Day 3345 (Wednesday) 5th August 2026 

This is the Russian Orthodox church in Nice

and this is Saint-Jean.

 

Here are the rest of the interesting facts about France…

16. April Fool’s is not celebrated with pranks in France

Instead of being met with pranks for April Fool’s in France, we celebrate by sticking a fish to your back. 

Why? Well, supposedly this tradition started when King Charles IX changed the start of the new year from 1st April to 1st January in 1564. Old habits die hard, and people did not immediately adjust to the change and, seeing as the end and New Year period is surrounded by gift giving, continued to give each other gifts around the 1st of April.

But as the change started to stick, these gifts evolved into jokes and often food items, the most common being fish. Nowadays, it’s mostly children who will stick paper fishes to people’s backs in a cute and jokey tradition.

17. The rail network in France is the second largest in Europe and the ninth largest in the world.

France’s public transport system is generally well regarded, and with a rail network that spans 29,000km it’s pretty easy to get around. France was one of the first countries in the world to use high-speed train technology and the state owned SNCF (France’s national rail society) introduced the high-speed rail in 1981. Train trips from Paris to the French Riviera are a total breeze.

Image source:Antoine Schibler / unsplash

18. France has laws protecting French music

France is a very proud country with a rich and deep culture and history. So proud, in fact, that laws were instated in 1994 to protect and promote French language and culture. How does this law work? Well, it states that 40% of music played on the radio must be French-language music. 

Interestingly, this law doesn’t include French-language cinema or literature or other forms of media – but perhaps it will in the future? 

19. The Tour de France is over 100 years old

Of course France made headlines with the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the country’s biggest crowd-attracting event is the Tour de France. What is now known as the world’s biggest cycle race was started over 100 years ago in 1903 when 60 cyclists took the long route around l’Hexagone. Now, the race hosts around 200 riders on a 23-day circuit of over 3,500km.

Image source:Árni Svanur Daníelsson / unsplash

20. French was the official language of England for a while.

Though France and England’s shared history has been rocky at best, French, specifically Old French, was the official language of England from 1066 to the end of the 14th century. This was during the time after the Norman Conquest, and French was considered to be the language of the elite. It was used in law, literature, administration and politics, so if you wanted to get ahead learning it was essential.

This fact is why many words exist in the English language today like ‘chamber’ which comes from ‘chambre’. French was ousted as England’s official language during the Hundred Years’ War when English nationalism was on the rise. 

21. France has both a President and a Prime Minister

When you consider all the political turmoil France has been through it makes sense that the country sought out a very effective and just political system. Which is why we have a President and a Prime Minister.

The President is elected by the people, and once they are elected, they appoint a Prime Minister. How this works is that the President is considered the head of state and they control foreign policy and defense, whereas the Prime Minister is the head of government and has control over domestic policy and day-to-day governing. 

Interestingly, France has had many forms of government ranging from monarchy to democracy, various republics, and even, very briefly, an empire when Napoleon Bonaparte declared himself emperor. 

Image source:Stephanie Klepacki / unsplash

22. Food waste is illegal in France.

On a more sustainable note, France was the first country in the world to make it illegal for supermarkets from throwing away or destroying unsold food. Instead, supermarkets must donate perfectly good food that has not reached its expiry date to foodbanks and charities. Any supermarket caught not doing this would face a fine of up to €75,000.

This is a massive step in reducing food waste across the country, as well as reducing famine. 

23. The Louvre is the biggest museum in the world

Undoubtedly one of the best museums in Paris, The Louvre is also the biggest museum in the world. It has 73,000 square metres of space, and it’s filled with around 38,000 pieces of artwork spanning the ages. It’s of course home to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and the museum attracted 8.7 million visitors in 2024.

24. Why is the French national anthem called ‘La Marseillaise’ and not ‘La Parisienne’?

La Marseillaise is France’s national anthem which was made popular during the time of the French Revolution. The song’s lyrics are rather brutal, though it inspires a call to arms and a rejection of tyranny, and it links together war, citizenship, and nationalism in a powerful way. Though the lyrics are bloody, it is ultimately a song about France’s people, rather than the aristocracy of people in power, and, just like this historical period, La Marseillaise is a chant of defiance, and represents France quite well.

But, why is it called La Marseillaise? Because it was sung by troops from Marseille as they marched towards Paris. 

25. France has the most châteaux in the world

Does this fact come as any surprise? Though France did violently reject the monarchy at one point, much of its history was defined by kings and queens and regal affairs. When you think of Paris you might think of the Eiffel Tower, but you may also think of Versailles – the palace of the Sun King, gold and brilliant in his image. 

France is home to an estimated 45,000 châteaux and fortresses, some of which are still beautifully preserved today, and others which need some care. Visiting châteaux is one of the best reasons to visit France, and you can see the absolutely jaw-dropping Château de Chambord.