20 Interesting and Unusual Facts Why Learners Prefer Learning French in France

Image via Wikipedia

Learning French in France is an opportunity both for learning and for travel as well. There are lots of things people could name why they choose to learn French in this beautifully romantic country. Well, for various reasons, we can name a few.

But you know what; there are honestly a hundred (or more) reasons why people choose France as their target destination to learn French. Perhaps this 20 interesting and unusual facts concerning France would make such reasons? Let’s find out by detailing it one at a time:

1. The name France means ‘Land of the Franks.’ The Franks were a Germanic tribe who lived in Northern Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.
2. The official name of France is The French Republic and its motto is ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.‘
3. Apart from France, French is the official language of the following countries -
   Benin; Burkina Faso; Central African Republic; Congo; French Caledonia; French Guiana; French Polynesia; Gabon; Guadaloupe; Guinea; Ivory Coast; Luxembourg; Mali; Martinique; Monaco; Niger; Senegal; Togo; the Canadian province of Quebec; the Swiss districts of Vaud, Neuchatel, Geneva, and Jura.
4. French is widely spoken in the following countries – Algeria, Andorra, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Lebanon, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United States (Louisiana, New England) and Vietnam.
5. French is one of the official languages in the following countries -
   Belgium, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Channel Islands (Guernsey and Jersey), Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles and Vanuatu.
6. People who speak fluent French are called ‘Francophones.’
7. An important emblem of France is the cockerel (le coq). It is used on the sportswear of French national teams. It is a courageous animal, willing to fight.
8. One of the most important dates in France is the 14 July. This is known as Bastille Day and it is a national holiday. In France it is called La Fête Nationale. It is a celebration of the storming of the prison in Paris called Bastille Saint-Antoine on 14 July 1789.
9. The guillotine was the method of execution developed during the French Revolution. It was invented with the help of surgeon, Dr. Guillotin. In Paris, it was used regularly in La Place de la Concorde.
10. The shrine of Saint-Denis is in the Basilica of Saint-Denis, Paris. In addition, almost all of the French kings and queens have their tombs there.
11. Some of the most famous and valuable works of art are exhibited in Le Musée du Louvre. The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is kept there. It is owned by the French government and is the most valuable painting in the world. It was bought by French King Francis I in 1519. In France, the Mona Lisa is called La Joconde.
12. Before eating a meal, it is polite to say Bon appétit. This means ‘I hope you have a good appetite so that you enjoy your meal.’
13. In France, they eat snails (les escargots), frogs’ legs (les cuisses de grenouille) and horsemeat (le cheval).
14. The most popular French bread is la baguette (little stick). It is a loaf 5 or 6 cm. wide and up to a metre in length. If it is a thinner version, it is called une ficelle (a string) and if it is wider it is called une flûte. Bread rolls are called petits pains (little breads). La baguette magique is ‘the magic wand’! The shape of la baguette makes it very easy to carry under your arm!
15. The French King Francis I was the grandfather of Mary Queen of Scots’ husband. He was nicknamed ‘Le Roi Grand Nez’ (King Big Nose) because he had such a large nose! He bought the famous painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and hung it and other works of art in his bathroom at Fontainebleau Palace. When taking a bath in the palace, Mary Queen of Scots was known to particularly admire the painting!
16. The Statue of Liberty (La Statue de la Liberté) was a gift from France to America in 1886. The internal part of the statue was designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel – the designer of the Eiffel Tower! Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was the sculptor.
17. French cuisine and cooking is considered to be the best in the world. Dishes such as quiche, soufflés, mousse, pâté, croissants, crêpes, and French bread are prepared with much perfection and one bite of the yum food will have you asking for more.
18. Nearly 20% of the territory of France lies outside Europe and known as “DOM-TOM” (overseas departments and territories), where over 2.5 million French citizens live.
19. French people have the highest female and third highest male life expectancy in the European Union.
20. There are some 40,000 châteaux (castles, manors, palaces…) in France