Paris is a center of fashion, cuisine, art and architecture, but life outside of the City of Lights is very different and varies by region.
The word "culture" in France is actually French. "'Culture' derives from the same French term, which in turn derives from the Latin 'colere,' meaning to tend to the earth and grow, cultivate and nurture," said an anthropologist at a college in London.
Celtic and Gallo-Roman cultures influenced French culture. France was initially defined as the western area of Germany known as Rhineland but it later came to refer to a territory that was known as Gaul during the Iron Age and Ancient Roman era.
It was the home of some of the most powerful royal families of the medieval and early modern period and the center of the Enlightenment with the French Revolution. The rise of Napoleon saw French influence spread through Europe and beyond, becoming one of the major world powers through the 19th and 20th centuries, at the heart of the First and Second World Wars.
The population of France.
The population of France is 67.81 million as of January 1, 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. According to Statista, 87.8% of the population are believed to be French-born, with a further 4.8% acquiring French citizenship after birth. The most common nationalities of foreign-born residents in France in 2020 are Algeria, Morocco, Portuguese, Tunisia, Italian, Turkish and Spanish.
The INED estimates that 48.35 percent of the population of France is male and 51.65 percent is female. Almost a quarter of the population is under the age of 20 and a little over 20 percent is over the age of 65.
Statista says that 80.69 percent of the French population lives in cities by 2020. In 1960, 61.88 percent of the population lived in cities.
French is a language.
The first language of 88 percent of the population is French. It is the main language of France, but there are variations based on region.
According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, French is the second most widely learned foreign language in the world, with almost 2 million students learning it as a second language across 50 countries. According to Statista, French is the seventh most spoken language in the world with over 260 million native speakers.
There is a small group of Flemish speakers in the northeast, and 3 percent of the population speaks German dialects. Arabic is the third largest minority language.
People living near the border of Italy can speak Italian as a second language, while people living along the French-Spanish border can speak Basque as a second language.
Other dialects and languages include the Celtic language, Occitan dialects, and languages from the former French colonies.
Religion in France.
The religion of France is Catholicism. 64 percent of the population in France identified themselves as Roman Catholic, according to a survey by the French Institute of Public Opinion. Islam, Buddhism and Judaism are some of the religions in France. France has a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition, according to the CIA.
French values.
The French are offended by any negative comments about their country and take immense pride in their nation and government. Americans think that their attitude toward foreigners is rude.
"From around the 16th century, in Europe, culture became a term for the cultivation of the mind, the intellect, knowledge, learning, creative faculties and acceptable ways of behaving." The French take pride in the fact that their public spaces strike a regal tone.
The French believe in equality and are part of the country's motto. The other two words in the motto are liberty and Fraternity, but many say they place a higher importance on equality.
According to a study by France's National Research Agency on AIDS, the French have an open attitude toward sex outside of marriage. The country's top politicians have been known to carry out extramarital affairs. Children are born to unmarried couples as a reflection of the country's secular nature.
French couples can choose to get a pacte civil de solidarité. This union has many of the same benefits of marriage, like tax breaks, but can be dissolved with a notice or by marrying someone else. According to "The Economist," two-thirds of French couples are in a PACS.
The French have some of the most famous and popular food in the world. The image is courtesy of Massimo Borchi/Atlantide Phototravel.
French food.
Food and wine are central to life at all levels, and much socializing is done around lengthy dinners in French households.
French cooking is still associated with heavy sauces and complicated preparation, even though cooking styles have changed to emphasize lighter fare. Bouf bourguignon is a stew made of beef and red wine, and coq Au vin is a dish made with chicken and Burgundy wine.
French food is associated with haute cuisine, but its family meal tradition is equally important. The family meal is a representation of authentic French cuisine and should be viewed as a representation of the people. In her book "Savoir-Faire: A History of Food in France", Maryann Tebben, professor of Language and Literature at Bard College, wrote that "cuisine de grandmre" is the crown of French food.
French fries may not be French. "National Geographic" says they may be from Spain or Belgium. Thomas Jefferson discovered fried potatoes French fries while serving as American Minister in France from 1784 to 1789. The idea was brought to the States by him.
French fashion.
Paris is home to many high-end fashion houses. Many French people dress in a fashionable style, but it is not overly strict. The typical outfits include nice dresses, suits, long coats, scarves and berets.
Haute couture is a term associated with French fashion and refers to garments that are handmade or made to order. Eva Domjian, a London-based fashion writer and editor, wrote on "Dressful" that the term is protected by law in France and is defined by the Paris Chamber of Commerce. She writes on her website.
To earn the right to call itself a couture house and to use the term haute couture in its advertising and any other way, a fashion house must follow these rules.
French art.
Gothic, Romanesque and Neoclassic influences can be seen in many churches and other public buildings in France.
Claude Monet, Degas, and Pissarro were some of the most renowned artists who sought inspiration in Paris. The Art Nouveau movement followed. According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Nouveau style emerged in painting and the graphic arts as well as in architecture and the design of everyday objects.
The Louvre Museum in Paris is home to many famous works of art, including theMona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and more are examples of architecture in Paris.
There are holidays and celebrations.
Christmas and Easter are Christian holidays in France. May Day is also known as Labor Day. May 8 is Victory in Europe Day and commemorates the end of World War II. Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14. The Bastille fortress in Paris was attacked by revolutionaries on this day in 1789.
Additional reporting by a Live Science contributor.
There are additional resources and reading.
The period that immediately followed the French Revolution is called the Reign of Terror.
Did Marie Antoinette really say 'let them eat cake'? We can give you an answer.
There is a bibliography.
The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
Statista says the share of the population in France in 2020 will be by nationality.
How many immigrants live in France? The National d'tudes.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development has a section on teaching and learning French.
Statista says the most spoken languages will be in 2021.
The French Institute of Public Opinion wrote "Le Catholicisme En France En 2010."
France is in the World Fact Book.
"We're French" is a song by Bruce Crumley.
"Carriage and horse" is a song by The Economist.
Maryann Tebben wrote "Savoir-Faire: A History of Food in France".
Rebecca Rupp wrote "Are French Fries Truly French?"
Eva Domjian wrote "What is the true definition of haute couture?"
"Timeline of art history: France, 1800–1900 A.D." The museum has art.
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