France Culture

America is like your mother—you go there for comfort. France is like your mistress—you go there for pleasure. —Jean-Paul Jannot

The Art Of Dining

De Gaulle complained that no nation with 400 types of cheese could ever be united. France’s wide variety of provincial specialties definitely speaks to its unique cultural diversity, but the country ...more

Wine: It Does A Body Good

Other countries drink to get drunk, and this is accepted by everyone; in France, drunkenness is a consequence, never an intention. —Roland Barthes Le vin (wine) is an integral component of French culture ...more

Customs And Etiquette

I like Frenchmen very much, because even when they insult you they do it so nicely. —Josephine Baker Project Runway. Style and fashion are important in France, and dressing well is never taken lightly ...more

The Arts

Ancient Beginnings. The prehistoric French proved their artistic and engineering finesse even before the “civilizing” effect of the Romans with the murals at Lascaux and menhirs (enormous upright ...more

Sports And Recreation

Our sport allows people to fight on a pitch the wars they cannot fight anymore on battlefields. —Jo Maso Along with food and fashion, le football is a seriously cherished aspect of French culture. Their ...more

Holidays And Festivals

Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs—everything is a pretext for a good dinner. —Jean Anouilh As their countless holidays attest the French love to celebrate. French ...more