“Let's spend the weekend in France, in Paris,” this short phrase is almost equivalent to a marriage proposal. It is unlikely that there will be a girl who, after these words, does not feel slightly dizzy. Note that not one of the hundreds of beautiful countries and thousands of amazing cities on our planet can boast of such an interesting fact.
Much has been written and said about France, located in western Europe, on the Pacific Ocean, washed in the east by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, but it is difficult to overestimate its role and impact on world history. Great rulers and generals, sculptors and writers, culinary specialists and fashion designers. Speaking about the representatives of this country, very often we precede the line of their activity with the word “high” (style, fashion, cuisine, style, etc.), and this is not always just a beautiful sign.
Why is there only such an interesting fact about France that for about three and a half centuries, French was the language of diplomatic communication, and until the middle of the last century, the country even acted as a world empire, managing colonies in Africa, India, the American continent and the Caribbean islands, being an important player in determining world politics.
Asterix vs Caesar
The first ruler in the territory of modern France can be considered the legendary Roman emperor Julius Caesar, who in 51 BC. e. conquered the Gallic tribes living here. Specifically speaking about this campaign, the great conqueror uttered his catch phrase: "He came, saw, won."
Modern Frenchmen, based on this historical interesting fact about France, came up with a comic for children about the adventures of the little brave Gaul Asterix and his huge friend Obelix, who constantly put the Romans in a stupid position. Asterix, an amusement park that successfully competes with the American Disneyland, was even opened north of Paris.
During the period of Roman domination, 72 Gallic dialects were replaced by Latin, which became the progenitor of the modern French language.
Millennium Bridge
The most famous architectural monument of that era, preserved to this day, is the Pont du Gard bridge (French: Pont du Gard) in the south of France, which is part of a fifty-kilometer aqueduct erected by the ancient Romans more than 2000 years ago to transport drinking water from the source to the Roman the city of Nimes.
By the way, modern architects did not shame the glory of their distant ancestors and a man-made interesting fact about France of our days can be called a bridge built in 2004 in the south of the country. The Millau Viaduct Bridge (French: Le Viaduc de Millau) is considered the highest in the world. The four-lane motorway in some places reaches a height of 343 m, which is higher than the Eiffel Tower.
Long live the king
France was one of the first European countries to become an independent state. In the fifth century AD, the Franks (Germanic tribes from Pomerania in the Baltic states) replaced the Roman invaders. Actually, the name France appeared.
Since then, royal dynasties began to rule the country, and the ups and downs of the state directly depend on the personal qualities of the crowned person.
As expected, absolute power tempts with great temptations, because most French rulers adored exorbitant luxury, which did not exclude pluses, such as the development of all kinds of arts and architecture, which laid the foundation for the cultural heritage of modern France.
An interesting fact about the country and mores of that time can be the history of the transformation of a small hunting lodge, built in 1624 by King Louis XIII in the village of Versailles, into a magnificent palace with hundreds of chic halls and world-famous gardens.
No less famous is the Paris Louvre (Le Musee du Louvre), the first building of which was built in 1190 to protect the city walls. Since 1989, the glass pyramid crowns the entrance to the building, attracting thousands of tourists with its rather controversial design. This is the most visited museum and art gallery in the world, containing about 35 thousand works of art and more than 380 thousand exhibits.
A billion smile
It is in the Louvre that the legendary painting "Mona Lisa" (Fr. La Joconde) is stored. This creation of the genius Leonardo da Vinci belongs to the state and in 2009 was estimated at 700 million US dollars.
An interesting fact about France in the Middle Ages is the occasion for which this painting was purchased by King Francis I. He bought the famous painting in 1519 and hung it along with other works of art in his bathroom, in the Fontainebleau Palace, and all so that Mary Queen of Scotland, while bathing could enjoy the painting.
All the buffalo died out, or How did the high kitchen
To say that all the inhabitants during the reign of the royal dynasties lived in the hall and satiety would be, to put it mildly, unfair. The history of the appearance of fine French cuisine is another interesting fact about France and the French, who began to eat amphibians and slugs not at all from a good life.
During the Hundred Years War with England (1337-1453), severe hunger reigned in the country, forcing the poor to look for the most unexpected sources of food.
It was then that the notorious delicacy of frog legs appeared, as, incidentally, other dishes: onion soup, snails and horsemeat, delighting the eyes and stomachs of the poorest part of the population.
Only in the 19th century did these products turn into a “chip” of French culinary specialists, becoming an expensive and sophisticated way to spend money for a wealthy elite.
Since we have touched on the food issue, it is impossible to ignore French pastries. The most popular French bread is baguette, a loaf of 5-6 cm wide and up to a meter in length. This form makes it easy to wear, clutching your hand to yourself.
Another interesting fact about France is the frequent misconception that the croissant, which is a traditional breakfast here, is a French invention.
In fact, it was invented in Austria after the victory of the Austrians over the Turks. The French chef, hired by the Austrian emperor, decided to make cookies in the shape of a crescent (coat of arms of the Turks), hinting that the Austrians chewed and swallowed the enemies. Upon his return to France, he continued the production of croissants, making them popular already at home.
Freedom, equality, fraternity and a lot of blood
One of the most important holidays for the French is July 14, Bastille Day, which began in 1789 the beginning of the French Revolution, as a result of which the monarchy was overthrown, and France became a republic.
The guillotine developed by the French surgeon Guillotin (dr. Guillotin) was used as the punishing right hand of the revolution. This is a device for the serial beheading of autocrats and those close to them.
The guillotine was the official method of execution in France until 1981, when the death penalty was abolished. The last time it was used in 1977.
Big and strong means stylish
Talking about France and not mentioning the Eiffel Tower is a bad manners. It was originally built as a temporary passage to a fair dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. In fact, the tower had permission to remain in place for no more than twenty years, so it was designed so that it could be easily dismantled.
Designed by Stephen Sauves and built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 in the center of Paris, the tower was often criticized for its absurdity and cumbersomeness against the background of the architectural masterpieces of the capital. Guy de Maupassant often visited the restaurant located in it, motivating his choice with the fact that only from this point you can enjoy the beauties of Paris without seeing the Eiffel creations.
But the tower turned out to be an excellent repeater, still being the tallest building in the city, and over time it became a kind of symbol of both the capital and the whole of France.
Attempt number five
Since the capture of the Bastille, France has been proclaimed a republic five times with interruptions in the imperial regime, including one notorious low Corsican in Russia, Napoleon Bonaparte. He left the Code of Napoleon a legacy of the country - a set of rules and norms that until now is the basis for French law.
These are not all the most interesting facts about France. The best option would still be, waving his hand at business, to personally immerse yourself in the magic and charm of this amazing country.