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KIDS’ GUIDE TO

France

Eiffel Tower 1 in Paris, France

Welcome to France France is located in western Europe and is the largest European country. For centuries, France has set the standards for the intellectual, artistic, literary, culinary and fashion styles of much of Europe. Let’s learn about France from kids like you. Céleste is 10 years old. She lives in Albertville, in the southeastern part of the country.

Céleste loves to ski. She lives in a mountainous area called the AuvergneRhône-Alpes region.

Her name means “heavenly” or “of the sky.” Céleste’s ski equipment includes skis, poles, and boots. She dresses warmly for the snowy conditions. She wears goggles to protect her eyes from the bright mountain sun.

Rémy is Céleste’s brother. His name means “oarsman” or “rower.” Rémy is in secondary school. He is a good student. Rémy wants to be a veterinarian someday. He is also on his school’s fencing team.

Fencing is a popular pastime in Rémy’s country. He imagines being a knight from long ago when he fences. Céleste and Rémy love their country and hope you will, too. Let’s learn some more about France.

Where in the World? France shares borders with Italy, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Monaco, Andorra, and Switzerland. The country has multiple coastlines, lying along the English Channel in the northwest, and fronting the Bay of Biscay along the southwest coast. The southeastern coastal region of France is along the Mediterranean Sea and is known as the French Riviera. The French Alps are in eastern France, and the Pyrenees Mountains are found in the southwest. France is home to many important rivers, including the Rhône and Seine. Henri lives in Clermont-Ferrand, north of the Pyrenees Mountains in a highland region known as the Massif Central.

FRANCE

Audrey lives in Paris. It is located along the Seine River, in the north-central part of the country. Paris is the capital of France.

Can You Find It? Rennes

Bordeaux

Toulouse

Limoges

Lyon

Dijon

Paris

Marseille 5

France is divided into four climatic zones. The west has an oceanic climate that is humid in summer and windy in fall and winter. The north is cooler. The south’s Mediterranean climate brings hot and dry summers with damp, mild winters. The mountainous region’s winters are long and intense. Noelle lives in Bordeaux, in southwestern France. The weather is warm and sometimes rainy in the summers, while winters are mild and wet.

France has an exceptional amount of biodiversity. The country’s woodlands are home to mammals such as brown bear, elk, and wolves. Olive trees thrive in the Mediterranean region, along with fig trees, laurel, and wild herbs.

The country’s coastlines along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea result in a large number of aquatic species. False killer whales and harbor seals are both native to French waters. 6

Seine River

French Alps

Seine River The Seine River begins in the Alps and runs through northern France. The lengthy river flows through Paris, dividing the city into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. About half of Paris’s neighborhoods border the Seine. French Riviera Located along the Mediterranean Sea, the French Riviera is an area home to many popular beaches. Also known as the Côte d’Azur (“Azure Coast”), the name refers to the bright blue color of the water and sky.

French Riviera

French Alps The French Alps are located along the border of Switzerland and Italy. Famous for skiing and snowboarding, the high mountains include hundreds of peaks and glaciers.

History 987–1328 CE The House of France is founded. The kingdom is steadily unified and is strongly allied with the Roman Catholic Church.

1420 Depleted by war and the devastating plague called the Black Death, France and England unify their crowns with the Treaty of Troyes.

1589 France is the most populous country in Europe and its power rises. The nation is prosperous, and great works of art and architecture flourish.

1763 France loses its North American empire when it signs the Treaty of Paris, bringing to a close a succession of wars over control of its Canadian and US colonies. 8

1791 France convenes its first legislature under its new constitution. Louis XVI remains king in name only and the governmental power rests with the parliament.

1920–1930 The post-war period is a prosperous one for France. At home the arts and culture flourish and the economy is increasingly industrialized.

1950–1958 After WWII, a baby boom greatly expands the depleted population.

2002 The franc, first minted in 1390, is replaced by the euro.

People The majority of France’s population is made up of ethnic French who typically have Celtic, Italian, and German ancestors. There are also people with Scandinavian backgrounds within this ethnic group.

Marcel has Italian ancestry. His lessons at school are taught in French, but he speaks Italian with his family at home.

Italians, Africans, Turks, Spaniards, Poles, and Greeks can also be found throughout France.

French is the official language, although many languages are spoken throughout the country. Many are spoken regionally, including Catalan, Occitan, Flemish, and Breton.

France does not recognize any official religion. Freedom of religion is guaranteed. However, Christian religions dominate, and Catholicism is the most popular.

There are also significant numbers of Muslims and Jews in France.

Fazel’s family practices Judaism, which is both a religion and a way of life. He and his sister love Hanukkah season.

Names Bernadette

Thierry Thierry is a French name meaning “ruler of the people.”

Bernadette is a French name meaning “brave bear.”

Margaux

Margaux is a French name meaning “pearl.” It can also be spelled Margot or Margeaux.

Alain

Alain is a Celtic name that means “harmony.”

e (Male) Nam

Andre

Christian

Origin

M e aning

French manly Latin

follower of Christ

Daniel

Hebrew

“God is my judge”

Guy

Latin guide

Jacques French supplanter Jean

Guy Michel Olivier

French

“God is gracious”

Latin guide French “Who is like God?” French olive tree

Pierre French rock

e (Female) Nam

Origin

M e aning

Aurelie Latin golden Catherine Greek

Isabelle Marie

Spanish French

pure pledged to God star of the sea

Monique Latin advisor Nathalie

French

birthday of the Lord

Sandrine

Greek

man’s defender

Stephanie

Greek crown

Sylvie

Latin

woods, forest

Valerie Latin valiant 13

Learn French French, the official language of France, is the first language of about 90 percent of the population. Regional languages include Catalan, Flemish, and Occitan, while Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian are spoken by small communities.

Bonjour

Bawn-ZHOOR (Hello)

Enchanté

Awn-shawn-TEH (Good morning)

Je m’appelle_____

Zhe mah-PEL_____ (My name is ___)

Comment allez-vous

Koh-mah ah-lay-VOO (How are you?)

J’ai faim

Zhuh FAHM (I’m hungry) J’ai soif

Zhuh SWAHF (I’m thirsty)

Merci

MARE-see (Thank you)

S’il vous plait

SEEL voo PLEH (Please)

Oui

Wee (Yes)

Non

Noh (No)

Au revoir

Oh-reh-VWAHR (Goodbye) 15

Holidays and Festivals France has a rich and dynamic culture, and the French celebrate many holidays and festivals throughout the year. Here are a few:

Bastille Day This July 14 holiday celebrates the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris that marked the start of the French Revolution. Military parades take place in the morning, while at night there are dances, street parties, and fireworks.

All Saints’ Day Recognized on November 1, this day is in honor of all known and unknown saints. Special services are held in churches throughout France in memory of all the saints.

New Year’s Day January 1 is the first day of the new year and is celebrated with colorful fireworks. In France, the festivities include vibrant street parades and concerts. Presents and gifts are exchanged in the morning.

Labor Day This holiday, celebrated on May 1, recognizes the contribution of the working class. With the exception of the Eiffel Tower, all private and public offices are closed this day. It is customary for people to give one another a sprig of lily of the valley, a symbol of springtime.

Easter Sunday and Monday Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is the most significant and holy day for Christians. Church bells ring out early in the morning, and people exchange hugs and kisses upon hearing them. Children find eggs in their rooms or in gardens. 17

Food French cooking has influenced the cuisine of the rest of Europe, and other parts of the world, to a remarkable degree. Many ingredients and recipes are strongly regional, though flavorful sauces are widely used throughout the country. Meats of all kinds are used in main courses and appetizers, with snail and frog commonly eaten. Wheat-based bread and potatoes are everyday staples, and almost every region of France has its own cheese.

Cuisses de Grenouille This well-known French appetizer or main course is made of frogs’ legs that are usually simply prepared by being fried in butter and served with lemon.

Bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse is a mixed fish soup from Marseille that is common throughout the south of France.

Escargots à la Bourguignonne Snails baked in garlic-parsley butter, usually in their shells, are a favorite in France.

Céléri Rémoulade This salad is common throughout France. Sliced celery root is blanched, chilled, and dressed with a thin mayonnaise sauce.

Coq au Vin Chicken in wine sauce is an extremely common French main course.

Cassoulet The basis for this dish is white beans simmered with pork for flavoring and garnished with other cooked meats.

Coquilles St. Jacques This popular dish is made up of poached scallops broiled in a subtly flavored cream sauce.

Pot de Crème This classic French dessert is a chilled custard made with a mixture of heavy cream, milk, eggs, and chocolate or vanilla. 20

Mousse au Chocolat This thick, rich dessert is made with dark, bittersweet chocolate and is often topped with chocolate curls, mint and whipped cream. Total Time

2 hours 20 min

Ingredients 1 vanilla bean 6 eggs, separated 7 oz (200 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1¾ oz (50 g) butter 3 Tbsp (45 ml) sugar Pinch of salt Whipped cream for garnish

Directions Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the egg yolks. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Once the chocolate is completely melted, remove from heat and beat in the egg yolks. Beat in the sugar and transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Separately, beat the egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry. 6 Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. 7 Chill thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lightly sweetened 8 whipped cream.

9 10 11 21

National Symbols National Bird Gallic rooster (common name) Gallus gallus (scientific name)

National Day Bastille Day July 14

National Flower Fleur de lis / Iris (common name) Iris pseudacorus (scientific name)

National Animal Gallic rooster (common name) Gallus gallus (scientific name) 22

National Flag First used – February 15, 1794 Nickname – “Le Tricolore” (“The Tricolor”)

National Currency France’s official currency is the European Union euro and cent. 1 euro = 100 cents

National Anthem “La Marseillaise” (“The Song of Marseille”) Music and Lyrics by: Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle

French Lyrics

English Translation

Allons enfants de la Patrie Le jour de gloire est arrivé! Contre nous de la tyrannie L’étendard sanglant est levé L’étendard sanglant est levé Entendez-vous dans les campagnes Mugir ces féroces soldats? Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras Égorger nos fils, nos compagnes! Aux armes, citoyens Formez vos bataillons Marchons, marchons! Qu’un sang impur Abreuve nos sillons!

Arise, children of the Fatherland Our day of glory has arrived Against us the bloody flag of tyranny is raised; the bloody flag is raised. Do you hear, in the countryside The roar of those ferocious soldiers? They’re coming right into your arms To cut the throats of your sons, your comrades! To arms, citizens! Form your battalions Let’s march, let’s march That their impure blood Should water our fields.

Things to See and Do Arc de Triomphe Paris’s Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in France and the world’s second-largest, triumphal arch. There are many sculptures and inscriptions on the Arc, which stands over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Place de la Bourse Impressive architecture, statues, and fountains make the Place de la Bourse a lovely place to visit in Bordeaux. The Miroir d’Eau (Water Mirror) is the world’s largest reflecting pool, covering 3,450 square meters (37,136 square feet).

Écrins National Park This park is one of France’s important protected spaces. It covers an area of approximately 93,078 hectares (230,000 acres) in southeastern France, and its highest peaks rise to a height of about 4,100 meters (13,451 feet). 24

Eiffel Tower One of the most famous structures in the world, the Eiffel Tower is an iron tower that stands 324 meters (1,063 feet) tall and has 1,665 steps.

Luxembourg Gardens Marvel at the assortment of trees, lawns, flower beds, greenhouses, and fruit gardens in this Parisian garden, or consider doing the garden’s treasure hunt. Swings, a merry-go-round, and boat rentals can be enjoyed as well.

Louvre Museum The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum. It is located in Paris and contains royal jewels, frescoes, and famous works by French and Italian artists. Landmark pieces include the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. 25

Tête d’Or Park (Golden Head Park) Botanical gardens and sumptuous lawns at this Lyon park date back to the mid-1800s. A zoo, mini golf, and sailing on the river are fun options.

Castle Hill On the famous rocky outcrop between Old Nice and the harbor sits Castle Hill, which includes sections of the old castle.

Notre Dame Cathedral This magnificently constructed building contains beautiful sculptures and stained glass.

Palace of Versailles This royal palace was built in four stages, spanning periods from 1664 to 1710. What started as a royal hunting lodge quickly became one of the largest and most magnificent palaces in Europe. 26

Location Guide Arc de Triomphe

Louvre Museum

Place de la Bourse

Tête d’Or Park

Écrins National Park

Castle Hill

Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame Cathedral

Luxembourg Gardens

Palace of Versailles 27

Fun Facts Enduringly Popular France is consistently the world’s most visited country, attracting between 80–90 million visitors every year. Paris regularly ranks in the top five for the most visited cities in the world.

Blend In The French Army was the first to use camouflage, a means of disguising military equipment by painting it to blend in with the surroundings. Camoufler means “to hide,” and the country began using this method in World War I. 28

First Movie France’s Lumière brothers are credited with showing the first movie—a 5-second black-and-white clip of workers leaving their factory.

Cheese to Please Cheese lovers may already know that France produces enough cheese to please every taste bud. About 250 types of cheese have several variations, amounting to over 1,000 distinct types of cheese.

First for Food In 2016, France became the first country to ban supermarkets from throwing away unsold food. The food must now be donated to food banks and charities. 29

KIDS’ GUIDE TO

France Loire Valley

Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur

Paris

Sully-sur-Loire

Sacre Coeur