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| Official Name: |
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République Française |
| Capital City: |
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Paris (Population 9,8 million) |
| Main Cities: |
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Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Toulouse, Bordeaux |
| Area: |
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210,026 sq. miles (543,965 sq. km) |
| Currency: |
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Euro |
| Language: |
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French |
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“ Douce France
Cher pays de mon enfance” |
«Gentle France, dear country of my childhood ». So sang the French crooner Charles Trenet in 1943. Sixty years on, and gentle charms of France continues to enchant.
France is the largest country in West Europe after Russia. In spite of a population of 59 millions, it feels less crowded than other European countries. Seventy-five per cent of the population live in the major cities, but 25 percent still live in the country, and regional culture is very strong.
Geographically, France extends from the rolling plains of the north and east, and the high plateau in the Massif Central, to the hilly south and the Mediterranean paradise of the Côte d'Azur; from the mountain ranges of the Jura and the Alps in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and the Pyrenees in the southwest. It is hexagonal in shape. “ L’Hexagone ”, “La France métropolitaine ”, and “La Métropole ” are three ways in which French people refer to their country to disguish it from the overseas Départements d’Outre Mer (TOM) or the Territoires d’Outre Mer (TOM).
The four DOM are Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and l’Isle de la Réunion. The TOM are Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and French Pulynesia in the Pacific, the French Antartic territories and St. Pierre et Miquelon off the coast of Canada. These bear testimony to the variety and diversity of France’s former overseas empire. Nearly two million live elsewhere in Europe and half a million in the United States.
Within metropolitan France itself live some four million foreign nationals, of whom 1,5 million are European Union nationals. France accounts for 16 percent of the total population of the European Union.
The main cities are Paris, the capital, in the north, and Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Toulouse and Bordeaux.
France is blessed overall with a temperate climate, but because of its size and topography there are variations between the extreme summer heat on the Mediterranean in the southeast in winter. Basically, there are three types of climate: oceanic in the west, where France borders the Atlantic Ocean; continental in the east and in the interior of the country and in Paris; and Mediterranean in the south. In the North and west temperatures don’t vary enormously, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. The weather is mild in winter, but in summer can be unbearably hot and dry. The best travelling months are May, June, September, and October.
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 French style
The French combine logic wit, flair, and elegance. They enjoy plays on words, rhetoric, and satire rather than practical jokes or “belly laughs,” and if you watch a talk show on French TV ou will be impressed by the speed of reaction and by the witty observations made by contributors. Humour in business meetings is, on the whole, not expected.
For the French, style and flair in presentation including self-presentation, is important. The French hate being bored. They enjoy a good argument, and will take the other side just for the hell of it. They need to feel intellectual validity in everything they do, and if their attention is not engaged they will actively show they are distracted, begin min-conversations, talk on their cellphones, or get up and leave a meeting. The pre-eminent manifestation of French style is food and fashion. Haute couture and its attendants, perfume, make-up, and accessories are not just a major industry but have iconic status. In France it is important, especially for women, to be properly coiffed and properly dressed, and you will find, if you live or work regularly in France, that you will be affected by this.
The French are often being criticized for being chauvinistic and distrustful of other nations. On a practical level this is merely self-interest, but for France the very concept of Frenchness and the French-Speaking world (la Francophonie) is important. This does not mean that France is closed to outside influences. On the contrary, France has eagerly imported novelty from all over the world. Despite its tradition of central and unitary government, France has retained strong regional culture, with great variations in food, wine, sport, and ways of living. Many of the French people you meet will identify more with their native region, such as Brittany, Lot-et-Garonne or Alsace, than the national French culture typified by Paris.
Regional languages are still spoken in parts of France. Some 21 percent of French people claims to speak a regional language and 14 percent fairly well. In school it is important to learn, to speak French properly, and especially to write it. French is much formal than its equivalent in the U.S.A or the U.K., with a focus on correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation rather than on free expression.
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The French work hard during the week, but weekends are the time for family, culture, and relaxation, and an opportunity to see friends, just hang out, and talk.
The French like to enjoy themselves, and shopping in France approaches an art form. There are increasing numbers of supermarkets and hypermarkets, but even these sell fresh local produce and there are many small specialty shops.
The markets are as important as the shops. They rotate around towns and villages. Fresh produce is important for the French, and the opportunity to pick up fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and cheese direct from local farmers is value.
A prime French concern is appreciation for the preparation and enjoyment of food and wine. It will not have escaped you notice that France regards itself as the world’s centre of fine cuisine. The appreciation of fine wine and good food is something that French children are brought up with, and that occupies a lot of time.
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 The above extract is kindly provided by Culture Smart! the essential guide to customs & culture. The 168-page guide retails at £6.95 + P&P and is available directly from Kuperard, the publishers of Culture Smart! guides.
CultureSmart!Consulting in conjunction with Cactus Language Training creates tailor-made seminars and consultancy programs to meet a wide range of corporate, public sector, and individual needs. Find out more at www.cactuslanguagetraining.com.
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