French Culture

The French culture car its richness of the French history and a privileged geographical position in the center of the western point of the Europe.

Its diversity reflects the Culture S of its areas and many migrations at all the times influences it.

France is, since the end of the 12th century, the place where developed many Université S (see Histoire of the French universities). The Université of Paris is one of the oldest universities of Occident.

The French culture such as it exists today is for a great share also made up by the radiation of France in Europe with, whereas the French language was acquiring its noble letters compared to the Latin (see French history at the XVIIe century).

France currently shelters Musée S devoted to a large variety of topics, of which the Musée of Louvre, and rich person Bibliothèque S, like the National library of France.

The France is appreciated today for its art of living.

General characteristics

Its specificity

France is since the 12th century at least a hearth Culturel important and influential: its Literature and its Philosophe S still influenced and influences currents of thought of the whole world, although it is currently located in withdrawal behind the Anglo-Saxon thought. Its official Culture is generated by the Média S nationals and its operation by controlled organizations.

Its currency is: Freedom, Equality, Fraternity , and its Declaration of the Human rights and the Citizen of 1789, is former to the Universal declaration of the Human rights (1948). Characterized by an art of living, it maintains values traditional, among which a Gastronomie recognized, marked in particular by its Fromage S and its Vin S, or of the fields like the Haute couture.

But France is before a whole State for which the defense of the values related to secularity is paramount, in the mutual respect of the Culture S, the values and the traditions (for example, the French Culture is opposed to the communautarism) much more still than quality of its cheeses, of its wines or the haute couture.

Place de la Culture in France

The Enseignement basic is free and obligatory for all the children since the laws of Jules Ferry of the 19th century. The share of the national Budget devoted to education and the Culture amounts to 22% (is added a share of the regional budgets to it), but the State causes each year of the redundancies in teaching because of fall of the number of pupils.

One of the French singularities is related to the existence of a public policy of the culture. Heritage of the Old mode and the revolutionary decade, this cultural policy develops at the dawn of the Ve République with the creation of a ministry for the cultural Affairs entrusted to the writer André Malraux. This policy Culturelle of the State dissociates herself in France by the will to defend his specificities vis-a-vis the Mondialisation, in particular for the artistic field in what one calls the cultural exception.

French language

The French, Official language of the France is a Romance Langue. This language was built by the Usage, starting from the Former French and of the Moyen French. The medieval Littérature in these languages is abundant. Since the Rebirth, the French language integrated Néologisme S (of Rabelais to the current technical neologisms). The Academies (see in particular the French Academy) made it possible to normalize the vocabulary and grammar.

In addition to the local dialects, the old contributions come primarily from Latin, the Greek.

French comprises many common words with English, some having taken a different direction (False-friends in English).

Historically, the French is the Official language Droit and administration, since the Ordonnance of Villers-Cotterêts signed by the king François I {{er}} in 1539.

The French is a spoken language in the mediums Diplomatique S, with the international one. At the 18th century, the radiation of the France was worth with the French language its Statut of Official language in the courses European.

The creation of the French Academy and many other academies to the S, reinforced the unifying role of the French language in the Culture, sometimes with the detriment of the regional Culture S.

Today, in addition to the Diplomacy, the French language is a Official language in the majority of the International organizations (after English), in particular:

  • the French is one of the six Official languages recognized by the the United Nations, with English, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Spanish, and one of both Working languages.
  • the French is a Official language and a Working language to UNESCO.
  • the French is one of both Official languages of the OECD (where exists one of the greatest databases in occident, and one of the three working languages,
  • the French is also a Official language of NATO.

The French is competed with by English in finance, sciences, data processing. This is why the public authorities adopt measures aiming at protecting the linguistic inheritance:

  • in France, the Article 2 of the Constitution of 1958, the Law Toubon,
  • with the Canada, the Charter of the French language.

An international radiation

The French culture does not appear its radiation outside the limits of the French territory.

The town of Paris is recognized in the whole world to be a cultural capital . For this reason undoubtedly, UNESCO has its seat with Paris. This organization was founded on an initiative of the philosopher Henri Bergson in 1945.

This radiation is due for much to the French language, particularly with its precision.

However, the place of the French is called into question since the Second world war by the English, which is largely employed in the International organizations. The radiation can be effective only if the language is not only a Official language, but also, and especially, a Working language.

See:

  • Place of French in the world
  • Working language

Diffusion of the French culture

The diffusion of the French culture passes by two means: that of the French language, and that of the Média S which convey it, orally (radio), and written (books, and digital forms: Fabric), or both (television).

Francophonie

See also: Francophonie

Libraries and places of culture

Details: French Libraries

In addition to the National library of France (“Grande Bibliothèque”), which organizes itself in network with the principal European libraries (see European Numeric library), France has a dense network of Public libraries:

  • College libraries and libraries of the others universities,
  • Libraries of the public Research centres,
  • Public libraries.

A stake: the Fabric

The Toile (more often known under its English name Web ) becomes today a vector prevailing of diffusion of the Culture of a country. The diffusion of the written culture passes more and more by this Média.

Example: Collection Cultural heritage of the French-speaking countries (Romanian CD)

The number of Web sites in the countries Francophone S is proportionally weaker than in the anglophone countries.

See: Many Web sites according to the countries

Literature and Poetry

Literature

See also: French Literature

The French Littérature includes/understands at the same time the literature written in France, since the Moyen-âge (French medieval Poésie), enriched by the French-speaking Littérature, written in French by many writer S in various countries of the world.

Starting with the Chanson de geste and the courteous Literature, it develops the following centuries.

See:

  • French Literature,
  • : Category: French-speaking literature
  • French Cartoon

See also:

  • List of writers of French language by chronological order
  • Writers of French language, alphabetically

Poetry

August 1st

See:

  • French Poets
  • French Poetry

Art schools

August 1st

See also: List of the French artists

Painting

See:

  • French Painting
  • List of French painters

Sculpture

See:

  • French Sculpture
  • French Sculptors

Architecture

See

  • French Architecture
  • French Architects

Music, Dance

Classical music

See also: French Music

See also: List of French type-setters

The France has a long tradition in the Choir singing, since it is in the north of France (and in Flandres) that appear the first Polyphonie S of Europe in the Années 1420.

The French school of the violin had reached at the 17th century a considerable fame under the rod of Jean-Baptiste Lully with famous “the Twenty-four Violins of the King”. Jean-Philippe Branch account among the largest theorists of the music. The work of Marc-Antoine Charpentier was redécouverte since about fifty years. At the same time, the French school of lute, then the French school of organ, are flourishing.

Since the 19th century, Paris is a town of concert where occur the largest pianists Virtuose S of Europe (Liszt, Chopin…).

The French music developed much at the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, with the type-setters Hector Berlioz, Gabriel Fauré, César Franck, Georges Bizet, Charles Gounod, Jacques Offenbach, Camille Saint-Saëns, Jules Massenet, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Eric Satie… In second half of the 19th century, France is the hearth of the romantic opera.

The French musical tradition was maintained by many musicians (organist S, Leaders, pianists, Violoniste S, and other interpreters).

France counts today many orchestras.

Since several tens of years, the Choir singing knows a true revival in France. The directory of the French-speaking choral societies made it possible to index 2005 choral societies on June 21st 2007 (1505 in France).

French song and French-speaking person

August 1st

Dance

See:

  • New French dance
  • : Category: French dancer
  • : Category: French choreographer

Theater and cinema

See: French Actors

Theater

August 1st

See French Theater

Cinema

The Technical Cinema, and Art invented in France at the end of the 19th century, is very dynamic in France.

See the dedicated articles:

  • French Cinema,
  • French films

Art of living

The Image of France in the world is that of the art of living . In the travel agencies and others turn operators, it is what makes the principal attraction for the people who come to visit France.

Cultural heritage

Detail: the cultural heritage in France

France has on its territory plus 30 sites of the world heritage of UNESCO, against 40 sites in Italy which occupies the first place (See the list of the French sites in the world heritage). The Chemins of Saint-Jacques-of-Compostelle in France comprise 69 monuments alone. The Cathédrale of Chartres was the first monument in France classified in the world heritage of UNESCO.

The Protection of the cultural heritage results in the attribution of various labels or classifications:

  • Cities and Pays of Art and History;

  • Historic building;
  • natural Site classified, when the monument is located in a natural site protected by the law.

The few examples below testify to the diversity and the richness of this inheritance.

ancient Sites

  • Bridge of ancient Gard
  • Theater, its accesses and Triumphal arch of Orange
  • Roman and Romance Monuments of Arles

Religious heritage

  • Notre-Dame Cathedral of Chartres (stained glasses)
  • Cathedral Notre-Dame, basilica Saint-Remi and Palate of the Tau, Rheims
  • Notre-Dame Cathedral of Amiens
  • Mount Saint-Michel
  • Cistercian abbey of Fontenay
  • Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe
  • Saint-Etienne Cathedral of Bourges
  • Ways of Saint-Jacques-of-Compostelle in France
  • Basilica of Vézelay

Castles

  • Palate and park of the Castle of Versailles
  • Castle and park of Fontainebleau

urban Sites

  • Paris, banks of the Seine, district of the Marsh…
  • Historical center of Avignon
  • Quoted of Carcassonne, historical strengthened city
  • Historic site of Lyon
  • Strasbourg - Large Island
  • Twenty-three Belfry S of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais and the Somme.
  • Stanislas Places, of the Career, and Alliance to Nancy
  • Layered branches, town of medieval fair
  • Downtown area of Le Havre rebuilt by the architect Auguste Perret
  • Center town of Bordeaux: inscription as a " together urban exceptionnel".

natural Sites

  • Caves decorated with the valley of Vézère
  • the Mount Lost in the the Pyrenees
  • the Loire Valley between the Sully-on-Loire and the Chalonnes-on-Loire (*)

Other sites

  • Royal saltworks of Arc-and-Senans
  • Channel of the South
  • Jurisdiction of St. Emilion

The cultural heritage and naturalness of France enable him to develop an important activity in tourism (see Tourisme in France).

With 70 million visitors each year. The France is the first world tourist destination.

The cultural heritage defined by UNESCO was traditionally material. UNESCO introduced the concept of immaterial Cultural heritage, which includes the traditional cultures and living it.

Museums

See: French Museum

August 1st

The museums in France can or not be labellized " Museum ''' of ''' France " according to the Code of the inheritance.

Luxate

August 1st

The image of France east that of the Luxury. Paris is often regarded as the world capital of the Luxe, the mode, and the Haute couture.

Hotel trade

The France very has a network of Hôtel S of high level, with different quality control Marks (forty), among which:

  • Home of France;
  • HOTELCert, which was created by ACFCI to harmonize the labels.

The chain of the Relay and Châteaux includes/understands 460 members located in 50 countries.

Gastronomy

See also: French Kitchen, regional Speciality (French kitchen)

History, philosophy, and religion

By its religious History and its heritage, France has a long tradition as regards Philosophie. The French culture counts many Historien S and Philosophe S.

See:

  • French Historians
  • Philosophical French

The French State is laic and thus does not have a official Religion.

The majority of the French are Catholiques (in spite of a retreat of the practice and phenomenon religious in general). France has also one of the most important Jewish communities of Europe. The second spirituality of the country is the Athéisme, the Islam according to. One finds also various religions or religious communities (like the Protestants, the Buddhists, etc).

Cultural events

August 1st

Festivals

See: Festival in France

Principal festivals in France:

  • Festivals of music (Web site):

    • Choregies d'Orange, Lyric art;
    • Festival of Aix-en-Provence;
    • Spring of Bourges;
    • Festival of Beaune, international festival of opera baroque;
    • Festival of music of Chair-God (Sacred music);
    • Festival of Saint-Céré, Choir singing;
    • Festival Music in Morvan with Autun;
    • Festival of Castling-of Anthéron, international festival of Piano;
    • the Fête of the music was introduced in France in 1981.

  • Festival of theater: Festival of Avignon

  • Cinema festival:

    • Cannes festival
    • International festival of science fiction film of Avoriaz

  • Festival interceltic of Lorient

etc

Carnival S

  • Carnival of Bailleul, Bailleul

  • Carnival of the two banks of Bordeaux
  • Carnival of Dunkirk, Dunkirk
  • Carnival of Leuc, Leuc
  • Carnival of Limoux, Limoux
  • Carnival of Cholet, Cholet
  • Carnival of Nantes, Nantes
  • Carnival of Nice, Nice
  • Carnival of Paris, Paris One launched the current Confetti universally there, in Papier and one invented it there Serpentine.
  • Carnival biarnes of Pau * Carnival of Pézenas, Pézenas
  • Carnival of Sergines, Yonne
  • Carnival of Turns, Turns
  • Carnival of Glazed, Glazed
  • Cavalcade of Scaër, Scaër
  • Carnival of Novels, Romans-sur-Isère, Drome

France (DOM TOM)

  • Carnival of Martinique, Martinique
  • Carnival of Guyana, Guyana
  • Carnival of Guadeloupe, Guadeloupe

Choir singing

  • Vaison-the-Roman: Choralies international of In heart joy

Circus

August 1st

Sports

See also: Sport in France

The sport more practiced in France is the Pétanque. Game of bowls is practiced as a leisure by approximately 17 million people in France. While that practiced as a competition concerns approximately 480.000 people fired at the French federation of game of bowls and play of Provence (FFPJP). The FFPJP is the 4th sporting federation in France. The fired bowls players play a game of bowls of competition which is called game of bowls sport.

The sports most looked in France are the Football, the Basket-ball, the Rugby with XV (Rugby), the sport Cyclisme, and the Tennis. France accommodated the Football world cup in 1998, which was gained besides by its own team. She annually organizes the race of cycling of the Tour de France, a tournament of the Large Slam of tennis the Internationaux of Roland Garros. The practice of the sport is encouraged at the school, and local associations receive municipal subsidies. If football remains incontestably most popular (and thus more mediatized), Rugby exceeds it in South-west, and more particularly around the town of Toulouse. The handball and the volleyball are them privileged in the schools.

The Babyfoot (football of table) is a very popular pastime in France at the same time in the bar S and at the house.

Culture S regional

Expressions of the regional culture

Heritages of the history of the areas of France, the regional cultures are expressed by the habitat, the Artisanat, the Folklore and other regional festivals, the traditional Danses, the traditional Musique, the regional Costume S, the museums regional, and sometimes the Dialecte S.

Cultures and traditional Know-how (habitat, Craft industry…) are generally well represented, for each area, in the écomusée S.

See:

  • Écomusées in France (écomusée of Alsace)
  • French Folklore
  • : Category: French music by area

Cultures by area

See : Category: French regional culture

  • Breton Culture

  • Culture of Alsace (in particular its kitchen)
  • Culture of Corsica
  • Culture of the Limousin
  • Culture of Lorraine
  • Culture of Normandy
  • Culture occitane
  • Culture in the Vendée
  • Lyons Culture
etc

L´américanisation

Since the second world war, Europe is more and more under the cultural influence of the United States and France does not escape there.

Communautarisme

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