The document provides an overview of France, covering its geography, population, and cultural stereotypes. It discusses the French language, social customs, notable figures, and essential etiquette for visitors. Additionally, it includes a quiz about various aspects of France and its regions, highlighting key places and traditions.

2. How well do you know
France ?

3. Agenda
• Presentation about France
• French Stereotypes
• French Language
• Our Regions
• 10 Things to See in France
• Quiz

4. France
• Official Name: République Française
• Capital City: Paris
• 675 000 km² (Latvia: around 65 000 km²)
• 67M inhabitants (Latvia: around 2M inhabitants)
• French motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité
• French flag:
• National anthem: La Marseillaise written by Rouget de
Lisle in 1792 but only became national anthem in 1879.

5. Most common stereotypes

6. French People don’t know other languages
• We know other languages
(English/German/Spanish)
• Old people may not know
foreign languages
• Business People speak English

7. French People speak English with horrible
accent
• Some people find actually the
french accent “charming”
Reasons
• Our education in other
languages is not that great
• Everything is translated

8. Good in Art
We have some world known artists such as:
Victor Hugo (Literature)
Monet (Painting)
Matisse (Painting)
Molière (Writer)
Baudelaire (Writer)
Albert Camus (Writer)
Jean Dujardin (Actor)
Marion Cotillard (Actress)
Charlotte Gainsbourg (Actress)
Serge Gainsbourg (Musician, Singer, Actor…)
Audrey Tautou (Actress)
Vincent Cassel (Actor)
Louis de Funès (Actor)
Vanessa Paradis (Singer, Model)
Edith Piaf (Singer)
Jean-Luc Godard (Movie director)
Luc Besson (Movie director)

9. Chauvinistic (exaggerated patriotism)
• We are proud of our Country
• Some politicians and people are maybe against USA and foreign country.
• But not everyone is too proud of France.

10. Really hairy and smelly
• Hairy: we have that stereotype
about Portuguese people
• Smelly & use a lot of perfume
• That cliché was true in the 18th
century

11. Typical French

12. French eat weird things

13. Don’t like Italians & English People
During History we have been to
war against England several times
British people are nicknamed :
Roastbeef in France
We are just pissed at Italians for
the World Cup 2006

14. French people are rude
Every country has its conception
of being polite
Holy trinity:
• Bonjour
• S’il vous plait/Merci
• Aurevoir

15. Have no sense of humour
• French people DO enjoy jokes
• Not every country has the same
sense of humour
• Jokes to avoid: Joke about
French being cowards (very
common joke in USA)

16. French are always striking
• Not everyone is striking.
Sectors that strikes a lot:
• Public Transportation
• Teacher
• Student

17. French Language

18. Do and Don’t
● Do not address anyone you don’t know using “tu” if you should use
“vous”. “Tu” is a familiar way to say “you” and “vous” is the formal way
to say “you”.
● Do not try to impress someone with your wealth.
● Do not talk about sensitive matters (Money, Politics, Religions)
● Do not start eating until the hostess says “bon appétit”.
● Avoid being loud
● Do not think Paris is France
● Do learn some basic French words.
● Do keep your hands on the table and the elbows off the table while
eating.

19. Dialogue
Français
• Bonjour!
• Bonjour ! Comment ça va ?
• Je vais bien et toi ?
• Ca va merci, comment tu t’appelles ?
• Je m’appelle Hugo et toi ?
• Moi c’est Lisa, quel âge as-tu ?
• J’ai 24 ans et toi ?
• J’ai 21 ans, d’où viens-tu ?
• Je viens de Morteau, et toi?
• Je viens de Cognac, mais j’habite en Bretagne maintenant.
• Oh cool ! Je fête mon anniversaire ce soir, tu veux venir ?
• Oui bien sûr, ça me ferait plaisir !
• A ce soir alors!
• Oui, à toute !
English
• Good morning !
• Good morning ! How are you ?
• I am fine and you ?
• Good thanks, what’s your name ?
• My name is Hugo and you ?
• I’m Lisa, how old are you ?
• I’m 24 years old and you ?
• I’m 21 years old, where are you from ?
• I’m from Morteau, and you ?
• I’m from Cognac, but I live in Bretagne now.
• Oh nice ! I’m having my birthday party tonight, do you want to come ?
• Yes sure, I would love to !
• See you tonight then !
• Yes, see you !

20. Basic French words / sentences
● Bonjour “hello” / Salut ! “hello” (informal)
● Aurevoir “Goodbye”
● A bientôt ! “See you soon”
● Merci “Thank you” / Merci beaucoup “Thank you a lot”
● De rien “You’re welcome”
● Désolé “Sorry”
● S’il vous plaît “Please (formal)”
● Je m’appelle … “My name is …”
● Où se trouve … ? “Where is …?”
● Je ne parle pas français. “I don’t speak french”
● Je ne comprends pas. “I don’t understand”

21. Tongue twister
● Les chaussettes de l’archiduchesse sont-elles sèches ? Archi sèches ?

22. Our Regions

23. Franche Comté

24. Franche Comté (Free County)
Population :1.2 Million inhabitants (Latvia : approx 2 Million)
Superficy : 16.000 km² (Latvia : 65.000 km²)
Famous people: Victor Hugo (Author), Brothers Lumière (Cinema), Louis Pasteur
(Science), Rouget de Lisle (Songwriter).
Business : Agriculture (mostly cheese and milk), wood, Micromechanics,
watchmaking, and Peugeot.
Language: French (dialect Franc-Comtois)
Motto: Comtois, rends-toi ! – Nenni, ma foi
Flag Motto: Là où flotte le drapeau comtois,
. qui que tu sois, tu es chez toi !

25. Landscapes
Lion de Belfort
Vineyard in Jura
Métabief

26. Food
Absynth
Fondue
Wine:Arbois, Macvin, Yellow Wine
Sausages
Cheese : Comté, Morbier, ...

27. Bretagne (Brittany, Breizh)
Population : 4.5 Million inhabitants (Latvia : approx 2 Million)
Superficy : 34 000 km² (Latvia : 65.000 km²)
Famous people: Chateaubriand (invented romanticism), Yoan Gourcuff (football
player), Alan Stivell (musician), Yann Tiersen (musician, composed the original
soundtrack of Amélie Poulain), Tri Yann (music band)...
Business : Agriculture (national leading supplier in poultry, bovine, milk and eggs),
shipbuilding, aircraft and car manufacturing (Citroën), mass-market retailing
(E.Leclerc)...
Language: French (dialect Breton)
Motto: Kentoc'h mervel eget bezañ saotret (Plutôt la mort que la souillure, Rather
death than dishonour)
Gwenn-ha-du Triskell

28. Landscapes
Brest
Quiberon
Côtes d’Armor
Crozon

29. Food
Seafood
Crêpes
Kouign amann
Pâté Hénaff
Prune custard flan (far breton)
Breton cakes (palets bretons)
Cider, Breizh Cola, La Mutine, Sant Erwann,
Coreff....

30. Food (beers)

31. 10 THINGS TO SEE IN FRANCE

32. Fête des Lumières à Lyon

34. Marché de Noel de Strasbourg

36. Palais Idéal du facteur Cheval

38. Futuroscope

40. Puy du Fou

42. Catacombes de Paris

44. Mont St Michel

46. Forêt de Brocéliande

48. Oradour-sur-Glane

51. Le Palais des Papes
In Avignon

54. Quizz

55. Q1. La bise: how many cheek
kiss(es) do we do to greet
each others ?
a) from 1 to 2
b) from 1 to 3
c) from 1 to 4
d) from 1 to 5

56. Q2. What is the name of the
character that serves as a
symbol for republic ?
a) Adèle
b) Marianne
c) Belle
d) Cosette

57. Q3. Which one of these Disney
characters is not french ?
a) Berlioz from the Aristocats
b) Belle from the Beauty and the Beast
c) Ariel from the Little Mermaid
d) Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame

58. Q4. On the french flag, what does
the white colour represent ?
a) Royalty
b) Purity
c) Peace
d) Wisdom

59. Q5. Which River is the
longest in France ?
a) Le Rhone
b) La Seine
c) La Loire
d) La Garonne

60. Q6. How many tourists
visited France in 2014 ?
a) 44 Millions
b) 64 Millions
c) 84 Millions
d) 104 Millions

61. Q7. France has won the most Nobel
Prizes for ___ than any other
country in the world:
a) Peace
b) Literature
c) Physics
d) Economics

62. Q8. What is the animal
emblem of France ?
a) French Bulldog
b) Beef Bourguignon
c) Gallic Rooster
d) French Frog

63. Q9. Which dish is not french ?
a) Flammekueche
b) Tartiflette
c) Kig Ha Farz
d) Moules-frites

64. Q10. Which French King
once said “I am the State” ?
a) Louis XV
b) Louis XVI
c) Louis XIV
d) Louis X

65. Q11. How many timezone
France has ?
a) 1
b) 5
c) 6
d) 12

66. Q12. Which one of these
inventions is actually French:
a) French fries
b) The telephone
c) Croissants
d) The braille system

67. Q13. How many boundaries
does the metropolitan
France has ?
a) From 3 to 4
b) From 3 to 5
c) From 3 to 6
d) From 3 to 8

68. Q14. Which monument was
created by Bartholdi and
Eiffel ?
a) The Statue of Liberty
b) The Atomium
c) The Eiffel Tower
d) The lion of Belfort

69. Q15. Which architecture style was
born in France ?
a) Postmodern architecture
b) Baroque architecture
c) Renaissance architecture
d) Gothic architecture

70. Q16.How many varieties of
French cheese do we have ?
a) 50 to 100
b) 100 to 200
c) 200 to 300
d) 300 to 400

71. Q17. On Bastille Day, why did
Parisians storm the prison in
1789 ?
a) To find the king who was hiding
b) To get gunpowder
c) To find food
d) To free prisoners

72. Q18. What does LVMH
stands for ?
a) Louis Vuitton Maserati Hublot
b) Louis Vuitton Miu Miu Hermès
c) Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy
d) Louis Vuitton Hennes Mauritz

73. Q19. Which state in the USA
was once a French Colony ?
a) New York
b) Louisiana
c) Maryland
d) California

74. Q20. Among these 4 crazy
possibilities, which one is doable
in France ?
a) Marrying an animal
b) Marrying a dead person
c) Marrying a character from video games
d) Marrying a pillow

75. Correction

76. Q1. La bise: how many cheek
kiss(es) do we do to greet
each others ?
a) from 1 to 2
b) from 1 to 3
c) from 1 to 4
d) from 1 to 5

77. Q1. La bise: how many cheek
kiss(es) do we do to greet
each others ?
a) from 1 to 2
b) from 1 to 3
c) from 1 to 4
d) from 1 to 5

79. Q2. What is the name of the
character that serves as a
symbol for republic ?
a) Adèle
b) Marianne
c) Belle
d) Cosette

80. Q2. What is the name of the
character that serves as a
symbol for republic ?
a) Adèle
b)Marianne
c) Belle
d) Cosette

81. “La liberté guidant le peuple” Delacroix

82. Q3. Which one of these Disney
characters is not french ?
a) Berlioz from the Aristocats
b) Belle from the Beauty and the Beast
c) Ariel from the Little Mermaid
d) Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame

83. Q3. Which one of these Disney
characters is not french ?
a) Berlioz from the Aristocats
b) Belle from the Beauty and the Beast
c) Ariel from the Little Mermaid
d) Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame

84. The Little Mermaid

85. Q4. On the french flag, what does
the white colour represent ?
a) Royalty
b) Purity
c) Peace
d) Wisdom

86. Q4. On the french flag, what does
the white colour represent ?
a) Royalty
b) Purity
c) Peace
d) Wisdom

88. Q5. Which River is the
longest in France ?
a) Le Rhone
b) La Seine
c) La Loire
d) La Garonne

89. Q5. Which River is the
longest in France ?
a) Le Rhone
b) La Seine
c) La Loire
d) La Garonne

91. Q6. How many tourists
visited France in 2014 ?
a) 44 Millions
b) 64 Millions
c) 84 Millions
d) 104 Millions

92. Q6. How many tourists
visited France in 2014 ?
a) 44 Millions
b) 64 Millions
c) 84 Millions
d) 104 Millions

93. Data from the World Bank

94. Q7. France has won the most Nobel
Prizes for ___ than any other
country in the world:
a) Peace
b) Literature
c) Physics
d) Economics

95. Q7. France has won the most Nobel
Prizes for ___ than any other
country in the world:
a) Peace
b)Literature
c) Physics
d) Economics

96. France: 15
USA: 10
UK: 10
Germany: 8
Sweden: 8
Sully Prudhomme, Frédéric Mistral, Romain Rolland,
Anatole France, Henri Bergson, Roger Martin du Gard, André Gide,
François Mauriac, Albert Camus, Gao Xingjian, Saint-John Perse,
Jean-Paul Sartre, Claude Simon, J.M.G Le Clézio, Patrick Modiano.

97. Q8. What is the animal
emblem of France ?
a) French Bulldog
b) Beef Bourguignon
c) Gallic Rooster
d) French Frog

98. Q8. What is the animal
emblem of France ?
a) French Bulldog
b) Beef Bourguignon
c) Gallic Rooster
d) French Frog

99. Gallic Rooster

100. Q9. Which dish is not french ?
a) Flammekueche
b) Tartiflette
c) Kig Ha Farz
d) Moules-frites

101. Q9. Which dish is not french ?
a) Flammekueche
b) Tartiflette
c) Kig Ha Farz
d)Moules-frites

103. Q10. Which French King
once said “I am the State” ?
a) Louis XV
b) Louis XVI
c) Louis XIV
d) Louis X

104. Q10. Which French King
once said “I am the State” ?
a) Louis XV
b) Louis XVI
c) Louis XIV
d) Louis X

105. Q11. How many timezone
France has ?
a) 1
b) 5
c) 6
d) 12

106. Q11. How many timezone
France has ?
a) 1
b) 5
c) 6
d)12

108. Q12. Which one of these
inventions is actually French:
a) French fries
b) The telephone
c) Croissants
d) The braille system

109. Q12. Which one of these
inventions is actually French:
a) French fries
b) The telephone
c) Croissants
d)The braille system

111. Q13. How many boundaries
does the metropolitan
France has ?
a) From 3 to 4
b) From 3 to 5
c) From 3 to 6
d) From 3 to 8

112. Q13. How many boundaries
does the metropolitan
France has ?
a) From 3 to 4
b) From 3 to 5
c) From 3 to 6
d)From 3 to 8

114. Q14. Which monument was
created by Bartholdi and
Eiffel ?
a) The Statue of Liberty
b) The Atomium
c) The Eiffel Tower
d) The lion of Belfort

115. Q14. Which monument was
created by Bartholdi and
Eiffel ?
a) The Statue of Liberty
b) The Atomium
c) The Eiffel Tower
d) The lion of Belfort

116. Bartholdi
Eiffel

117. Q15. Which architecture style was
born in France ?
a) Postmodern architecture
b) Baroque architecture
c) Renaissance architecture
d) Gothic architecture

118. Q15. Which architecture style was
born in France ?
a) Postmodern architecture
b) Baroque architecture
c) Renaissance architecture
d)Gothic architecture

120. Q16.How many varieties of
French cheese do we have ?
a) 50 to 100
b) 100 to 200
c) 200 to 300
d) 300 to 400

121. Q16.How many varieties of
French cheese do we have ?
a) 50 to 100
b) 100 to 200
c) 200 to 300
d)300 to 400

123. Q17. On Bastille Day, why did
Parisians storm the prison in
1789 ?
a) To find the king who was hiding
b) To get gunpowder
c) To find food
d) To free prisoners

124. Q17. On Bastille Day, why did
Parisians storm the prison in
1789 ?
a) To find the king who was hiding
b)To get gunpowder
c) To find food
d) To free prisoners

125. There were only 7 prisoners
in “La Bastille”

126. Q18. What does LVMH
stands for ?
a) Louis Vuitton Maserati Hublot
b) Louis Vuitton Miu Miu Hermès
c) Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy
d) Louis Vuitton Hennes Mauritz

127. Q18. What does LVMH
stands for ?
a) Louis Vuitton Maserati Hublot
b) Louis Vuitton Miu Miu Hermès
c) Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy
d) Louis Vuitton Hennes Mauritz

129. Q19. Which state in the USA
was once a French Colony ?
a) New York
b) Louisiana
c) Maryland
d) California

130. Q19. Which state in the USA
was once a French Colony ?
a) New York
b)Louisiana
c) Maryland
d) California

132. Q20. Among these 4 crazy
possibilities, which one is doable
in France ?
a) Marrying an animal
b) Marrying a dead person
c) Marrying a character from video games
d) Marrying a pillow

133. Q20. Among these 4 crazy
possibilities, which one is doable
in France ?
a) Marrying an animal
b)Marrying a dead person
c) Marrying a character from video games
d) Marrying a pillow

134. How is it possible ?
• Send a request to the French President
• You have to be able to prove that the dead person wanted to get married
• It had to be official two months before he/she died