$Unique_ID{COW01357} $Pretitle{416} $Title{France Cultural Information} $Subtitle{} $Author{French Embassy, Washington DC} $Affiliation{French Embassy, Washington DC} $Subject{french day france legal holiday language sports de century first} $Date{1991} $Log{Castle in Southern France*0135701.scf } Country: France Book: Fact Sheets on France Author: French Embassy, Washington DC Affiliation: French Embassy, Washington DC Date: 1991 Cultural Information [See Castle in Southern France: Courtesy French Information Service, New York.] The French Language French is the mother tongue or the official language of over 300 million people throughout the world (264 million in 1975). It is an official language in most international organizations and, as such, has been selected by more than one third of the delegations to the United Nations and half of the member countries of UNESCO. It is the only official language of the International Court of Justice, the Universal Postal Union and the International Diplomatic Academy. Historical Survey French derives from Celtic and Latin. In the course of centuries, it has been enriched by words from local dialects or of foreign origin. At the turn of the 9th century it had become the spoken language of most Gauls (Latin remained the written language of Europe still) but by the 13th century literary and historical works were being written in French. With the end of the 16th century, however, French was firmly established as the language of all cultivated people. It was spoken in the royal courts and by writers and artists in Russia, Germany, Italy, etc. In 1714, it became the universal language of diplomacy, a role it was to retain until World War I, when English came to share the position. The spread of the French language abroad began with William's conquest of England in the 11th century; it remained the language of the English Court and Parliament until the 15th century and was used in legal courts up to the 18th century. In later years missionaries and soldiers, writers and traders, explorers and settlers took the language to the four corners of the earth. The French-Speaking World Outside the French Republic French is the official language of: In Africa - Algeria (with Arabic), Benin, Burundi (with Kirundi), Cameroon (with English), Central African Republic, Congo, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Madagascar (with Malagasy), Mali, Mauritania (with Arabic), Mauritius (with English), Morocco (with Arabic), Niger, Rwanda (with Kinyarwanda), Senegal, Seychelles (with English), Tchad, Togo, Tunisia (with Arabic), Zaire (with six local tongues). In the Americas - Canada (with English), Louisiana (with English), Haiti. In Asia and the South Pacific - Cambodia (with Khmer), Laos (with Laotian), Lebanon (with Arabic), Pondicherry (with Tamil), Vietnam, Vanuatu (with English). In Europe - Andorra (with Catalan), Belgium (with Flemish), Luxembourg, Monaco and Switzerland (with German and Italian). It is also spoken in the Caribbean islands of Dominica, Grenada, Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, in some parts of New England, California, Idaho and Oregon, in the Italian province of Aosta and in the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey. Main Francophone Organizations The AGENCE DE COOPERATION CULTURELLE ET TECHNIQUE is an international organization, created in 1970 and grouping 28 states. Its aim is to encourage cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology. A conference in which the ministers of culture of each member country participate is held annually. The HAUT COMITE DE LA LANGUE FRANCAISE is a French public organization established in 1966 to protect and promote the language. The ALLIANCE FRANCAISE is a private organization founded in 1883 to promote French language and civilization. The Alliance does so through conferences, symposiums, libraries and courses. There are approximately 600 centers throughout the world with more than 260,000 students. French Cultural Centers, Institutes and Schools Abroad The French government maintains a world-wide network of 124 Institutes and Cultural Centers (plus 38 branches) and 19 Documentation Centers in 61 countries. Some 140,000 people follow courses given in these establishments. In addition, French education is given to over 110,000 youngsters throughout the world in 117 high schools belonging to the French government, 35 high schools partly owned by the French government and run either by local or French associations, and 113 schools run by parents associations. Most of the staff in these establishments are sent out from France. There are also thousands of French men and women teaching their language in non-French-speaking schools in practically every country of the world. French Newspapers and Magazines Well over 8,000 newspapers and periodicals were published in France in 1982. Between 800 and 850 more are printed in French in various foreign countries. December 1982 French Cuisine History The French love for food is apparently nothing new. The Gauls supposedly shocked the Romans by their hearty appetites. Their dishes were anything but refined, consisting mainly of boiled meats and vegetables, their national dish being whole wild boar stuffed with garlic and roasted on a spit. Yet the Romans did enjoy such Gallic delicacies as snails and foie gras. The first recognizable gourmet in the history of French cuisine was the Emperor Charlemagne (742-814), whose court marked holidays with gargantuan feasts of roasted animals and peacock pies. Incidentally, he was the first to allow women to sit at the court dinner table. War, uncertain harvests and poor transportation meant that food was far less abundant outside the palace walls and it was not until the 12th century that markets became well stocked in fresh fish, meat, bread, etc., together with rice and oriental spices brought back by knights returning from the Crusades. The Middle Ages also saw the publication of the first French cookbooks as well as a satire by the monk Rabelais on ecclesiastical eating habits and medieval gluttony. In 1553 the first public eating houses were opened in Paris, serving such specialties as minced dormouse and porpoise pie. In the same year, Catherine de Medicis arrived in France from Florence, bringing with her Italian cooks skilled in the preparation of "sophisticated" foods, including ice cream, soon to become a French favorite. In 1669, during the reign of Louis XIV, coffee was introduced into France and the first public cafes were opened. Madame de Maintenon, one of the king's favorites, established a school for the orphaned daughters of distinguished soldiers. Those who completed the course with distinction were awarded a blue ribbon, the Cordon Bleu, which soon came to signify that the wearer was an excellent cook. By the 18th century lavish and elegant banquets were a feature of Paris society. Foreign foods and drinks were beginning to be introduced, among them caviar and punch. The first real restaurants were opened and by the end of the century there were over 500 throughout Paris. The years following the French Revolution marked the beginning of a century of technical progress. In 1795 Francois Appert devised a method of preserving food in jars, thus giving birth to the canning industry. Louis Pasteur discovered "pasteurization" (1865), a process for preserving liquids, particularly milk and wine. A few years later Charles Tellier invented the refrigeration system (1868-1869). At the turn of the 20th century French cuisine was at its height of perfection and extravagance. This lasted only until World War I when it was no longer feasible for restaurants to mount the magnificent gastronomic displays to which their prosperous clientele was accustomed. A feature of cooking in France today is Nouvelle Cuisine which is lighter than traditional gourmet preparations. "Fast-food" has also swept the country and Parisians are frequently seen snacking at the numerous "croissanteries" that have sprung up in the capital. The food is frozen and baked on the premises and includes puff pastries, brioches and croissants (a flaky crescent-shaped breakfast roll); crepes, a thin pancake with cheese, meat, vegetable or sweet fillings. The most recent addition to the "fast-food' craze is the Panka, frozen beef Bourguignon or chicken curry encased in break and sold in vending machines. Four French Gourmets Vatel (1635-1671) Celebrated maitre d'hotel for the Prince de Conde whose banquets were a legend in his time. The great pride Vatel took in his work is illustrated by his ironic suicide triggered by a lavish dinner party in honor of King Louis XIV. When Vatel learned that the fish he ordered had not arrived he felt he had lost his honor and drove a sword through his body. The Vatel Club was founded in New York in 1913 to promote French cuisine. Marie Antoine Careme (1784-1833) At the age of ten, Careme was encouraged by his father to apprentice himself to a chef; he went on to become principal cook to Talleyrand, Napoleon's Prime Minister. Careme's second interest was architecture and he used to make pastry models of entire villages or castles. Often called the "cook of kings" as well as the "king of cooks," Careme was employed by such notables as King George IV of England and the emperors of Russia and Austria. Auguste Escoffier (1847-1935) The "high priest of culinary arts," Escoffier spent most of his career in London. Like Careme, he began work at a very early age and considered cooking to be a branch of art. His pastries were done in the sculpturesque Careme style and he was responsible for highly ornamental dishes. He often named his dishes after women; Peach Melba for example, was named in honor of the singer Nelly Melba, who adored ice cream. Escoffier is remembered for his dislike of complicated, expensive recipes and his preference for short, simple menus. Curnonsky (1872-1956) A successful food and wine columnist, Curnonsky was named "prince of French gastronomes" in 1927. A year later he founded a 40-member Gastronomic Academy in an attempt to maintain the tradition of French cuisine. Throughout his career he attended more than 4,000 banquets and at one time weighed close to 300 pounds. He preferred simple, regional dishes and wrote a series of books on good food. Many Parisian restaurants have a brass plaque indicating that the establishment had received "Cur's" approval. Daily Meny of a French Family A typical French meal involves the matching of the best food and wine. Breakfast and dinner are usually small, lunch being the main meal of the day. At about four o'clock children sometimes snack on bread and chocolate. Petit Dejeuner (breakfast): Cafe au lait (coffee with hot milk) -- children usually have hot chocolate; tartines de beurre (slices of bread with butter) or croissants and brioches. Dejeuner (lunch): Appetizers followed by meat or fish and vegetables; a green salad (usually with a vinegar and oil dressing seasoned with salt and pepper); cheese; dessert consisting of pastry or stewed or fresh fruit; cafe noir (demitasse of strong black coffee). Wine is usually served. Diner (Dinner): Soup followed by a light main course and vegetables; a green salad; cheese followed by dessert. Wine is usually served. Culinary Terminology and French Foods A la vapeur - steamed Au gratin - topped with melted cheese Au lait - with milk Baguette - long loaf of bread with crisp crust Boeuf Bourguignon - beef stew cooked in red wine Bouilli - boiled Bouillabaisse - fish stew served with bread Brie - soft cheese with a white edible rind Camembert - soft cheese from Normandy Coq au Vin - chicken cooked with vegetables and red wine Coquilles St. Jacques - scallops prepared in a butter sauce and served in shell Fines herbes - mixture of herbs (chives, parsley, tarragon and thyme) Fricassee - braised meats or poultry Grille - grilled or broiled Hache - chopped Julienne - match-like strips of vegetables Pate - finely ground mixture of meat and spices served cold Vichyssoise - cream soup of pureed potatoes, chicken stock and leeks, served cold Vinaigrette - salad dressing made of oil, vinegar and mustard Traditional Christmas Dinner Menu Oysters on the shell Foie gras Turkey with chestnut stuffing Green salad Buche de Noel (chocolate-covered cake in the form of a yule log) Champagne Chestnut Stuffing (for a small turkey or goose) 1 lb. chestnuts 2 tbs. butter 1/4 lb. sausage meat 1/4 lb. chopped veal 3 shallots, finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced Dash of cognac Salt, pepper, and thyme or sage Remove outer shell of chestnuts and cook in boiling salted water for about 20 minutes or until inner shell starts to come off. Cool, peel and mash. Melt butter in a skillet and brown meats, shallots and garlic (you can add the liver and heart, finely chopped, if you wish). Drain grease. Combine meat mixture with the chestnuts, add a dash of cognac and season to taste with salt, pepper, and thyme or sage. Place in cavity of the turkey or goose. December 1982 French Holidays The French people celebrate a number of holidays in the course of the year, some religious, some historic, some national, some local. On all legal holidays, workers are entitled to a day off with pay. Listed below are the holidays observed throughout the country. NEW YEAR'S DAY (Premier de l'An): January 1st, New Year's Day, has been a legal holiday since 1810. The festivities begin on the evening of December 31st, and continue through the night with a gala New Year's Eve supper. On the stroke of midnight, family and friends greet and kiss one another under the mistletoe and exchange small gifts. EPIPHANY (La Fete des Rois): January 6th, Epiphany, not a legal holiday, commemorates the day the Three Magi arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for the Christ Child. The "Galette des Rois," a round puff pastry containing a hidden charm, is served to guests. The person who finds the charm is proclaimed King and must choose his Queen for the evening, or vice-versa. CANDLEMAS (La Chandeleur): February 2nd, Candlemas, not a legal holiday, has a religious origin and is celebrated by practicing Catholics with mass and processions with blessed candles. Families traditionally eat crepes on this day with each member preparing and flipping a crepe while holding a coin. According to ancient belief, this assures happiness and wealth until the next Candlemas. SHROVE TUESDAY (Mardi Gras): Shrove Tuesday, the day before the beginning of Lent, is not a legal holiday. In France it is traditional to eat a large meal, including crepes and waffles, before the 40-day penance of Lent. Among the celebrations is a parade of giant cardboard figures and flowered floats. At the end of the day, the effigy of Carnival (a grotesque doll figure representing Evil) is burned. EASTER SUNDAY; EASTER MONDAY (Paques & Lundi de paques): Both days are legal holidays. Easter is a religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Christ. Children go out on a hunt for Easter eggs supposedly brought back by church bells returning from Rome. LABOR DAY (Le Premier Mai): This legal holiday, known as Labor Day since 1947, is celebrated on May 1st with parades of workers in the streets. The holiday was originally a pagan festival to welcome the return of spring. People still give little sprigs of lily-of-the-valley to their loved ones. MAY 8TH (Le Huit Mai): May 8th, Liberation Day, is the legal holiday marking the end of World War II. Wreaths are placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in towns and cities throughout France. ASCENSION THURSDAY (Ascension): This legal holiday, celebrated 40 days after Easter, commemorates the ascension of Christ into heaven. PENTECOST SUNDAY; PENTECOST MONDAY (Pentecote & Le Lundi de Pentecote): These legal holidays, observed the 7th Sunday and following Monday after Easter, celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. MOTHER'S DAY (La Fete des Meres): Mother's Day, not a legal holiday, is celebrated on the last Sunday of May. FATHER'S DAY (La Fete des Peres): Father's Day, likewise not a legal holiday, is observed on the third Sunday in June. BASTILLE DAY (La Fete Nationale): July 14th, France's National Day and a legal holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille (symbol of absolute power) on July 14, 1789, by the people of Paris. The celebrations include parades throughout the day, elaborate firework displays at night and dancing in the streets. ASSUMPTION DAY (L'Assomption): This legal holiday, observed on August 15th, marks the elevation of the Virgin Mary (France's patron saint since 1638, so declared by Louis XIII) into heaven. ALL SAINTS DAY (La Toussaint): November 1st, All Saints Day, is a legal holiday commemorating the saints. It is followed by All Souls Day on November 2nd when families pray for their dead and place flowers on their graves. ARMISTICE DAY (Le Onze Novembre): November 11th, Armistice Day, has been a legal holiday since 1921 and commemorates the signing of the armistice at the end of World War I. CHRISTMAS (Noel): December 25th, Christmas, is a legal holiday. On Christmas Eve, the tree is decorated. This custom originated in Alsace in 1605 and symbolizes the tree in the Garden of Eden. There is a late gala supper, "le reveillon," and people go to midnight mass. Children place their shoes in front of the fireplace hoping that "le Pere Noel" (Santa Claus) will fill them with gifts to be discovered the next morning. There are many different local customs; for example, in the Alps, there are torchlight processions on skis at midnight, and in Provence, songfests and "santons" or little handmade clay figures decorating the mangers. January 1989 Sports in France An estimated 16 million French people, out of a total population of 56 million, practice one or more sports regularly. More men go in for sports than women--34.4% to 22.5%. The French government has long sought to encourage people to take an interest in sport and, since 1958, the country has always had a minister responsible for developing sports and sports facilities. Sports are obviously an important part of school programs although academic studies come first. "Classes de neige" (classes in the mountains), "classes de mer" (at the shore), and "classes vertes" (in the country) are organized by national and local authorities so that city children (120,000 in 1984) can benefit from fresh air for a few weeks, dividing their time between classes and sports. The scout movement has many followers, many young people go to summer camps, and 60% of those under 18 participate in sports. The diversity of the French landscape and climate encourages the practice of different sports and with the exception of such national sports as cricket or baseball, the French appreciate all sports. There are about 150,000 sports clubs in France, numbering a total of more than 11 million members. The favorite sport by far is soccer. "Le Foot," as it is popularly called, is to the French what baseball is to Americans. The first soccer club was founded in France in 1872. Today there are more than 22,000 with a combined membership of 1,700,000. Next in popularity is skiing. Although there are only 2,400 clubs with about 700,000 members, the number of people who ski is close to 5 million. With skiing in the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Vosges and the Massif Central, France has the largest ski terrain of Europe--over 700 square miles--with 500 ski resorts and 3,500 ski-lifts. Third in popularity is tennis and, as in the case of skiing, the number of people who play continues to grow: from 1,410 clubs in 1950 the number jumped to 4,822 in 1980, 7,200 in 1983, 9,000 in 1985, and 9,300 in 1986; at the same time, club membership went from 53,000 to 1,400,000 and today stands at about 2,500,000. The Roland Garros Tournament is the best known but France holds more than 3,000 international tennis tournaments each year. France has almost 3,400 miles of coastline, hundreds of lakes and rivers, and public swimming pools in almost every town so water sports are practiced all year long. Two sports that are increasingly popular are wind-surfing and underwater fishing. Almost all French people know how to ride a bicycle and this too is a popular activity. Every year the three-week Tour de France, a cycling race over 3,000 miles long, is followed by an enthusiastic public. The first automobile race in France was held in 1894 between Paris and Rouen at the then remarkable speed of 11 miles an hour. Today, the 24-hour Le Mans race, founded in 1924, is an international event that each year draws the world's finest drivers. The speed record was set in 1987 at just over 236 miles an hour. In a general way, there has been a marked increase in all age-brackets in the French public's interest in sports. The Olympic Games were revived in 1896 on the initiative of a Frenchman, Pierre de Coubertin, in the hope of promoting better international understanding. Since then the Olympic Games have been held in France several times: the summer games in Paris in 1900 and 1924, the winter games at Chamonix in 1924 and Grenoble in 1968, and they are to be held at Albertville in 1992. From 1896 to the present, France has won 503 medals--154 gold, 169 silver and 180 bronze (including those won at Seoul in 1988). January 1989