France is a very romantic place, rich in history and fashion trends. Many people associate France only with the Eiffel Tower, Paris, and frogs leg, but there are a lot more. We offer you a selection of facts about this beautiful and most visited country in the world.
1. France is the third-largest country in Europe, after Ukraine, and Russia, but it once controlled more than 8% of the world’s land.
2. Of all the countries that celebrate Independence Day, 26 are independent of France, which is why there are more French-speaking people in Africa than in France itself.
3. In France, Napoleon was not considered short because at that time he was above the average Frenchman, according to various sources, his height was 5 feet 7 inches (169 cm). The myth about his short stature arose due to British propaganda, which aimed to mock and diminish his image.
4. Between 1814 and 1830, during the reign of the restored French monarchy, France used a plain white flag as a symbol of the king and the royal family.
5. France once had a king who reigned for only 20 minutes. In 1830, Louis XIX became king after his father abdicated, but he gave up the throne himself just minutes later — making it the shortest reign in history.
6. The lavender fields of Provence are world-famous for their stunning beauty and fragrant aroma. These vibrant purple landscapes bloom from late June to early August, drawing photographers and tourists from around the world.
Lavender fields of Provence – a stunning summer sight to behold.
8. Imagine a city with no stop signs at all — that’s Paris in 2025! Thanks to priority-to-the-right rules, traffic lights, and cleverly designed roundabouts, the French capital keeps traffic flowing smoothly without ever needing a single “STOP.”
9. France is home to over 400 officially listed cheese varieties, ranging from soft to hard, blue-veined to fresh. These cheeses are typically classified into seven main categories based on texture, aging, and production methods, reflecting the country's rich culinary heritage.
10. French people eat more bread than most other nations, and the baguette is protected by law. There’s an official law in France that baguettes must be made only with four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast.
11. The French eat around 30,000 tons of snails each year. That’s over 500 million snails — usually served with garlic, butter, and parsley.
12. Few people know why the rooster became a symbol of France. It’s because in Latin, the word Gallus means both “rooster” and “Gaul,” the ancient Celtic people who once lived in the area now known as France.
