Guide to French lifestyle and culture for visitors and Brits living in France
The French have a decidedly civilised approach to life, and appreciate the finer things -- champagne, good wine, fine cheeses, artistic expression in music, art, architecture,literature, and conversation – especially when enjoyed with friends and family. This side of French life – la douce France – is probably responsible for seducing most of the thousands of Brits now living in France, and for compelling so many visitors from around the globe to travel to France. From the moodiest French film to the playful rivalry of the village petanque court, French life simply oozes with joie de vivre.
Although it has a similar size of population, the country is more than twice as big as the UK, so it has more space for its vineyards, mountain ranges, natural parks, coastal scenery, dairy herds, golf courses and vast tranches of agricultural land. As well as enjoying its space, people living in France eat well; they can get around on uncongested roads and punctual trains; they engage with their communities to celebrate everything from French history to French music, and they talk passionately (and with a lot of Gallic shrugging) about everything from political philosophy to French wine. In short, French life, especially in the south, is enjoyed at a fairly slow pace and savoured.
Who are the people living in France today?
French is the official language and is spoken by everyone living in France. However, France also recognises several regional languages including three (Basque, Breton and Alsatian) which are completely unrelated. As you travel in France you may also encounter Flemish, Catalan, Provencal and Corsican. Most young people living in France speak some English but outside the tourist resorts and big cities, it is necessary to gain at least a smattering of French.
About 85% of the people living in France claim to be Roman Catholic (an influence which is clearly reflected in popular French culture ie festivals but not in everyday French life) but less than 15% are thought to attend religious services on a regular basis. Islam is the second largest religion (about 7% of the population) in France.
French life – wine and food
Another great attraction of French life is the food. While the ingredients may be similar to those available in the UK, the French have a flair and appreciation for food that all but the very top British chefs lack. Living in France means eating well – very well – and making time for meals to be enjoyed properly. The same goes for French wine. Famed the world over, it requires no introduction. Just one word of caution: most people living in France are fiercely loyal to French wine and can be dismissive of wine from other countries. See our Food and Drink in France page for more information.
French life – Petanque or boules
As French as Camembert, Petanque (or Boules, the names are interchangeable) is played by about 17 million people living in France. It is not dissimilar to British lawn bowling, but the atmosphere is considerably less formal. The French version is traditionally played on a gravel surface, often in a village square shaded by tall plane trees, with metallic balls. It is most popular in the south, where it is an integral part of daily French life and considered a serious sport.
The object is to throw your balls so that they end up as close as possible to a smaller ball known as a cochonnet. Sometimes this can mean having to hit the cochonnet towards your other balls and away from your opponents’ balls.
French life – French films
Despite the onslaught of Hollywood, French films are still commercially viable (with some assistance from the State’s coffers), and releases are eagerly consumed by most people living in France. You only have to go the cinema in France to see the near reverence of the audience to appreciate that French film is taken very seriously as an art form.
However, since the potential audience for French film is much smaller than for English language film, even a successful French film will achieve only a limited financial reward. Consequently, French films have much smaller budgets than their American counterparts. While this prohibits the inclusion of special effects, expensive sets and even exotic locations, it has encouraged more character development and helped to develop a distinctively French film style. The highlight of the French film year is the Cannes Film Festival held in May.
French life – Bastille Day
Bastille Day (known as 14 juillet) symbolises the end of the Monarchy and with it the transfer of power to the people. It commemorates the 1789 Paris insurrection against the Bastille, a fortress prison long regarded as a symbol of royal tyranny, and the first stage of open rebellion by ordinary people living in France. News of the successful revolt soon began to travel to France’s furthest corners and two days later the King capitulated.
Today, Bastille Day is a national holiday and a day when normal French life comes to a halt. Instead, the French flag is dusted off and hung from windows and trees. Huge numbers travel to France’s most famous parades on the Champs Elysees in Paris but even the smallest village has its own celebrations. Across the regions, most people living in France spend their day watching costumed military parades and enjoying a little French wine until the night skies explode with spectacular firework displays.
