We’ve previously posted about the official symbols of France. In this post, we switch the focus to popular cultural icons of France. From light-hearted stereotypes to cornerstones of France’s projected image, we dig into what France is famous for and unearth the truth behind the trope.
#1 French Cuisine
You don’t need an affinity for pungent cheeses and fine wines to acknowledge that French cuisine is a global phenomenon. And you’re likely to find many in France who agree.
The gastronomic meal of the French may be registered by UNESCO as an intangible part of humanity’s heritage, yet there is much more to France’s culinary ascendancy.
Prized dishes like coq au vin, crêpes, and quiche are dinner table favourites in and outside France. But what elevates French gastronomy to the top table is their love of culinary excellence for even the most basic foods.
You could readily separate wine, cheese, bread, and pastries into individual culinary icons of France. And a few facts support this assertion:
- France is the third largest exporter of wine by volume, but easily the most valuable producer. In 2020, France’s wine exports were worth US$10 billion, about $3billion more than Italy in second place.
- The French consume an extraordinary 26.8 kg of cheese annually, yet still exports cheese worth €8.7 billion.
- Charles de Gaulle once asked how to “govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?” Today, France reportedly produces at least 1,600 unpasteurised cheeses alone.
- Despite the perennial national conversation about the demise of village bakeries, there are still around 30,000 boulangeries in France.
- One of the oldest still-operating patisseries in the world is La Maison Stohrer (Paris), which opened in 1725. A love of dainty sweets has been tempting the French ever since — France has scooped 8 Gold Medals at the World Cup of Pastry (yes, it exists), 5 more than second-placed Italy.
On top of that, French culinary vocabulary is the international language of food: from restaurant to chef, haute-cuisine to bain-marie. Small wonder that gastronomy is among the icons of France that elicits near-universal agreement
#2 Berets and striped shirts
Stereotypes about clothing are rarely useful. Germans don’t wear Lederhosen outside the beerhalls of Munich, and the Dutch have found more comfortable footwear that wooden clogs. But for some reason, the idea persists that armoires (wardrobes) are filled with striped tops and berets, making the two garments accidental icons of France.
The notion is often met with a raised eyebrow in France. The only place you’re likely to encounter the items worn together is with a heavy dose of irony at international sporting events.
Needless to say, there are a few reasons the image stuck.
The Breton shirt, is known as the marinière (sailor) or tricot rayé (striped knit) in France. Before becoming one of the fashion icons of France, it featured in the French naval uniform (which was based in Brittany and drew many crewmen from the region). It was reportedly easier to locate men who fell overboard wearing a tricot rayé.
Military uniforms rarely make their way onto Parisian catwalks, but 20th-century trendsetters fell in love with the marinière. Fashion icons like Coco Chanel and movie stars like Audrey Hepburn kept the design in the public eye. In recent years, nobody has done more to promote the versatile and eternally voguish design than the “enfant terrible” of fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier.
Conversely, the French beret is a rare sight in France. But it qualifies as one of the cultural icons of France due to its historical symbolism.
The black beret earned a place in French cultural history incrementally: first as a hat (and feet warmer) for Basque and Pyrenean shepherds, then as the cap of choice for generations of artists. Self-portraits by Monet and photographs of Picasso wearing a beret merely added to the mystique.
During WWII, the beret gained new symbolism when the French Resistance adopted the Basque beret as part of their unofficial uniform. When viewed as a potent emblem of the French Republic rather than a fashion accessory, it is fair to describe the humble beret as one of the inspirational icons of France.
#3 La Baguette
Describing French cuisine in broad strokes doesn’t do full justice to one of the standout icons of France. So, we’ve made room on this list for France’s moreish gift to the world, la baguette.
Baguette, which translates as “baton” or “wand”, is more than just a distinctive and conveniently shaped bread. It is a way of life in France. A total of 10 billion baguettes are dipped, spread, and used to mop up dinner plates every year. That averages ½ baguette per person every day.
A kitchen staple for every meal, the image of French residents heading home with a baguette under their arm is no cliché. Not least because fresh bread in France contains no preservatives, making daily replenishment essential.
Most boulangeries in France create their own pain maison (homemade bread) in addition to the original baguette ordinaire. And quality is maintained through a law decreeing how a baguette should be made (Décret Pain). Nonetheless, despite a wealth of choice, it is safe to assume that nearly everyone in France has an opinion on where to find the best bread locally.
Representing France like the Tricolore and Eiffel Tower, the humble baguette is one of the most recognisable icons of France, and also one of its most cherished.
#4 The Citroën 2CV
There are probably more photos of the Citroën 2CV aiming to invoke images of France than working models on the roads. Which underlines how the 2CV is one of the defining and enigmatic icons of France.
Designed to limiting specifications that made the 2CV accessible to poorer households, the underpowered “Duck” is one of the bestselling cars of all time in France.
Defiantly acknowledging its low horsepower — CV stands for chevaux, or horses — the affectionately nicknamed “Deuche” was in production for an extraordinary 42 years (1948 to 1990).
The eye-catching design and apparently ubiquitous presence on French roads transformed the 2CV into one of the least likely cultural icons of France. And despite being a car that nobody wants but everybody loves, nostalgia has revived the Citroën 2CV’s reputation in recent years.
Nowadays, if you see a 2CV on the roads you’re probably looking at a carefully restored passion project. A reflection of how the ‘the ugly duckling’ won French hearts and found itself embraced as one of the treasured icons of France.
#5 The French language
With its Latin roots and softly melodic rhythm, the language of amour is a literal and figurative romance language. And France takes it role as guardian of the language seriously.
Zealously guarded by appointed defenders (aka ‘The Immortals’) at the Académie Française, French language rules have been formally administered since Cardinal Richelieu established the august body in 1635.
Despite a law to protect the primacy of French in everyday use, the 1994 Loi Toubon (Toubon’s Law), concerns are regularly raised in France about the seemingly relentless import of anglicisms.
It’s a battle fought through the education system and media (foreign language television must provide dubbing). Even keyboards are designed to protect the language (the AZERTY layout is unique to France, Belgium, and a handful of French-speaking nations).
The results are mixed: words like “weekend”, “internet”, and “marketing” are embedded in the language.
But for every Anglicism, the Immortals offer an alternative, even if many just ignore them. ‘Remue-méninges’ (brainstorming) and ‘courriel électronique’ (email) were never going to stick, but ‘delai’ (deadline) and ‘l’ appareil photo’ (camera) did gain traction.
Traditionalist or non-conformist, there is broad agreement that the ‘language of Molière’ is one of the icons of France worth defending. Even if many in France characteristically shrug their shoulders about how their language is evolving.
#6 French cinema
Carrying the torch for la langue française is French cinema, which has an outsized influence on international filmmaking.
Ever since the Lumière brothers screened the first movie for a paying audience, the 1895 Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat, homegrown cinema has been a leading cultural export and one of the flag-bearing icons of France.
Frequently eschewing convention, French cinema’s rich heritage is known for its artistic stylings, moody realism, and thought-provoking themes. Yet that only paints half the picture.
From the moment the Lumière brothers created their cinématographe — origins of the noun cinema — France filmmaking has been at the vanguard of filmmaking trends.
The role of pioneering directors like François Truffaut and other exponents of the hugely influential New Wave cinema is well documented. But the history of French cinema is replete with pioneers: from Georges Méliès’s narrative-driven Le Voyage dans la Lune (Journey to the Moon) in 1902 to the Hollywood-oriented blockbusters of Luc Besson.
A few raw numbers demonstrate how homegrown cinema remains one of the major cultural icons of France:
- At 3,381 films, France is third in the international league table for total movies produced. Box office receipts are fourth in the overall table.
- There are more cinema screens (per population) in France than in any other European country, and Paris is home to Europe’s largest cinema.
- In a nation of cinephiles, homegrown films remain extremely popular. In 2017, 34% of cinema attendees watched French films.
With the International Film Festival in Cannes still making waves in the film industry, homegrown cinema is set to remain one of the most globally influential icons of France.
#7 High Fashion
It may be a multi-billion dollar industry, yet fashion is one of the most sophisticated icons of France.
Many of fashion’s biggest names are based in Paris, like Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton. Paris Fashion Week is the fashion world’s leading spectacle. And in 2021, six of the top ten most valuable luxury brands in the world were French, ranking luxury goods among the most valuable icons of France.
The history of French fashion reaches back to the 17th Century. It was reportedly popularised by the Sun King himself, Louis XIV. Known for extravagant taste, it is unclear if Louis XIV was a trendsetter or a follower. But his dandy presence in portraits ushered in an appreciation for modish clothing.
Intriguingly, an Englishman made Paris the global centre of fashion. In 1858, Charles Frederick Worth founded the House of Worth in Paris, making him the father of haute-couture (even if the term was not used at the time). Since then, Paris has been at the cutting-edge of high fashion.
A lucrative industry — Europe’s richest man, Bernard Arnault, made his fortune from it — high fashion is one of the only icons of France to be ruthlessly commoditized without losing prestige.
#8 Pétanque (boules)
Instantly conjuring images of a bygone France, pétanque is the archetypal French sport.
Boulodromes and scruffy pétanque pistes can be found in parks and town squares throughout France. Impromptu games spring up on suitably gravelly paths and car parks during the summer. In small villages, pétanque is a focal point for community engagement.
Pétanque is a spin-off from le jeu Provençal (the Provencal game). Ernest Pitiot is credited with inventing the sport in 1910 to enable his several rheumatic friend to play. Until then, boules were played on larger courts and required a run-up to launch the boule. He called his derivation pieds tanqués (feet grounded), from which pétanque derives its name.
Despite an association with elderly villagers whiling away pastis-fuelled afternoons under shading trees (not entirely inaccurate), the new game soon grew in popularity. Pétanque became so popular, the original le jeu provençal is now more commonly as la longue, in reference to the longer pistes.
Illustrating the sport’s popularity, the Mondial la Marseillaise à Pétanque (the world cup of pétanque held annually in France), attracts 15,000 participants and 160,000 spectators. Proving that pétanque fully merits a place on our list of cultural icons of France.
