Discover French culture, learn everything you have always wanted to know about France and the French and avoid embarrassing mistakes.
From medieval innovators to avant-garde modern artists, France has a long history of talented painters. Some have risen to worldwide fame and even single-name recognition. Here are 16 French painters whose work has had a major influence on artists and the general public alike…and a few others you may also know. A brief history of …
READ LESSON16 Famous French Painters (And a Few Others You May Not Know)
There are some things that typically come to mind when people think of France. One of them may be some kind of castle or palace. It might be a particularly famous one, like Versailles, or maybe it’s just a composite, an idea of light-colored stone and high, elegant towers, possibly with a medieval princess or …
Quick – name a French cookie! If you couldn’t, don’t be disappointed. The French are known for their pastries, but they’re not a cookie culture. No, “cookie culture” isn’t an actual term used to categorize civilizations. I made it up. But hopefully you get what I mean. There are some cultures, like the Anglo-Saxon one …
“French kiss” is one of those terms that transcends languages, countries and cultures. Even in Canadian French, a deep kiss can be called un french. But if you had to pick a real “French kiss”, that would probably be la bise. La bise, an exchange of kisses on the cheek (the number varies by region), …
READ LESSONAll About “La Bise” – the Traditional French Greeting Kiss
Even if you don’t know or care much about French or French culture, you probably know who Gérard Depardieu is. You can count his name among those French words that everyone knows – baguette, merci, amour, Depardieu. But who is Gérard Depardieu exactly, and why is he one of the rare actors who’s as famous …
READ LESSONWhat’s the Deal with French Megastar Gérard Depardieu?
You’ve probably heard the French national anthem, the Marseillaise, before, even if you’re not a French speaker or student. You may have come across it during sports matches or cultural documentaries, or even in the intro to one of the Beatles’ most famous songs. The lyrics of the Marseillaise don’t really go with a tune …
READ LESSONAll About La Marseillaise, the Turbulent French National Anthem
