FRANCE

France – What is France?

France, officially recognized as the French Republic, is a unitary constitutional republic with a
semi-presidential form of government, most of its territory and population being located in
Western Europe, but which also includes several regions and territories spread across
everyone.
The Traditional clothes
for men and women
The French men's suit becomes something
simpler, more elegant, more feminized. The
jacket is well fitted at the waist, very flared,
closed with buttons only at the waist. A close-
fitting waistcoat was worn under the jacket, both
decorated with embroidery. The pants were
short to the knees and tight. Make-up was also
practiced on men, to mask wrinkles, and ribbons
were worn around the neck for the same
purpose.

The French costume of the women has the

costume all corseted, very tight at the waist, but
the skirt is very wide, supported by panels,
usually two overlapping skirts are worn. Inside,
more comfortable clothes were worn, without a
corset, long bell-shaped dresses, with pleats at
the back starting from the neck, the "Watteau
dress". The clothing was called "rococo" style
 Traditional Food –Steak Tartare

Steak tartare is a culinary specialty

consisting of a dish of seasoned
raw beef, often served with
condiments such as onions, capers,
mustard and egg yolks. Although
often associated with French
cuisine, the exact origin of steak
tartare is uncertain. Some stories
say that the Tartars, a nomadic
tribe in Central Asia, ate raw
ground meat. Steak tartare became
popular in France, especially in
Paris, during the 20th century.
Parisian restaurants began to offer
it on their menus, and it became an
iconic dish of French cuisine.
 Snails in parslsey butter

If there is another French specialty

to mention, it is the snails in
parsley butter also called "snails in
Burgundy". This recipe consists in
preparing snails cooked with a
cream of butter and parsley, and
serving them in their shells. They
are traditionally eaten with a small
pick. Snails were traditionally
considered a peasant dish in
France, but over time they have
become an important part of
French cuisine. The recipe for snails
à la bourguignonne is a traditional
French recipe that has been passed
down from generation to
generation. It is often prepared for
festive meals but can also be found
on the menus of many restaurants
in France.
 The Parmentier Shepred’s pie

It is one of the dishes that is

unanimously appreciated in every
home... We named the Hachis
Parmentier! It is a dish of minced
meat and mashed potatoes, often
baked au gratin. The ground meat
is often mixed with vegetables,
such as carrots, onions and
mushrooms, to add flavor. Antoine
Parmentier is credited with
inventing the minced meat that
bears his name. To convince King
Louis XVI of the benefits of the
potato, just imported from South
America, he served him several
dishes, including hash. The king
appreciated it and the vegetable
spread in France. The Hachis
Parmentier is since then a dish
appreciated for its taste and its
simplicity.
 Places to visit – The Charming Countryside of Provence
In contrast to the grey skies of Paris
and northern France, the charming
region of Provence basks in bright
Mediterranean sunshine most of
the year. This rural area feels
untouched by the modern world
and has a rugged, earthy appeal.
The rolling hills are covered with a
patchwork of small farms, olive
groves, sunflowers, and lavender
fields. Fragrant rosemary, sage, and
thyme and other wild herbs grow
here in abundance and enliven the
local cuisine. In this dreamy
landscape, Impressionist painters
found inspiration to create vibrant
works of art.
 Château de Versailles

A short train ride from Paris is the

UNESCO-listed Château de
Versailles. Built for Louis XIV (the
"Sun King"), this opulent 17th-
century palace is a testament to the
glory and absolute power of the
French monarch. The château's
splendid Baroque façade, dazzling
Hall of Mirrors, and fountain-
adorned formal gardens allow
visitors to imagine a scene of
France's bygone royal court.
Versailles immerses visitors into
the extravagance of France's
Ancient Régime, the glittering
world where Marie-Antoinette
hosted lavish balls and garden
parties.
 Prehistoric Caves in the Dordogne & the Pyrenees

The Dordogne region is one of the

best places to visit in France for
viewing prehistoric cave paintings.
Designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, the Lascaux Cave in
the Dordogne's Vallée de la Vézère
contains masterpieces of Paleolithic
art created by Cro-Magnon man.
Although the Lascaux Cave has
been closed to the public to prevent
damage, visitors may view copies
Also in the Vézère Valley, the
Grotte de Rouffignac is adorned
with paintings of horses, cows,
bison, deer, goats, and mammoths.
 Famous people - Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821)

One of the most controversial yet important historical

figures of France is Napoléon Bonaparte or Napoleon I, a
title he assumed after becoming a monarch.
He was a French military general who served in the army
during the French Revolution and led several victories. He
was also the de facto leader of the French Republic,
serving as the first consul of France from 1799 to 1804.
He later rose to become the first emperor of France from
1804 to 1814 but his anger for power even grew more
strongly.
He wanted to become the emperor of Europe and invaded
a number of countries like Austria, Spain, Russia, and
more, but when these countries joined forces, Napoleon
was defeated.
They invaded and captured Paris which led to Napoleon’s
exile for 11 months on the island of Elba in 1814, but later
escaped and returned to power in France in 1815.
That same year, another coalition was formed to fight
against him which they won and had him exiled again to
the island of Saint Helena in the Atlantic but this time, he
didn’t make it back. He died on the same island in 1821.
Today, Napoleon still remains the most controversial and
famous person in France and one who heavily shaped the
history of France.
 Gustave Eiffel (1832 – 1923)

One of the most iconic attractions that

France is synonymous with is the Eiffel
Tower and the engineer behind this
world-famous structure is none other
than Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. As a
civil engineer alumnus, Gustave
created a number of engineering
marvels including the Garabit Viaduct,
a railway arch bridge across the river
Truyère, but his contributions also
extend to the construction of New
York’s Statue of Liberty. Hence, he is
regarded as one of the most important
people from France to have
undertaken and contributed to
construction work within France and
across countries worldwide.
 Thierry Henry (1977 – Present)

The world of football has seen quite a

few famous French personalities, but
a name that stands out in recent times
is Thierry Henry. One of the most
famous French footballers and best
strikers to have played for the French
national team, Henry is also one of
the greatest players of all time. He is
synonymous with the English
football club, Arsenal, for which he
played from 1999 to 2007.
Subsequently, Henry transferred to
the Spanish club, Barcelona, after
which he played for the New York,
Red Bulls before retiring as a player
from the sport. He won the Premier
League Golden Boot 4 times, creating
a record, and was named the PFA
Players’ Player of the Year twice. He
is currently an assistant coach for the
Belgium national team.
The End