France is one of the countries that receives the most tourism year after year, not to say that it is the most visited, receiving more than 80 million tourists each year. Why? Because Paris has an unrivaled appeal, largely because of the Eiffel Tower, which is one of the most famous landmarks on the planet. There are other regions that are also worth visiting (I recommend the article we published on the 10 most beautiful cities in France ), such as the route of the castles of the Loire or the CĂ´te d’Azur.
All that is already known, but what I’m going to tell you now will probably take 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 sound familiar to you? 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, since there are about 30,000 . There are so many that it is said that there are more than half of those in the whole world.
Car license plates
We could say that it is a French invention, since the first ones that were 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 homing pigeons
His army still does not forget the homing pigeons, and the poor now dedicate themselves to other tasks. They keep them in case communications fail one day.
A motto that will sound familiar to you
The motto of France, Liberté, égalité, fraternité , was first heard during the French Revolution (1789-1799) and is present today on coins and stamps.
Sleepers
Although naps are not the style in these parts, the French usually sleep an average of 9 hours a day, so it is estimated that it is the highest average of all developed countries.
The highest point
The Eiffel Tower is the highest point in France. It is in Paris and is 324 meters high if we take into account 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 from it.
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 illegal between 1748 and 1772, since it was believed that they were the culprits of contracting leprosy.
The French reigned in England
It seems incredible, but in England French was spoken for almost 300 years. It became the official language when William the Conqueror was victorious at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Cheese specialists
Nobody can say that in France there are no cheeses to choose from. There are more than 400 different varieties ! Normal that 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 flag of France. Before the French Revolution, it was white and during the Restoration the only color was used again, but when the monarchy fell in 1830, the flag that continues to fly today began to fly.
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