France It is one of the countries that receives more tourism year after year, not to mention that it is the most visited, receiving more than 80 million tourists each year. Why? Because Paris has unrivaled appeal, largely because of the Eiffel Tower, which is one of the most famous monuments on the planet. There are other regions that are also worth visiting (I recommend the article we publish about the 10 most beautiful cities in France), as is the case with the the castles of the Loire or the French Riviera.
All that is already known, but what I'm going to tell you now will probably catch you by surprise. They are curiosities that will allow you to get to know France a little better, a country that is well worth a visit. Shall we start?
The Millau Viaduct
France can boast of having the highest road bridge in the world. It is the Millau viaduct, which was designed by the great Norman Foster, one of the most famous architects in history. It has a spectacular height of 343 meters.
Doctor Without Borders
Does it ring a bell? It is an NGO that was founded by French doctors in 1971 and that in 1999 received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Roundabouts and more roundabouts
In France, if you go by car, you will get tired of driving through roundabouts, as there are about 30,000. There are so many that it is said that they are more than half of those in the world.
Car plates
We could say that it is a French invention, since the first ones used around the world were seen in those parts.
The municipality with the shortest name
In the Somme department there is a municipality called Y which claims to be the shortest on the planet.
They keep the carrier pigeons
His army still does not forget the carrier pigeons, and that the poor now dedicate themselves to other tasks. They are kept in case communications ever fail.
A motto that will ring a bell
The motto of France, Liberté, égalité, fraternité, was first heard during the French Revolution (1789-1799) and today it is present in coins and stamps.
Sleepy
Although the siesta is not styled in these parts, the French usually sleep an average of 9 hours a day, so it is estimated that this is the highest average among all developed countries.
The highest point
The Eiffel Tower is the highest point in France. He's in Paris and he measures 324 meters high if we consider the antenna at the top.
Depression
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 21% of French people know what depression is, which means that it is the country that suffers the most.
Food is not thrown away
In France they made a big decision in 2016. No supermarket and no store can throw away food since then. What do they do with it? They donate it to charities and food banks.
Potatoes
Potatoes became outlawed between 1748 and 1772, as they were believed to be guilty of contracting leprosy.
The French reigned in England
It sounds like a lie, but in England French was spoken for almost 300 years. It became the official language when William the Conqueror emerged victorious from the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Cheese specialists
No one can say that in France there are no cheeses to choose from. There is more of 400 different varieties! Normal than the movie Ratatouille is set in Paris.
The flag has not always been tricolor
White, blue and red have not always been the colors of the French flag. Before the French Revolution it was white and during the Restoration it was resorted to that single color, but when the monarchy fell, in 1830, the flag that continues to wave today begins to wave.
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10 SURPRISES ABOUT LIFE IN FRANCE (Funny Things You Notice in France) (April 2024)
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