Are you curious to learn some weird and wonderful facts about France?
If so, excellent! You are in exactly the right place my friend…
It’s time to chat about France facts.
Let’s dive right in…
Facts About France
1 – France is the largest country in Western Europe and the world’s fifth largest country.
2 – The French language is spoken by about 190 million people worldwide, primarily in France and parts of Africa, Canada, Haiti, Algeria, and Morocco.
3. Paris has been the capital of France since 1871.
4 – The Eiffel Tower was built for the Universal Exposition of 1889 to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution.
5 – Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte) was born on August 15th 1769.
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6 – Napoleon conquered most of continental Europe before his eventual defeat at Waterloo.
7 – France is the most visited country in the world. Paris is one of Europe’s most visited cities with over 25 million tourists each year.
8 – The Louvre Museum houses some 30,000 pieces of art and artifacts from prehistory to the 19th century that are divided into eight departments with different themes such as paintings or sculptures.
9 – French people don’t have surnames – they get their last name from their father’s first name.
10 – There are over 200 castles in France, built during the Middle Ages to protect against invasions from other countries.
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11 – The Eiffel Tower was originally built to commemorate Napoleon’s victory at Austerlitz and has been a national monument since 1889.
12 – French fries were invented in Belgium but became popularized by the French. French fries were originally called “pommes frites” but Americans renamed them to suit their own tastes.
13 – In 1802 Napoleon Bonaparte became emperor and ruled for 10 years before being defeated by an alliance led by Great Britain and Russia.
14 – The French Revolution of 1789 overthrew King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette and established a republic.
15 – One of the most famous paintings from this time period was “Liberty Leading The People” made by Eugène Delacroix which shows people marching with flags during a Revolutionary War parade on July 14th, 1830.
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16 – The French president has an official residence in Paris called Élysée Palace.
17 – In 1980, France hosted the Olympics for the second time and won more medals than any other country at that year’s games.
18 – The name of Paris comes from an ancient Celtic tribe called Paridisii who inhabited the region before Roman times.
France is home to over 50% of all European vineyards.
19 – There are around 2,000 varieties of cheese made in France and it is a popular food for eating on picnics.
20 – The Eiffel Tower was built as part of an international exposition that took place from April 30 to October 31, 1889.
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21 – In 1871, there was a revolt against the government by French soldiers who were angry at their low wages and poor living conditions which led to the establishment of the Third Republic.
22 – Monet painted some of his best-known works while living in France at Giverny – he even had a garden there to paint outdoors!
23 – French people eat more chocolate than any other nationality.
24 – The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet tall and weighs 7,300 tons.
25 – There are more than 270 museums in Paris alone.
Bonus Facts
French people eat an average of 50 pounds of cheese per year.
You can find baguettes on every corner – they’re a staple food for any meal.
In France, you should always say “bonjour” when entering someone’s home or office and “au revoir” when leaving to show respect.
In 1806, Napoleon created the Legion of Honor which is an award for people who have been awarded for their military service or civilian contribution to France.
Each year on November 11th there is a national holiday called Armistice Day where they celebrate peace after World War I ended in 1918.
The French word for “cheese” is “fromage.”
There are about 67 million people living in France.
One out of every five French people lives in Paris or its suburbs.
The first French king was Hugh Capet.
There are more than 100 museums in Paris alone.
France was a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
