France is an enchanting country with a deeply rooted history. Its capital, Paris, is one of the most influential cities in the world. French culture is top-notch when it comes to food, art, fashion, and ambiance. There is a reason it is the number-one visited country on the planet. These fascinating facts about France will have your students mesmerized and wanting to learn more!
37 Fascinating Facts About France
The capital of France is Paris.
Paris is the largest city in France, with 2.1 million residents.
France is the largest country in western Europe.
However, it is smaller than the state of Texas.
The euro is the currency in France.
One euro equals approximately one U.S. dollar. Until 2002, the franc was the currency in France.
French is the official language of France.
French is also the official language of 28 other countries.
“Bonjour” means hello in French.
“Au revoir” means goodbye, while “merci” means thank you.
The longest rivers in France are the Meuse, Rôhne, Rhine, and Loire.
The Rhine is the longest river in France at 766.2 miles.
France has several mountain ranges, including the Alps, Pyrenees, and Massif Central.
The Alps are the longest mountain range, while the highest mountain is Mont Blanc.
The population of France is approximately 68 million.
Its four largest cities, in order, are Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and Toulouse.
The colors of the French flag are red, white, and blue.
The French refer to the flag as “tricolore,” which is the French word for three colors.
France has more visitors than any country in the world.
Over 100 million tourists travel through France annually.
France has a hexagonal shape and shares borders with eight countries.
The bordering countries of France are Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. The longest border is shared with Spain, while the shortest is with Monaco.
The beloved children’s book Madeline takes place in Paris.
Author Ludwig Bemelmans highlighted famous landmarks and facts about France in his Caldecott Honor Book, first published in 1939. Many other books in the series take place in France, including the 1954 Caldecott Medal winner Madeline’s Rescue.
The French monarchy was overturned during the French Revolution.
After the revolution of 1789, France became a republic.
General Napoleon Bonaparte took over the French government in 1799.
He named himself emperor of France in 1804. He was later defeated in 1815.
The Tour de France is the most famous bicycle race in the world.
It takes place every July and lasts for three weeks.
France won the FIFA World Cup twice.
The 2024 Summer Olympics will be held in Paris.
Paris previously hosted the Summer Olympics in 1900 and 1924. London is the only other city to hold three Olympiads.
France hosted the Winter Olympic Games three times, in three different French cities.
It was held in Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968, and Albertville in 1992.
Bastille Day is France’s national day.
Celebrated on July 14, it commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison during the French Revolution. The French celebrate with parades, fireworks, and fun gatherings.
France has a temperate climate.
It is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Areas by the sea have a colder winter than the inland areas.
France is one of the top fashion capitals of the world.
Some of the most famous luxury designers, including Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Christian Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Hermès, hail from France.
The Champs Élysées is a very popular avenue in Paris.
It is the site of the historic Arc de Triomphe and is full of shops, cafes, and theaters.
Paris has many famous landmarks.
These include the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Palace of Versailles, and the Sacré-Coeur.
The Louvre is the most visited art museum in the world.
It is also the home of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.
Many world-famous artists are from France.
Artists from France include Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Auguste Rodin, and Henri Matisse.
You can visit the beautiful home and gardens of Claude Monet just outside of Paris.
Many of his paintings, including Water Lilies, were inspired by the picturesque views there.
French bakeries are called boulangeries, while pastry shops are called patisseries.
Chocolate croissants, macarons, and baguettes are just some of their tasty specialties.
French cuisine is world-famous and loved everywhere.
Some of the country’s most popular foods include crepes, French onion soup, bouillabaisse, salade niçoise, quiche lorraine, and ratatouille.
The French word for cheese is fromage.
There are an estimated 1,000 to 1,600 distinct French cheeses. Some of the most well-known varieties include Brie, Muenster, Roquefort, Gruyère, Camembert, and Emmentaler.
French supermarkets cannot throw away unsold food unless it has spoiled.
They donate leftover food to charities and food banks.
Cannes is a French city by the sea and has beautiful beaches.
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world and takes place there every year.
The Cote d’ Azur (French Riviera) is located in the South of France.
It is famous for its beautiful beaches along the Mediterranean Sea and includes Canne, Nice, Monaco, and St. Tropez.
The massive Palace of Versailles contains 2,300 rooms.
Its transformation from a simple hunting lodge to a grand palace began in 1661 under King Louis XIV. One of the most famous rooms is the Hall of Mirrors on the first floor.
Marie Curie of France was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
She won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911.
Some of Disney’s most popular movies take place in France.
Ratatouille, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Aristocats, and Beauty and the Beast give us a glimpse of French culture and facts about France.
France has its own version of Disney World.
Disneyland Paris has two parks: Walt Disney Studios and Disneyland.
The first Valentine’s Day celebration was in Paris.
It took place sometime in mid-February in the 1400s, coinciding with birds’ mating season.
Want to learn more about the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris? Check out these Olympics facts for kids.
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