ The metric system

▪ The first digital calculator

▪ French Fries – NOT from France!

Culture

▪ Literature (Hugo, Dumas, Verne, Balzac, Flaubert, Zola, Proust...)

▪ Painting (Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin, Monet...)

▪ Classical music (Bizet, Debussy, Rameau, Saint-Saens...)

▪ Modern music (Aznavour, Piaf, Vartan, Hallyday, Gainsbourg, Goldman...)

▪ Fashion (Chanel, Dior, Vuitton, Hermes, Cartier...)

Ettiquette

▪ The handshake is a common form of greeting.

▪ Friends may greet each other by lightly kissing on the cheeks, once on the left cheek and once on the right cheek.

▪ First names are reserved for family and close friends.

▪ French business emphasizes courtesy and a fair degree of formality.

▪ Lateness is considered to be rude.

Words with no equivalents

▪ Dépaysement: The sensation of being in another country.

▪ La douleur exquise: The heart-wrenching pain of wanting someone you can't have.

▪ Retrouvailles: The happiness of meeting again after a long time.

▪ Sortable: An adjective for someone you can take anywhere without being embarrassed.

Thank you for attention! Merci!