French traditions. Customs and traditions of France. Easter traditions in France

During the Middle Ages, the population of France was divided into regions in which separate nationalities lived: Picards, Gascons and others. The people were also divided at the linguistic level - into those who spoke the Lang d'oil languages ​​and the Lang d'ok languages.

Despite the fact that both languages ​​originate in the times of Roman Gaul, the people still preferred isolation.

The northern regions of France were inhabited by Gauls, Romans and Germans. The center and the West belonged to the Gauls and Romans. The Romans were most common in the south, but Gauls and Greeks also lived.

Only after France was centralized did its entire population begin to be called French.

The mixing of tribes most affected the Basques, German Alsatians, Jews, Lorraine and Flemings. The Italians, Spaniards and Poles also came under the influence of the united France.

Peoples inhabiting France

France is a fairly homogeneous country; almost all its inhabitants are native French. But still, since historical times, it has been divided into racial groups - Mediterranean, Central European and Northern European.

Representatives of the first group are short, thin, have dark hair and brown eyes.

The Central European group is represented by a short population with a fairly strong physique and light brown hair.

And the Northern European population is distinguished by its tall stature, large build and light hair, skin and eyes.

The official language is French, and only a few ethnic groups speak other languages ​​and dialects.

Such minorities are: Bretons, Alsatians, Flemings, Corsicans, Basques, Catalans.

These peoples speak their native languages ​​- Alsatians in Alsatian, Bretons in Breton, Corsicans in Corsican and so on.

Such groups try to preserve everything that their ancestors passed on to them, so they teach the language and traditions of their descendants. But that doesn't mean these people don't know French. They use it when studying, at work, and in social life.

Among the representatives of foreign countries in France you can meet the Portuguese, Spaniards, Italians, Moroccans and Tunisians.

Culture and life of the peoples of France

French houses are most often rented. To buy your own property, you need to earn well and for a long time. There are not so many private houses in France; most often people live in apartments. The size and condition of the home depends on the financial condition of the owner. But all apartments have one feature - a very small kitchen.

Family is important to the French, as it is to most nationalities. But they have their own peculiarity of upbringing - they raise not a talented individual, but an ideal member of society. A child must understand from childhood what the law and generally accepted norms are. In France, this is how love for children is expressed.

This also applies to education. Every parent considers it necessary to give their child a decent education, which will help him achieve success in the future and have some kind of social status. Therefore, children’s education begins in kindergarten.

The French spend most of their lives at work. But this does not cause them much trouble, because France has a fairly flexible work schedule with a 2-hour lunch break.

People spend evenings with their families or alone. And only on weekends do the French allow themselves to get out of the house and relax with friends.

Traditions and customs of the peoples of France

If we talk about the traditions, customs and habits of the French, it is worth noting that they categorically do not accept English language. They are not accepted to such an extent that even knowing this language, a Frenchman will pretend that he does not understand his interlocutor.

In France, it is customary to apologize for any reason, even if a person simply accidentally touched the hand of another. But no one gives up seats on public transport. This is simply not accepted, just like asking: “Are you leaving at the next one?”

France is a country without a dress code. People can wear jeans and a sweatshirt to a restaurant or to the theater.

Traditional French holidays are: New Year, Christmas, Easter, Labor Day, Victory Day, Bastille Day, All Saints Day and others.

There is also a holiday that is not particularly important, but is still celebrated with all the heart by the French - April 1st. Before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, the New Year was celebrated at the end of March. But with the introduction of the calendar, the holiday was moved to January 1. And since in those days news spread very slowly, some people celebrated the New Year from March 25 to April 1 for several years. This is how April Fools' Day came into being.

The traditions of France are a topic so vast that it is impossible to cover it in one material, because this is a truly great country in historical terms. In addition, the modern French state is multinational, because of this the traditions and customs of France are very numerous. However, despite the vastness of this topic, let's try to understand the basic traditions of the peoples of France.

The national traditions of France were formed under the influence of the development of Western European culture, which has a diverse and rich cultural heritage.

Those cultural traditions of France that we can observe now are a fusion of cultures of different civilizations, among which we can highlight ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Celtic, etc. Also, the culture of the state was influenced by neighboring countries and events that are known to everyone from history books.

France is a recognized world center of art and literature. There is a lot of evidence for this. These are, first of all, paintings by talented French artists from different centuries - Claude Monet, Renoir, Edgar Degas, etc. The French demonstrate their cultural wealth in museums famous around the world - the Orsay Museum, the Picasso Museum, the Louvre, etc.

France's contribution to literature is also enormous. Famous poets and writers are Honore Balzac, Jean-Paul Sartre, Victor Hugo, Molière and others.

There are a large number of unusual and beautiful buildings in France. Each century has left its own mark on French architecture. Here you can see buildings in the style of Italian, Roman, Gothic architecture, etc. The most attractive buildings for tourists: the Palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, etc.

Wedding traditions can be considered very interesting traditions in France. For example, it is very interesting that the bride should under no circumstances be happy that she will soon have a wedding. On the wedding day, according to tradition, she had to cry, refuse to be taken away from home, and just before the wedding she had to even try to escape from under the aisle.

During the wedding feast, the newlyweds should not touch each other, much less kiss. Of course, these traditions are outdated and now newlyweds do not observe them, and after the wedding, they mostly go on a honeymoon.

Family traditions in the country are such that children here are under the strict control of their parents. For example, few of them decide to take some thing or car from the garage without first asking their father or mother about it.

When upbringing, the main attention is paid to the formation of individuality in children and the discovery of existing talents. The French raise their son or daughter, first of all, to be a good family man and a full-fledged citizen of their country.

After children grow up, they almost always remain in close relationships with their parents, often visiting or at least calling them on the phone every week.

Most French residents are real gourmets, and French wine and cheese are famous all over the world.

In different parts of the country, cooking recipes are different. People in different parts of France have one thing in common - meticulousness in preparing food, setting the table and ethics when eating.

For many centuries, French cuisine has been one of the most popular cuisines in the world.

The signature dishes of French chefs are beef Bourguignon, Marseille fish soup, Strasbourg foie gras, etc.

France is a Catholic country, so the main holiday of the country is still Christmas.

The Christmas holidays begin long before December 25th. Already on December 6, St. Nicholas Day, all French children receive long-awaited gifts from the French Father Frost.

At Christmas the whole family gathers either in a restaurant or at home. The main dish for this holiday is goose. It is possible to cook chicken or turkey.

One of the most favorite holidays of the French is New Year's Eve.

New Year in France is a tradition that has been repeated for many years. Every year the country hosts a parade dedicated to the New Year, which attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. For two days on the streets of Paris, a fantastically beautiful show takes place, which ends in the coming year near the famous Eiffel Tower.

The New Year traditions in France, in its southern part, are quite unique. Residents all gather together on the streets of the city and go to the vineyards, lighting their way with torches. At exactly midnight, each of them must eat a bunch of grapes in order to next year became successful and productive.

The first day of the new year has its official name - “Boxing Day”.

Such a major religious holiday as Easter is celebrated throughout the country.

During this holiday, such traditions as visiting church and a festive dinner remain unchanged. According to all canons, there should be the usual sorrel or nettle soup with potatoes on the table; lamb meat and salad are usually served as a side dish. Housewives bake homemade bread. After lunch, as a rule, they treat themselves to chocolate eggs, soufflé or meringues.

Although people of different religions and nationalities live in France, they are united by a common cultural identity, which is distinctive feature French people. Although the opening of borders has its impact on the culture and tradition of France , the citizens of this country successfully manage to preserve them.

Describing the cultural “portrait” of France is a thankless task. The peoples of the entire European continent and North Africa have mixed here, and the process of integration has been going on for several centuries, so many “foreign” traditions have organically woven into the local culture. At the same time, the French ethnos itself has amazing resistance to external influences, preserving its language, traditions and way of life to a noticeably greater extent than many other countries with intensive emigration.

The French sense of national identity is based on ancient history a nation formed by the mixing of Celtic, Gaulish, Roman and Frankish peoples with a strong influence of Anglo-Saxon culture. The name "France" was originally used to designate a territory inhabited by several peoples along the lower Rhine and gradually developed into a common term for the wider land known in Roman times as Gaul. In the Middle Ages, France was already called all the regions that were in the possession of the kingdom of the Franks, which, by the way, was very heterogeneous in composition. Regional principalities and duchies like Provence, Normandy or Brittany for a long time had the broadest autonomy, which was subsequently reflected in the territorial division of the country, in which local residents still prefer to call this or that place by its historical name, and not in accordance with modern administrative -territorial division of the country.

It should be taken into account that each of the historical regions had a rather different ethnic composition of the population, religion and culture from the central regions, which was repeatedly aggravated by wars or mass migrations. Moreover, active migration processes of the 19th-20th centuries further complicated the already complex picture of national identity, which is why today France is one of the few European Union countries in which national question in all its manifestations (including quite painful social aspects). It is not surprising that the issue of the homogeneity of the French nation still causes a lot of controversy and conflicts, although rarely crossing the boundaries of public discussions, but still quite sensitive for the French themselves.

Symbols

France is one of the most symbolic countries on the planet. Each province, town, village, castle, vineyard and even any public association has its own coat of arms, flag, motto and other “aesthetic attributes”. Moreover, they all have serious historical roots and are subject to clear laws of heraldry.

Numerous national symbols are associated with French Revolution(XVIII century), the French flag (tricoleur), the vertical stripes of which have their own interpretation (white is associated with the monarchy, red with the republic, and blue represents Charlemagne, Clovis and other early rulers of the country), La Marseillaise (national anthem since 1946, although it has been used much longer - since July 30, 1792, when the militia of revolutionary Marseille entered Paris) and the famous “Gallic rooster” (le coq gaulois) - the unofficial “logo” of the country since the Renaissance.

Another well-recognized symbol of the country is the female figurine of Marianne - a sign of the republic as a homeland and the personification of the motto “Freedom, equality, brotherhood”. This symbolism can be seen almost everywhere, but the French also have considerable respect for various “local attributes” - coats of arms, flags, and so on.

Family relationships

Thanks to cinema, the life of a French family has become overgrown with many rumors and conventions, of which only one can be considered truly real - local residents, at least in cities, are increasingly disdainful of the institution of family. The average age of marriage for men is 29 years, for women - 27, and it is growing rapidly, both in cities and in the provinces. The number of divorces is also high (almost every third marriage breaks up). "Common law" relationships are becoming more and more common in France, and currently one in three children is born out of wedlock. Local legislation recognizes " civil marriage"on par with the usual, which further contributes to this trend. At the same time, ordinary families here are small - 2-4 people, no more, even in rural areas (the exception is, again, emigrants, although in this environment the trend towards a decrease in the number of children is increasingly more noticeable).

All adults in the family usually work, so the government subsidizes an extensive system of nurseries and kindergartens (ecole maternelle). And at the same time, again contrary to common cliches, the French devote quite a lot of time to their families, and it is customary to spend weekends together, although like most highly developed countries, this tradition is gradually giving way under the pressure of modern life. The French prefer to gather with family at home, and with friends in cafes, but representatives of ethnic groups usually hold all joint events at home.

Contrary to another common cliché about "liberty, equality and fraternity", French women did not have the right to vote until 1945. Until 1964, before the adoption of the Matrimonial Act, French women could not open their own bank account or start a business without their husband's permission, and marriage equality was established only in 1985. But these days, French women have equal political and economic rights with men and actively use this, which gives reason to consider France one of the most emancipated countries in Western Europe.

The French are proud of their social security system, which is considered one of the "most extensive" in the world. The state has developed social legislation and spends huge sums on employment insurance, government funding of training programs, support for maternity, emigration and individual sectors of the economy (in specific terms - third place in Europe after Sweden and Finland, in absolute terms - first), to which should be added generous subsidies to the country's overseas departments and contribution to the activities of the European Union. Maternity leave, for example, starts here six weeks before the birth of the child and lasts for four months after. And the annual paid leave is five weeks (depending on the policy of a particular union, these figures may differ slightly). Therefore, the tax “pressure” on the local production sector and the obvious dominance of the central authorities in many sectors of public life are very noticeable.

Most French people live in medium-sized cities. In the entire country there are only 40 cities with a population of more than 200 thousand people, only Paris has a population of more than a million (excluding the suburbs, with them the figure goes beyond 2.5 million). Although life in Paris is no different from any other major European center, the provincial lifestyle is clearly more traditional, and in each area it is different. However, many families have houses in rural areas in addition to city apartments, so “urban” traditions are increasingly penetrating the countryside and vice versa. At the same time, the French themselves are clearly in no hurry to move to permanent residence in big cities Therefore, in megacities, the influence of emigrant communities, which are very reluctant to settle in rural areas, is increasingly noticeable.

Education

The French education system is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 16. The academic year lasts from September to June. Approximately 17% of French children attend private schools, most of which are so-called Catholic institutions. These schools also receive funding from the government, but only if they meet training courses officially established, so training is paid. In other secondary schools, education is free.

From the age of six, children go to primary school(ecole primaire), where they acquire basic knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic. At approximately age 11, the period of secondary school (college) begins, which lasts four years. Then the training continues in specialized schools top level(lycee d'enseignement general et technologique or lycee professionnel), upon completion of which a bachelor's degree is awarded (Baccalaureat general or Baccalaureat technologique), which is required for admission to a university or technical school. Upon completion of a vocational school, a certificate of professional training (Certificat d "Aptitude professionnelle) or a diploma with the right to enter a university (Brevet d" Etudes professionnelles) is issued. After graduating from the university, you are awarded the title of bachelor in a particular professional field (Baccalaureat professionnel). Contrary to popular belief, obtaining a bachelor's degree (often colloquially referred to simply as "bak") in France is quite a serious test, requiring serious knowledge and the ability to independently work with literature. Those who do not pass the exams for the course can be left for the second year or prepare and pass the exams on their own, but again - not earlier than a year later. Without obtaining a bachelor's degree, admission to university is impossible.

The higher education system consists of universities, high schools (grandes ecoles) and institutes of further education. There are more than 70 universities in the country, upon completion of which a basic diploma is issued higher education(Diplome d "Etudes universitaires generales, after two years of study), a diploma of completion of three university courses (Licence) and a master's degree (Maitrise, full course of study). French higher schools are prestigious educational institutions with limited admission based on examinations. Successful completion of such educational institution guarantees good career prospects in any sector of the economy, since the level of teaching here is usually higher than in universities and has a pronounced professional specialization.

Etiquette

In French, etiquette means both “etiquette” and “ceremony.” And indeed, quite a lot of attention is paid here to all sorts of formalities, conventions and rituals. Many foreigners, due to the abundance of all kinds of unspoken rules and norms, even compare France with Japan. But this is another cliche, an outer shell that immediately catches the eye of a foreigner only due to the special flavor of the country. In reality the French are as democratic and open as any other nation Western Europe. They are simply accustomed to turning even the most insignificant event into some kind of mini-performance, which can easily be found among the Italians or Spaniards, for example. And with the usual tact, communicating with a local is no more difficult than with any other European.

Despite the general secularity and democracy of public life, social differences and classes still have a serious influence on the choice of correct behavior, but usually have no influence at all on its forms. The French first of all value politeness and gallantry in everything, and only then evaluate the gender or wealth of the interlocutor. The well-known emotionality of residents of a number of provinces in conversation is a consequence of the desire to colorfully “present” their thought or idea, to accompany it with vividly illustrating gestures, a play of tone to emphasize the hidden subtext, and so on. How much of this is pretentiousness and theatricality, and how much is a real desire to convey their thoughts more correctly, only the French themselves can answer. But the fact remains that it is often easier to understand a local resident by gestures than by words (especially with poor knowledge of the language), and he himself will expect an equally “intelligible” presentation of his thoughts from the guest.

When the French greet each other: they shake hands if they just know each other, or hug with kisses on both cheeks (this is called faire la bise) if they are close friends or relatives. Although the French would not be French if they had not introduced a certain element of frivolity here - a single kiss on the cheek, even just a sign of it, is considered a sign of coquetry and interest in one’s counterpart. In the southern regions, three kisses, and even four (only between relatives!) are quite common, but increasingly, especially between men, this ancient custom is being replaced by a simple handshake. However, it is customary to hug only at the first meeting of the day; later on, simply to emphasize your goodwill with a wave of the hand, accompanying this with the traditional “salut”. When addressing strangers and on special occasions, it is customary to emphasize respect by adding the traditional polite forms "monsieur", "madame" or "mademoiselle" to any greeting, even without indicating a surname.

IN in public places, while maintaining a generally emphatically polite attitude towards others, it is not customary to smile at strangers. Also, many foreigners note that the French try not to look people they don’t know in the eyes and under no circumstances raise their voices in conversation. At the same time, when visiting a store or cafe, the guest always greets the owner immediately after entering, and the owner of the establishment usually responds in kind, even if he does not know the client. For a French person, it is simply unthinkable to start a conversation with a stranger (for example, to help you choose a product or order a dish) without first greeting them. Therefore, if a tourist is the first to greet the host, he, as it were, emphasizes that he needs help, and usually one does not have to wait long for a response to such a “subtle hint”. It is often possible to encounter a situation where other visitors to an establishment, especially if it is small, greet those entering. It is customary to respond to such greetings in kind; this is a standard “old rule” of good manners, although in big cities, naturally, it is gradually forgotten.

An interesting detail - the French are very welcoming when a visitor closes the door behind him - no matter where this happens: at the entrance to a cafe, or in a hotel. Some consider this the embodiment of closed private life, others - salvation from street noise, others - good taste, and so on. But be that as it may, it is almost impossible to see the door to the bedroom or bathroom open here, just like open doors to utility rooms or open gates in private houses. Accordingly, break into closed doors not accepted - if there is no bell or ring on the door, traditional for many private houses, you should definitely knock before entering somewhere and preferably wait for permission to enter. This tradition organically fits into the customs of Muslim neighborhoods, and into offices or large condominiums. Only retail establishments that have an “open” sign on the door can be entered without knocking.

Cloth

The attitude towards clothing throughout France is quite calm. Despite the fact that the country is known for its fashion houses and design schools, the French use practical and comfortable clothing in everyday life. However, it must be impeccably clean and ironed - this is a rule of good manners. Very few French people will allow themselves to wear white slippers, baseball caps with large clumsy abbreviations of clubs, an abundance of jewelry on everyday clothes will also be perceived as a lack of good taste. Generally speaking, a simple business suit will suffice in cities for most formal occasions.

Two characteristic local trends in relation to officially accepted clothing standards are clearly visible. On the one hand, an office worker is not necessarily “packed” in a suit and tie; you can come to work in anything or “dilute” the business uniform with some bright detail - a neckerchief or handkerchief, for example. On the other hand, a business suit and tie can easily be found at any street vendor - it is prestigious, and therefore, by local standards, beautiful. The French generally know how to add a certain charm to even the most ordinary things with the help of small accessories, but they are absolutely tolerant of other people’s clothes. However, you should not go on an excursion to a monastery or temple in shorts and a T-shirt, nor should you appear in restaurants in sportswear or beachwear (in this case, most likely, you will simply not be allowed into the door). It is also considered bad form to wear an abundance of jewelry when visiting places not intended for this purpose, and to clearly flaunt one’s wealth in front of everyone. social problems countries, it is not customary to emphasize one’s superiority over others. At the same time, for an evening reception or a visit to an expensive restaurant, an evening dress and a reasonable amount of jewelry will come in handy. Some clubs, casinos and expensive restaurants allow entry only in evening dress, although in Lately this norm tends to be clearly weakened.

On the beach, morals are more than free throughout almost the entire country. On the Riviera, toplessness has long been perceived as something completely ordinary; on the Atlantic coast, morals are somewhat stricter, but this type of recreation is also not limited anywhere. There are separate beaches for nudists (information about the location of such places can be obtained from local tourist offices), more or less limited from public places, but no one has any complexes about this either - here you can easily change into a bathing suit right on the beach , without using booths.

And yet, in most other places, showing up in beachwear outside of designated areas will definitely cause a negative reaction. In Paris, for example, those holidaying on beaches along the Seine inappropriately face a fine of between 38 and 3,750 euros, or up to two years in prison if they are suspected of sexual assault. Those who sunbathe in swimsuits that do not hide their private parts can be sentenced to a year in prison. In addition, wearing swimsuits in city parks is prohibited. Dress must be decent and in accordance with moral and social standards. City police officers monitor the observance of decency in public places.

France is rightfully considered the trendsetter of world fashion. It is enough to name the names of Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy and everything becomes clear. This is what we call high fashion. The famous Italians Versace and Armani began their careers in France.

Coco Chanel was the first to put on trousers and discard corsets that were inconvenient for movement. At 70, she created the famous 60s style: small black dress and costumes, the elegance and simplicity of which captivated the world. Her famous perfume was also revolutionary, the first long-lasting perfume in a simple bottle, Chanel No. 5.

But even outside the catwalk, the people of this country are very elegant. Appearance The French are distinguished by accuracy, sophistication and some conservatism. Style is important in everything; it is unacceptable to look ridiculous or intrusive under any circumstances. This is despite the fact that the French are quite emotional and sentimental.

French cinema

For some, as you know, the most important of the arts is cinema. And this art was born in France. In Paris, on the Boulevard des Capucines in 1895, the first showing of the “Cinematograph of the Lumière Brothers” took place. Since that time, French cinema has always strived to be on top, and in its popularity it rivals only Hollywood. It is enough to name just a few names to be convinced of this: Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel. At all times, French actors have been considered the standards of male attractiveness.

Actresses are in no way inferior to actors, the names of these beautiful French women also drive the whole world crazy: Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot, Sophie Marceau, Emmanuelle Béart, Fanny Ardant, Audrey Tautou, Laetitia Casta, Marion Cotillard.

Everyone knows the French comedies with Louis de Funes, Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu. The expression “French humor” has become a proverb.

A separate page is occupied by psychological films with Jean Gobain, Annie Gerardot, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Romy Schneider. France has given the world the most famous directors: Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Claude Lelouch, Luc Besson and Francois Ozon. Since 1946, the famous Cannes Festival has been held on the Cote d'Azur, which all the world's movie stars strive to attend.

French painting

The art of France has given the world many great artists and numerous schools of painting. It is known that France is the birthplace of impressionism, an innovative movement of the 19th century.

Who could have imagined that there would be painters who would depict fog, an ordinary haystack in different weather, a street as a system of picturesque strokes, changing under the influence of lighting. The artists vividly conveyed their instant impressions. Rejected by lovers of salon academicism, the innovators were initially called “outcasts” and had a scandalous reputation, although they were destined to become great. The most famous are Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir, and Claude Monet.

If we talk about artists, then France can safely be called their country. Take at least. This hill, which was once an area supplying cheap flour to Paris, became the favorite residence of numerous painters. Here they drew inspiration, communicated, loved.

Boredom in the kitchen or at the dinner table is not a thing for the French. They love and know how to cook, adding the best ingredients to each dish. Traditional dishes are welcome, but almost every cook will add his own touch to the recipe. The culinary customs of France have shaped the taste of neighboring countries, which, however, having gained popularity, will never be able to dislodge the homeland of gourmets from their pedestal. France currently has the largest number of restaurants with three Michelin stars, the highest rating.

The French like things to be on top and prefer to be on top. A national feature is also a special love for chic, gallantry, politeness, and good manners. One cannot help but admire the French's love for their own language and their desperate defense of it in all regions. In general, it is difficult to find another country where everything national is treated with such jealousy. The French love to refer to history, but they understand it in their own way, seeing their folk heroes exclusively as victors, fighters for freedom and equality.

The French are distinguished by an unusual combination of ardor and good manners. Making a true friendship with a Frenchman is not easy; the attitude towards a foreigner will always be friendly, but slightly cold: the country, family, and personality will always come first.

Traditions are probably one of the most important points in the life of the French. Just as it is impossible to live without adhering to etiquette, fashion and style, good cuisine, it is difficult for them to imagine their day without adhering to customs. in fact, the modern traditions of France are very much mixed with the customs of those peoples who come to live there. Thus, the traditions of Muslims, mostly from North Africa, merged into the classical European system of traditions and customs, most of which were based on Catholic canons.

Turning to the classical foundations of French life, we note that for them it is very important that life should be carried out “comme il faut” (that is, to do everything as it should be). For example, quite a lot of time is spent without remorse on the morning toilet and preparing to go out into the world.

So, it is impossible to go outside without a good perfume, just like without a jacket, no matter how many degrees of heat it is outside. Interestingly, it is customary for the French to settle with relatives close to each other so that on Sundays and holidays they can gather together at the table.

One of the most serious punishments for a family member is that he will not be invited to share the table on some days.

As you know, the procedure for eating, like French dishes themselves, is a whole ceremony at the level of art. No dinner would be complete without cheeses and sauces, just like no breakfast would be complete without a cup of coffee and a croissant.

The French, unlike other nations, are not big fans of having pets in the house. They look at it from a practical point of view: why keep something if it has no benefit or cannot be eaten? So, they may agree to get a shepherd dog, because it can guard the home, or in rare cases - poodles, and then because of prestige.

For religious Catholic families, of which there are quite a few in France, the most important holiday is Epiphany and First Communion. Christmas is also popular. It is customary to celebrate it with your family, preparing many dishes and arranging sumptuous tables, because this can bring prosperity next year.

Instead of Father Frost and Santa Claus, Pere Noel comes to French children, showering them with gifts.

The French celebrate spring at an incredibly fun holiday - Carnival. He is adored by all centuries-old categories, and the celebration itself is rich different traditions, it is accompanied by dressing in National costumes, as well as the performance of all rituals. This can provide family well-being.

Easter and Trinity are celebrated on a grand scale in France. As a rule, this takes place with noisy fairs, comic competitions, and folk festivals with wine. Among a number of national holidays, July 14, Bastille Day, the beginning of the turning point for France, the Great French Revolution, enjoys special respect and love.

The French, like many people, love to have a good rest. But fishing is considered one of the most popular leisure activities. They can also play “boogie” - a French game of bowling pins and balls, or rugby and football.