France, also known as the French Republic, is one of the few transcontinental countries in the world.France, over its history, has served as a powerful kingdom to various rulers who went down in history as some of the greatest. The country is home to various world heritage sites that attract tourists from all around the globe.France is one of the most historically rich countries in the world and is known for its exquisite cuisine and some of the finest arts that the world has seen. France has seen massive progress over the years and has become an important part of the world with its economic and cultural impact. France is home to some of the modern ideas that paved the way for educational and technological advancements that the world has seen. The French Revolution and the Renaissance are two of the most impactful events in modern society and significant to French culture.If you like this article about Facts about France, be sure to check out articles about Belize facts and Austria facts too!Fun Facts About FranceThe largest art museum in the world is located in France! The Louvre Museum in Paris has the most extensive art collection in the museum. French artists have created around 66% of the art displayed in the Louvre museum. The world-famous Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo are displayed in the Louvre! The museum is a massive tourist attraction and is one of the busiest places in France.With a total area of 213010.6 sq. mi (551,695 sq. km), France is the largest country out of all European Union countries. The country is also known as ’l’hexagone’ because of its six-sided frame.Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, is located in the French Alps. The mountain is the highest in western Europe and the Alps and stands at 15,771 ft (4,807 m).One rather bizarre fact about France comes from its King with the shortest reign! King Louise XIX was the King for about 20 minutes before he was removed in favor of Duke of Bordeaux, his nephew.France is home to some of the most historically important inventions! The hot air balloon was invited by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783. In 1809, Nicolas Appert came up with the idea of preserving food by placing it in boiling war in a sealed glass jar. Later on, the tin can was invented by Pierre Durand. Louise Braille developed Braille after he was left blinded as a child. René Laennec invented the stethoscope in 1816 in Paris. Alexandre-Ferdinand Godefroy patented the world’s first hairdryer in the year 1888.France became the first country in the world to impose a ban on throwing away food by supermarkets. Fines are imposed on those who break the law. Any surplus groceries are donated to charities and food banks.French law prohibits the transportation of any animal under 11 lb (5 kg). You must buy a ticket for your small pet to carry them on a train.Because of the large number of territories that France still has to this day around the world, the country has 12 official time zones! French colonies like French Guiana, Polynesia, Martinique have their own time zones, much like all the others.France is the only country in Europe that still keeps carrier pigeons! They are kept near Paris and are prepared as a method of communication in the case of any major disaster.Historical Facts About FranceFrance is a historically rich country and has served as home to some of the most important events in the world. The French Revolution and the French Renaissance are two of these significant historical events known globally.France invented the concept of the decimal system! Gabriel Mouton, a clergyman at the St. Paul’s Church, introduced the decimal system, which later became one of the most important inventions in modern history and was often used in the late 1600s.Paris, also known as Lutetia during Roman times, became the country’s capital city in 847 CE (Common Era). Before becoming the capital city, Paris was a small city with no significance. The Roman presence in France lasted in the country for many centuries before the French Revolution in 1789.The Eiffel Tower is named after Gustave Eiffel, who engineered the tower.During World War I, the French army came up with the concept of camouflage! Artists painted guns and vehicles to help them blend with their surroundings. Eventually, other countries also started to adopt the method.The famous Tour de France cycle race began on the 1st of July, 1903. A total of 60 participants took part in the inaugural Tour de France.The French Lumière brothers held the world’s first public movie screening. Louis Jean and Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas were famous for their Cinématographe motion picture system. They screened their debut movie La sortie des ouvriers de l’usine Lumière (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory), a five-second clip on a large screen.In a speech by Maximilien Robespierre, Liberte, Egalite, Franernite (Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity), France’s national motto was first used in 1790. However, the motto is known to have its roots in the French Revolution and was not popularized until the late 19th century.France holds the record for the most Nobel Prizes in Literature. The country has 15 awards, and some of the holders are world-renowned authors like Voltaire, Zola, and Hugo.The cities of Béziers and Marseille are two of the oldest cities in France. Both cities were established in the 6th century BC and date back to the ancient Greek civilization.There are around six deserted towns in France. These towns have no residents, but they have a mayor who takes care of the maintenance. The villages were supposedly destroyed during World War II.During World War II, French Muslims saved the French Jews. Identifications were shared with the Jews that made them appear Islamic. The event is portrayed in the French film Les Hommes Libres (Free Men).After the Renaissance, chateaus were seen as a work and leisure place instead of the usual stronghold. Because of this, there are around 40,000 abandoned chateaus in France.France was the first European country to introduce the first public transport. The horse-drawn carriages were introduced to the streets in the 1660s.Facts About France’s CultureIn French culture, Paris is known as the City of Light. The name comes from France being one of the first European cities to use gas for lights in monuments, street lights, and boulevards.The French flag is known as the ’le tricolore’ because of its three colors. Blue, white, and red are used in the French flag and hold significance in French history. White represents the monarchy, and red and blue represent Paris.Some French food is not really French! Foods like French fries and French toast actually originated from different sources. French fries were introduced to American soldiers in World War I by a Belgian soldier who also knew French. French toast was originally from the Roman Empire.France is one of the largest consumers of wine! The country ranks second on the global consumption scale, and an estimated 25 million hectoliters worth of wine is consumed per year. French wine is also one of the most expensive wines in the world, and one bottle of this fine wine fetches around $21,000! Some of the most famous French wines are Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy.Because of the fame of requisite French food, French gastronomy was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2010.Based on laws passed by the French government in 1994, at least 35% of the music playing on the French radios has to be French music. This was done to prevent a change in cultural taste in music caused by the large entertainment market in the west.Due to France’s proximity to Italy, a relatively large portion of the population is also fluent in Italy.French people objected to building the Eiffel tower! French people saw the creation as something hideous and ugly and even led protests that asked for halting the construction of the Eiffel tower.France’s national symbol since the French Revolution is the Gallic rooster! The rooster can be seen on coins and stamps. The French Republic uses the rooster on its official seal.In France, there is a superstition surrounding placing a baguette upside down. People in France believe that doing so leaves you vulnerable to misfortune or even death.The French government rewards parents of children who achieve great success in society! Parents who raise their children with the utmost care and responsibility, turning them into good contributing citizens, are awarded a medal. The Medal of the French Family, as it is called, is awarded to extraordinary parents.Because of the large number of French colonies, the country has a large population of African and Arab descent. At least five million people living in France are immigrants.France celebrates its new year in September! La rentrée, as it is called, followed with kids starting schools, tax bills are sent to businesses, and celebrations and vacations are common during this period.France consumes more than 33069.3 US T (29,999,964.32 kg) of snails in a year! Snails or escargot are a significant part of French cuisine, and it is often served with garlic, parsley, and butter.There are around 41 UNESCO Heritage in France. These sites are of historical significance and were created using some of the most amazing architectural methods the world has ever seen!Facts About France’s EconomyFrance is one of the most economically powerful nations in the world and has a booming economy that is made up of various businesses.The tourism industry in France contributes to a large part of the economy. France is the most visited country in the world, and the cities and towns are always bustling with tourists from around the world. It is estimated that France has 89 million visitors every year! Aside from France being the most visited country, Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world!The government of France has purchased various coastal properties to save the French coastline. The area is vulnerable to urbanization and pollution.France is one of the largest producers of cheese in the world! France produces around 1.7 million tons (1,542,214,058 kg) of cheese divided into 1,600 varieties! French cheese has a distinct taste to it and is famous in various other countries worldwide. An estimated 95% or more of the French population consumed cheese.While the exact number of cheeses produced in France is unknown, it is said that they make over 1,500 different cheeses! If you happen to love cheese, this may sound like a dream come true. The most famous French cheeses are Munster, Reblochon, and Camembert de Normandie.The Gare du Nord is known as Europe’s busiest railway station! Approximately 214 million passengers make their way through the station.The French Riviera, located on the Mediterranean Coast, is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world.The French perfume industry is globally renowned! French perfume has a significant demand worldwide, and an estimated 30% of the perfume producers are based in France! Christian Dior and Chanel are some of the biggest names in the perfume industry of France.Based on research done by Global Cities Investment Monitor in 2016, Paris is the second most attractive destination for companies to expand in the world. France ranks after London and is a top location for business activities. Headquarters of multinational companies can be found in Paris.Did You Know?The oldest human to ever live was Jeanne Louise Calment. She was born in France on the 21st of February and died on the 4th of August 1997. She lived to be 122 years and 164 days! She had seen the creation of the Eiffel Tower, two world wars, and all the technological developments that occurred when she was alive.For around 300 years, England’s official language was French! Anglo-Norman French was introduced to England after William, the conqueror, led his Norman conquest and invaded England in 1066. However, in 1362, the Pleading Act was passed in English, after which English became the government’s official language.French former President Charles de Gaulle holds the record for surviving the most assassination attempts! He survived 32 assassination attempts!The croissant was actually invented in Austria! The Kipferl, an ancestor of the croissant, was created in 13th century Vienna.Originally France was known as Gaul, but the name was changed to ‘Frank’ when the Germanic barbarian tribes took over the region. The world frank translates to ‘free’; the name stuck and eventually evolved into France.France could have served as the headquarters of the catholic church. Pope Clement shifted the headquarters of the catholic church to Avignon, a French region, from Rome. The headquarter was later returned to Rome in 1377.French is the recognized language of Switzerland, Luxembourg, Congo, and Canada. French, after English, is the second most taught language in the world. The language is the mother tongue of over 75 million people worldwide!The French Franc was used as the official currency of the country. It was introduced in 1360 by King John II. Today, France uses the Euro.Kilts, made famous by Scotland, are similar to the garments worn by the early population of France! The fabric was worn below the knee and stretched to the ground.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 201 fascinating facts about France that will make you want to go there, then why not take a look at Thailand facts or facts about Spain?
France, also known as the French Republic, is one of the few transcontinental countries in the world.
