10 fun facts about France
France is a country in western Europe, it has medieval cities, alpine villages and Mediterranean beaches. Famed for its unique history, incredible food, and captivating language, France has a lot to discover, so let’s get started!
1. The Eiffel Tower was only meant to be temporary
The world-famous Eiffel Tower, originally constructed in 1889 and standing 330m tall, was only originally intended to be a temporary structure. It was created to be the centrepiece of the 1889 Exposition Universelle, a world’s fair held in Paris.
The tower, named after engineer Gustave Eiffel whose company designed and built it, was set to be dismantled in 1909. However, because the tower proved to be useful for many emerging technologies of the early 20th century, particularly radio telegraphy, it was allowed to remain after the expiry of the original 20-year permit.
Today it is the most visited monument in France, with nearly 7 million people ascending the tower every single year. Why not find out more about French geography?
2. France has a President and a Prime Minister
Unlike the UK, which just has a Prime Minister, and unlike the USA, which just has a President, France has both!
The president of France, currently Emmanuel Macron, is elected by the people of France. After the president is elected, they then appoint a prime minister. François Bayrou was appointed the prime minister of France in December 2024.
The president of France is considered the head of state and has control over foreign policy and defence, while the prime minister serves as head of government and is in charge of domestic policy and day-to-day governing.
3. There are two types of butcher shops in France
The people of France care very deeply about the food that their country produces. A perfect illustration of this would be the two distinct types of butchers that you will find across the country.
La boucherie and la charcuterie are the two varieties. A boucherie will typically only sell raw meat – think lamb, chicken and beef. A charcuterie sells prepared meat, so pâté, ham, sausages etc.
While you will find some cross over between the products the two offer, it’s good to know the differences!
4. France is the world's most visited country
Over 90 million people visited France is 2019, making it the most visited country in the world. Spain and the USA were the second and third most visited countries.
Dramatic landscapes, amazing food, and some of the best art galleries in the world – it's easy to see why France is such a popular tourist destination!
5. There is more than one Notre Dame in France
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the most famous cathedrals in the world – but it’s not the only Notre Dame in France.
Notre-Dame literally translates to Our Lady. France being a predominantly Catholic country, the lady they are referring to is Mary, the mother of Jesus. There are over 100 churches dedicated to Our Lady scattered across France.
The largest Notre Dame is in Amiens, a city roughly 90 miles away from Paris.
6. How many French speakers?
French is the world’s 6th largest language in terms of the number of people who speak it, after English, Mandarin, Hindi, Spanish and Arabic. Out of an estimated 321 million people globally who speak French, around 80 million speak it as a first language!
French, along with English, is the only language with a presence on all five continents. In 2018, French was spoken in 106 countries and territories.
7. No food waste
In 2016, France passed a law that stops supermarkets from throwing away and intentionally spoiling food as it approaches best-before and sell-by dates.
Instead, they have to give all of this food to charities and food banks, providing millions more meals for the people who need it most. Why not learn more about French food and drink?
8. France is home to the highest mountain in Europe
Mont Blanc is situated in the French Alps and is 4,808 metres tall!
The Alps, in the south east, and the Pyrenees, in the south west, are the main mountain ranges in France.
France is also home to several other smaller mountain ranges, including the Massif Central and the Jura Mountains.
9. 2024 Olympic Games
The 2024 Summer Olympic Games were held in Paris, making it the third time the Olympics have been held in the city. The first was in 1900 and the second time was in 1924, exactly a century before the third.
The 1924 games featured 3089 athletes and took just under three months to complete. The 2024 games featured 10,500 competitors and ran from 26th July to 11th August.
For the first time ever at an Olympic games, break dancing (or breaking) was featured in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
10. How old is Tour de France?
The Tour de France, regarded by many as the hardest cycling event in the world, is over 100 years old! The historic cycling event is 121 years old to be exact - as of 2024. The race first took place in 1903 and was created to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto. There were only six stages at first, but riders covered a staggering 2,428km. Out of the 60 racers who started that first event, only 21 finished. The longest stage was 471km long and took the winning rider over 18 hours to complete.
Where can I learn more about the French language?
If these 10 facts have caught your attention, we have even more French articles and study guides you can use for revision!
Why not dive into the romantic French language next?
We even have French Bitesize games! Check these out if you're up for un petit divertissement.
