Are you looking for a destination with an essence of romance with mesmerizing architecture that can leave you bewitched? Then, France is the ideal place for you. If you are a travel freak, then you must have considered visiting this charming place at least once in your life. France never fails to amaze our eyes with its exciting and enchanting beauty. It’s an ideal place for anyone who has an interest in architecture.
There are a ton of things that you can explore. France also has some fascinating facts which will certainly grab your interest. Before going on a trip to France or any other place, it is very beneficial to know some essential facts. Fantastic place encompassing a vast and exciting history. Therefore, it is fascinating to learn about some of the unique and interesting facts about this place. In this article, we have presented various amusing facts about France which will surely leave you astonished. So, keep reading to instil some fantastic facts about France.
Interesting facts about France
Smallest reign of a king – Can you guess what might be the minor period of a king’s reign? Well, it was only 20 minutes! It is a crazy fact about France, which is known to very few people. King Louis XIX was the king of France for 20 minutes, after which he was abducted.
Guillotine – The execution was taken very seriously here. Therefore, they had this dangerous machine for performance. According to some sources, this method of execution reduced the crime rates. However, it was still a cruel way of punishing. Even sometimes, the people were wrongly accused and executed. Therefore, this method of execution got abolished in 1981. A guillotine is a device having a tall frame with a blade on top. The death penalty by guillotine was very brutal.
Inventor of Public transport – We all enjoy the comfort and safety of public transports. Moreover, they are way cheaper and easier to get. You may wonder where the system of public transport was invented. Well, it was none other than France. It was created by Blaise Pascal in the 1660s to smoothen transportation.
Largest producer of wine – Are you a wine lover? Then, it is one of the best places to visit. It is one of the most interesting facts for France. It produces about 50 billion hectoliters of wine and that too every year. Do not forget to taste the delicious wine.
Unity – This is a very united country. They have presented many examples of their unity among the people. For instance, at the time of world war, the Muslims residing in Paris saved the French Jews.
Home to healthier people – It is very popular for the excellent health rate of the people. The obesity rates in France are the lowest in Europe. It is a remarkable achievement for a developed country. There is only one obese person among ten obese people.
Known as the hexagon country – Imagine visiting France without knowing the interesting facts of France that is known as the hexagon country. France is one of the largest countries in Europe, standing at the position of the third-largest country in Europe. The boundaries of the country roughly resemble the shape of a hexagon. It is mainly due to the six distinct curves on the borderlines. This is the reason why it is called the hexagon country.
Most populated tourist place – As mentioned earlier, it is one of the most widely visited tourist places. The country’s capital, which is Paris, is the third most visited in the whole world. This gives us an idea of its popularity among homophiles and tourists.
French was the official language of England – It often comes as a shock and a bit hard to digest that French was the official language of England. Surprisingly, it was not a short period. French was the official language of England for 300 years.
Inventor of wedding dress – We see beautiful brides in a pretty white wedding gown walking down the aisle now and then. It is a dream of every girl to wear this beautiful wedding dress at their wedding. But do you know from where this system was developed? Yes, it was a tradition which originated in France and from there on it was accepted by many other countries, and this tradition became very famous. The tradition of wearing a white wedding gown originally started in the year 1500. However, it was the marriage of Queen Victoria which popularized this tradition even further.
Ticket for pet snails! – Here is one interesting fact in France. Many people love to keep snails as their pets. However, when you are travelling in France, you have to book tickets for your snail friends. If there is no booking of a ticket for snails, it can also lead to a penalty and fine. Any smaller pets below 5 Kg of weight require a full ticket. Now, imagine taking your snail pets to France without knowing this fact.
Most visited museum – If you are interested in France, you must have heard about the famous museum Louvre. It is one of the most famous museums situated in France. It resides in the capital of the city, Paris. Louvre Museum is the most visited museum globally, with around 9.6 million visitors in a year. It is a place with various pieces of art and artefacts which unfold many interesting facts in France. The famous painting of the Mona Lisa is also present in this museum. If you are a lover of artefacts, then this place is a must on your bucket list.
First artificial heart transplant – France is well-known for its artefacts, architecture and romantic places to visit. However, there is much more to know about France. It is not only a place with a wide diversity of art but also a place with people having immense knowledge and speciality in science and technology. One such example is the heart transplant. Heart transplants have brought an unimaginable revolution to human kind.
However, it is not always possible to have a human donor. Therefore, it led to the discovery of the artificial heart. The first artificial heart transplant took place in France in the year of 2013. A lithium-ion battery powers the artificial heart, and it imitates the actual contractions of the heart. This had proved to be a medical milestone for humankind.
First to perform a face transplant – There are several medical cases where people lose the shape of their faces. Many car accidents, acid attacks, bomb blasts or tumours lead to a de-structured look. Sometimes it becomes vital to rebuilding someone’s face. This is done by taking the face of another person who wants to donate their face. This is also a revolutionary step in medical science. French surgeons performed the first face transplant in the world. This has led to many advancements in this field.
Marriage to a dead person – This might seem like a weird facts about France. However unreal it may sound but it is accurate in France. You can marry a dead person in France, but there are also some rules bound to it. First of all, you must prove that the person wanted to marry you before their death. Then the president must grant permission to the marriage. It may seem a bit weird, but there have been several marriage cases to a dead person in France. This is also written under French law; therefore, it is entirely legal in France.
They love sleeping – Sleep is crucial to keep us going in our daily life. However, in our busy lives, we often tend to remain sleep-deprived. But this is not the case in France. The average sleep time for a person in developing or developed countries is around 5-6 hours. However, the French citizens enjoy an average sleep time of about 8-9 hours. Isn’t it amazing?
Snails are their favourite cuisine – French is well-known for its cuisines. One of the major parts of French citizens’ daily diet is the snail. The people in France consume about 30,000-40,000 snails in a year. So, next time you see a snail on your table in France, definitely taste it.
Longest book in the world – “la recherché du temps perdu” or “Remembrance of things in the past” has 3,000 pages. This book was written in France by a French writer Marcel Proust.
Most time zones in the world – The cities in France are widespread. As a result, there are different time zones in different parts of the country. The Part of France or the mainland of it residing in Europe has its time zone. However, there are other 12 time zones followed in different territories of the country. It is one of the most interesting facts for France. Next time you check your watch, make sure you remember the time zone.
Cheese love – Well-known for its cheese. They make about 1 billion tonnes of high-quality cheese with about 1000 different varieties. One famous cheese is the Roquefort cheese which is made of ripened sheep milk using a particular type of fungi. So, if you visit France, do not forget to take a bite of their cheese. The taste will leave you wanting more.
Women were not allowed to wear pants – We have come across many weird laws in France. It is one of them. Women were not allowed to wear pants in France and were charged with fine wearing pants. This law was still applicable recently up to the year 2013.
Dual meaning of word “salut.” – French is given the title of sweetest language in the world. However, some of the words can be often confusing. One such example is “salut”. This word indicates both hello and goodbye while greeting a person. Therefore, whenever you meet a French person, don’t get confused by the same greeting while saying hello and saying goodbye.
The highest number of Noble prizes – The rich and wide diversity of French literature is well-known. This has helped to win the most number of noble prizes in the field of literature by France. They have 17 Nobel prizes in the field of literature.
Cost of coffee based on your courtesy – There is a famous coffee shop in Grenoble which serves amazing coffee. But the price of the coffee depends on how you treat the waiters while giving orders. Note down these interesting facts in france¸ so that next time you don’t forget to show courtesy in France.
Potatoes were illegal once! – Yes, you heard that right. Potatoes were once illegal in France between 1748-1772 because they believed that Potatoes caused leprosy. Moreover, they thought that potatoes might be poisonous.
Conclusion
No doubt one of the best places to visit and explore. The place is a cocktail showing amazing architecture blending with its rich literature. The advancements in science and technology are also significant as most of our greatest inventors are French. Whether it’s the museum, the new bridge, the castles or the libraries, nothing will fail to impress you.
This place is a magnetic place for food lovers, and you can try lots of delicious cuisines and fantastic wine. Do not forget to taste the great cheese and pet the pretty snails. The interesting facts France must have increased your desire to explore this amazing place. So, pack your bags and strike off a beautiful place from your bucket list. These are some mind blowing facts about france.
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