Fleur

What Is Culture?  The word culture comes from the Latin word cultura meaning “to cultivate”  Culture is all the behaviors, arts, beliefs and institutions of a specific population that are passed down from generation to generation  Culture can also be defined as a shared, learned, symbolic system of values, beliefs and attitudes that shapes and influences perception and behavior  Culture is “The way of life for an entire society”  Culture is shown through music, literature, art, theatre and film as well as many other things

Where is FRANCE??

French flag

General Attitudes  The French measure success by education level, family reputation, and financial status  Among the most patriotic in the world, they are extremely proud of their culture, heritage, and way of life  They expect that visitors to their country have a general knowledge of the French way and show appreciation for French culture  The country seeks to maintain its identity by resisting the growing popularity of cheap fast food, foreign sitcoms, and American music  The French government restricts the percentage of non- French entertainment on national radio and television channels

General Attitudes continued  The French are reserved and private but tend to be more hospitable outside of Paris. They also have different rules of behavior for people within their social circle and those who are not  Politeness is valued in all interaction in France  The French take great care to dress well weather they are wearing formal or casual attire, and they feel more at ease with visitors who show the same degree of attention towards their appearance  Etiquette is very important to the French

Basic Communication  Making eye contact in France, represents equality and is considered too personal for use with strangers and it can be perceived as a request for a relationship  Shaking hands is very important in all French greetings. The handshake is not aggressive, because this is considered rude. People shake hands when they are first introduced but also whenever they enter or leave a room, it is considered impolite if you do not do this  The “double kiss” or la bise, kissing on both cheeks is normal between close acquaintances, friends, and family members, who are greeting or parting, even in public. Men are more likely to kiss the cheeks of relatives or very close friends.  Greetings such as “Bonjour” and “Salut” are usually combined with a person’s name and title and always precede any conversation or request. The use of first names is reserved for family and close friends only.

Language  French is an important international language. It is an official language of the United Nations and is second only to English, in use between nations for communication, business, and diplomacy  The French government has stressed the language so much that almost everyone in France speaks French, despite different nationalities and regional dialects  French students begin learning their first foreign language at age 9, and instruction in a second foreign language begins at age 13 with English commonly the first one learned followed by Spanish or German second

Family  Both the immediate and extended family are seen as important  Many people visit their grandparents monthly, and aunts, uncles, and cousins are part of everyday life  Many children remain at home with their families until they finish their education  Families try to get together as much as possible  The average French family has one or two children, and enjoy a comfortable standard of living  Pets outnumber children in many families and receive special attention

Holidays The French celebrate many holidays such as:  New Year’s (Jour de l’an) - Flowers are presented to older family members and parties are held  Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) - In February, celebrated with parades, costumes, and parties  Easter - Celebrated on Sunday and Monday in France.  Labor Day (May 1 st ) - Marked by parades celebrates the coming of spring  Bastille Day (La Fete Nationale) - July 14 th, the French national holiday; commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place in 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution.  All Saint’s Day (November 1 st ) - When the French commemorate their dead, particularly family members.  Armistice Day (November 11 th ) - The anniversary of the official end of World War I  Christmas (Noel) - Most have a big meal on Christmas eve and attend midnight mass. Children leave their shoes by the fireplace for Pere Noel (Santa Claus) to fill.

Religion  Although 85% of the population is Roman Catholic, only about 8% actively practice the religion. Most French Catholics celebrate the various religious holidays and attend mass only once or twice a year  Of that 85 %, about 58% baptize their children, and only half have a religious wedding  With 8% practicing Islam, it is the second largest religion in France  A small number of the people are Protestants(2%), Jewish(1%) or Buddhist(1%)  Although surveys show thirty years ago more than 80% of French youth believed in god, today less than half believe.  About 6% of the population claims no religion

Sports  The most popular sport in France is football (soccer) and it is the national sport  The most watched sports are football, rugby, basketball, cycling, sailing, and tennis  France is notable for holding and winning the football world cup in 1998, for holding the annual cycling race Tour de France, and holding the tennis Grand Slam tournament Roland Garros (The French Open)  The most played sport is Petanque, a form of bowling that is played by about 17 million people in France, mostly those who live in the southern part of the country, most northern Frenchmen do not consider Petanque a sport  Other popular recreation activities include: fishing, skiing, hiking, hunting, horseback riding, and golf

Food/Cooking  The French consider cooking an art, and French cuisine is famous worldwide  French are most known for Baguettes and Croissants  The First French cookbooks date back to the middle ages,and French standards were the early gauge of fine cooking  The French try to resist foreign fast food because of health concerns and threats to France's small farmers. In spite of this many hamburger restaurants have opened across the country  The legal drinking age for alcohol beverages is officially 18  French cooking is highly refined and involves careful preparation, attention to detail, and use of the freshest ingredients  Cuisine varies by region and is heavily influenced by what grows locally, also the regional traditions are strong  Good cooking is a matter of pride in French homes

Meals  Most people eat a light breakfast of coffee and bread or croissants  Lunch was once the main meal of the day but as society has changed most eat a light lunch and eat their main meal in the evening  In Paris, lunch is eaten around 1 pm and dinner is usually not until 8 pm but in more rural parts of the country, dinner is eaten earlier  Only young children tend to have snacks between meals  Main meals have several courses, accompanied by lots of bread and mineral water or wine  Table manners are generally more formal than in America  A typical family meal has 2 to 4 courses and lasts almost 2 hours a meal with extended family can last up to 4 hours  When eating out the person who invites or makes the suggestion is the one who pays

The Arts  French literature, art, and architecture have greatly influenced the world  In the 20 th century, French writers helped introduce movements such as surrealism, existentialism and postmodernism  The most famous examples of French architecture include the Eiffel Tower and Gothic cathedrals  The French started the use of gargoyles on buildings  The first photograph was taken in France in  The first motion picture was shown in 1895 in Paris  The first paintings in France are from prehistoric times, and were painted in the caves of Lascaux over 10,000 years ago  The Louvre, in Paris is one of the most famous and the largest museums in the world

Fashion  France is known as the fashion capital of the world, and is known for having unique, free designs  The founder of modern fashion was Charles Frederick Worth, an Englishman who settled in Paris in 1845, and established the first maison de haute couture (house of “high sewing” or “high dressmaking”) there in The expression Haute couture is now a legally protected name, guaranteeing certain quality standards.  The supremacy of French fashion was facilitated by the invention of the Singer sewing machine, which increased productivity in fashion houses  Historically, many of the world's top designers and fashion houses have been French, including Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, Chloé, Hermès, Guy Laroche, Yves Saint Laurent and shoe designer Christian Louboutin.  The Paris Fashion week takes place twice a year after the London Fashion Week and before Milan Fashion Week. Dates are determined by the French Fashion Federation. Currently, the Fashion Week is held in the Carrousel du Louvre