French Life and culture

Notes on Life in France

France is the largest country in Western Europe (almost one fifth of the total area of the European Union) but it is still less than twice the size of Colorado!

Metropolitan Paris is the home of one-sixth of France’s population. Everything is centralised in Paris (French universities, ministries, companies head quarters). Outside of Paris, you’ll find France has so much to offer – an amazing variety of landscapes. From coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges of the Alps in the south-east, the Massif Central in the south-central and Pyrenees in the south-west.

The French are proud of their individual and national heritage – villages, regions and local culinary specialties and wines are a huge part of the French identity. To quote the former president General de Gaulle “How do you govern a country that has invented 400 kinds of cheese?”

French people work to enjoy life; the term “bon vivant” (a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment - especially good food and drink) is French, but of course! Food is part of the French “Art de vivre” and French people don’t place work above everything. They work in order to enjoy life.

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