Study in France: Language & Culture

It is impossible to think of only one thing when referring to French civilization and culture. Where to start from? The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Versailles, the Notre-Dame, Disneyland, Moulin Rouge, the delicious and top quality gourmet food or the fine wine? France is a country made of pure elegance, diversity and rich history. 

Did you know that the first traces of human life in France were found 1,8 million years ago? Since the end of the 19th century, France has played a crucial role in cinema, fashion, cuisine, literature, technology, social sciences, humanities and mathematics. France is a hub of innovation and has significant political, economic and military power. From the French Revolution in 1792 until today, the French civilization has influenced many others and created a unique identity similar to no other. 

France is shaped by its national motto and is associated simply by these three words: Liberté, égalité, fraternité (liberty, equality, fraternity).

A great way to learn more about French civilization, art and culture is to visit the most visited museum in the world, the Louvre, which welcomes 10.2 million visitors every year. In addition to that, France is the lead tourist destination in the world, with more than 89 million visitors annually.

Take a moment to think about which famous French brands you are aware of. It can’t be just one! France is associated with luxury goods and is the home country to brands like Moet & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, The Ritz, L’Oréal, Lancôme, Chanel, Christian Dior, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and many others. 

French Food Culture 

The French food culture is the epitome of culinary heaven for people who know how to appreciate good food. Being one of the most famous cuisines around the world, it consists of excellent quality ingredients and each region in the country has its own unique specialties. Normandy, for instance, produces dishes featuring seafood, cheese and dairy products. Burgundy on the other hand is the region of the classic Boeuf Bourguignon. The beautiful south of France’s Provence offers olive oil and olives, fresh vegetables and herbs. 

Imagine living and studying in France, where you will have the opportunity to taste fresh baguettes, quiche, croissants, éclair, brioche, profiterole, mille feuille, and macarons every day. And don’t forget the cheese! French people are proud of their cheese production like Comté, Brie, Camembert and Roquefort.

Not only the French cuisine, but also the French winery characterizes the contemporary food culture. The history of winery in France began from the Middle Ages and the most widely known wine regions include Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Famous French grapes include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Along with Italy, France is the top wine producer in the world and French people consume more than 11 billion glasses of wine per year. 

French Language Facts

The official language of France is the French language, spoken by approximately 300 million people worldwide. Did you know that 30% of modern English words come from French? Or that French was the official language of England for around 300 years? 

French is also an official language in Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Congo, Mali, Senegal and many others. An interesting French language fact is that the language has an incredibly high number of homophones. Homophones are words sharing the same pronunciation but with different spellings and meanings. This makes it easier to create tongue twisters and makes French a bit tricky to understand sometimes!

French is a very important language to master, since many international institutions have French as one of their official languages, including the United Nations, the European Union, the International Olympic Committee, the Red Cross, and Médecins sans Frontières.