french culture event

How well do you know France ?

Agenda

• Presentation about France• French Stereotypes• French Language

• Our Regions• 10 Things to See in France

• Quiz

France• Official Name: République Française

• Capital City: Paris

• 675 000 km² (Latvia: around 65 000 km²)

• 67M inhabitants (Latvia: around 2M inhabitants)

• French motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité

• French flag:

• National anthem: La Marseillaise written by Rouget de Lisle in 1792 but only became national anthem in 1879.

Most common stereotypes

French People don’t know other languages

• We know other languages (English/German/Spanish)

• Old people may not know foreign languages

• Business People speak English

French People speak English with horrible accent

• Some people find actually the french accent “charming”

Reasons• Our education in other

languages is not that great

• Everything is translated

Good in Art

We have some world known artists such as:

Victor Hugo (Literature)

Monet (Painting)

Matisse (Painting)

Molière (Writer)

Baudelaire (Writer)

Albert Camus (Writer)

Jean Dujardin (Actor)

Marion Cotillard (Actress)

Charlotte Gainsbourg (Actress)

Serge Gainsbourg (Musician, Singer, Actor…)

Audrey Tautou (Actress)

Vincent Cassel (Actor)

Louis de Funès (Actor)

Vanessa Paradis (Singer, Model)

Edith Piaf (Singer)

Jean-Luc Godard (Movie director)

Luc Besson (Movie director)

Chauvinistic (exaggerated patriotism)

• We are proud of our Country

• Some politicians and people are maybe against USA and foreign country.

• But not everyone is too proud of France.

Really hairy and smelly

• Hairy: we have that stereotype about Portuguese people

• Smelly & use a lot of perfume

• That cliché was true in the 18th century

Typical French

French eat weird things

Don’t like Italians & English People

During History we have been to war against England several times

British people are nicknamed : Roastbeef in France

We are just pissed at Italians for the World Cup 2006

French people are rude

Every country has its conception of being polite

Holy trinity:

• Bonjour• S’il vous plait/Merci• Aurevoir

Have no sense of humour

• French people DO enjoy jokes

• Not every country has the same sense of humour

• Jokes to avoid: Joke about French being cowards (very common joke in USA)

French are always striking

• Not everyone is striking.

Sectors that strikes a lot:• Public Transportation• Teacher• Student

French Language

Do and Don’t● Do not address anyone you don’t know using “tu” if you should use

“vous”. “Tu” is a familiar way to say “you” and “vous” is the formal way to say “you”.

● Do not try to impress someone with your wealth.● Do not talk about sensitive matters (Money, Politics, Religions)● Do not start eating until the hostess says “bon appétit”.● Avoid being loud● Do not think Paris is France● Do learn some basic French words.● Do keep your hands on the table and the elbows off the table while

eating.

DialogueFrançais

• Bonjour!• Bonjour ! Comment ça va ?• Je vais bien et toi ?• Ca va merci, comment tu t’appelles ?• Je m’appelle Hugo et toi ?• Moi c’est Lisa, quel âge as-tu ?• J’ai 24 ans et toi ?• J’ai 21 ans, d’où viens-tu ?• Je viens de Morteau, et toi?• Je viens de Cognac, mais j’habite en Bretagne

maintenant.• Oh cool ! Je fête mon anniversaire ce soir, tu veux venir ?• Oui bien sûr, ça me ferait plaisir !• A ce soir alors!• Oui, à toute !

English• Good morning !• Good morning ! How are you ?• I am fine and you ?• Good thanks, what’s your name ?• My name is Hugo and you ?• I’m Lisa, how old are you ?• I’m 24 years old and you ?• I’m 21 years old, where are you from ?• I’m from Morteau, and you ?• I’m from Cognac, but I live in Bretagne now.• Oh nice ! I’m having my birthday party tonight, do you want

to come ?• Yes sure, I would love to !• See you tonight then !• Yes, see you !

Basic French words / sentences● Bonjour “hello” / Salut ! “hello” (informal)● Aurevoir “Goodbye”● A bientôt ! “See you soon”● Merci “Thank you” / Merci beaucoup “Thank you a lot”● De rien “You’re welcome”● Désolé “Sorry”● S’il vous plaît “Please (formal)”● Je m’appelle … “My name is …”● Où se trouve … ? “Where is …?”● Je ne parle pas français. “I don’t speak french”● Je ne comprends pas. “I don’t understand”

Tongue twister

● Les chaussettes de l’archiduchesse sont-elles sèches ? Archi sèches ?

Our Regions

Franche Comté

Franche Comté (Free County)Population :1.2 Million inhabitants (Latvia : approx 2 Million)

Superficy : 16.000 km² (Latvia : 65.000 km²)

Famous people: Victor Hugo (Author), Brothers Lumière (Cinema), Louis Pasteur (Science), Rouget de Lisle (Songwriter).

Business : Agriculture (mostly cheese and milk), wood, Micromechanics, watchmaking, and Peugeot.

Language: French (dialect Franc-Comtois)

Motto: Comtois, rends-toi ! – Nenni, ma foi Flag Motto: Là où flotte le drapeau comtois,

. qui que tu sois, tu es chez toi !

Landscapes

Lion de Belfort

Vineyard in JuraMétabief

FoodAbsynth

Fondue

Wine:Arbois, Macvin, Yellow Wine

Sausages

Cheese : Comté, Morbier, ...

Bretagne (Brittany, Breizh)Population : 4.5 Million inhabitants (Latvia : approx 2 Million)

Superficy : 34 000 km² (Latvia : 65.000 km²)

Famous people: Chateaubriand (invented romanticism), Yoan Gourcuff (football player), Alan Stivell (musician), Yann Tiersen (musician, composed the original soundtrack of Amélie Poulain), Tri Yann (music band)...

Business : Agriculture (national leading supplier in poultry, bovine, milk and eggs), shipbuilding, aircraft and car manufacturing (Citroën), mass-market retailing (E.Leclerc)...

Language: French (dialect Breton)

Motto: Kentoc'h mervel eget bezañ saotret (Plutôt la mort que la souillure, Rather death than dishonour)

Gwenn-ha-du Triskell

Kenavo !Demat !

Mat ar jeu ?

Trugarez !

Landscapes

Brest

Quiberon

Côtes d’Armor

Crozon

FoodSeafood

Crêpes

Kouign amann

Pâté Hénaff

Prune custard flan (far breton)

Breton cakes (palets bretons)

Cider, Breizh Cola, La Mutine, Sant Erwann, Coreff....

Food (beers)

10 THINGS TO SEE IN FRANCE

Fête des Lumières à Lyon

Marché de Noel de Strasbourg

Palais Idéal du facteur Cheval

Futuroscope

Puy du Fou

Catacombes de Paris

Mont St Michel

Forêt de Brocéliande

Oradour-sur-Glane

Le Palais des PapesIn Avignon

Q1. La bise: how many cheek kiss(es) do we do to greet each others ?

a) from 1 to 2 b) from 1 to 3 c) from 1 to 4 d) from 1 to 5

Q2. What is the name of the character that serves as a symbol for republic ?

a) Adèleb) Marianne

c) Belled) Cosette

Q3. Which one of these Disney characters is not french ?

a) Berlioz from the Aristocatsb) Belle from the Beauty and the Beast

c) Ariel from the Little Mermaidd) Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame

Q4. On the french flag, what does the white colour represent ?

a) Royaltyb) Purityc) Peace

d) Wisdom

Q5. Which River is the longest in France ?

a) Le Rhoneb) La Seinec) La Loire

d) La Garonne

Q6. How many tourists visited France in 2014 ?

a) 44 Millionsb) 64 Millionsc) 84 Millions

d) 104 Millions

Q7. France has won the most Nobel Prizes for ___ than any other country in the world:

a) Peaceb) Literature

c) Physicsd) Economics

Q8. What is the animal emblem of France ?

a) French Bulldogb) Beef Bourguignon

c) Gallic Roosterd) French Frog

Q9. Which dish is not french ?

a) Flammekuecheb) Tartiflette

c) Kig Ha Farzd) Moules-frites

Q10. Which French King once said “I am

the State” ?a) Louis XVb) Louis XVIc) Louis XIVd) Louis X

Q11. How many timezone France has ?

a) 1b) 5c) 6d) 12

Q12. Which one of these inventions is actually French:

a) French friesb) The telephone

c) Croissantsd) The braille system

Q13. How many boundaries does the metropolitan France has ?

a) From 3 to 4b) From 3 to 5c) From 3 to 6d) From 3 to 8

Q14. Which monument was created by Bartholdi and Eiffel ?

a) The Statue of Libertyb) The Atomium

c) The Eiffel Towerd) The lion of Belfort

Q15. Which architecture style was born in France ?

a) Postmodern architectureb) Baroque architecture

c) Renaissance architectured) Gothic architecture

Q16.How many varieties of French cheese do we have ?

a) 50 to 100b) 100 to 200c) 200 to 300d) 300 to 400

Q17. On Bastille Day, why did Parisians storm the prison in 1789 ?

a) To find the king who was hidingb) To get gunpowder

c) To find foodd) To free prisoners

Q18. What does LVMH stands for ?

a) Louis Vuitton Maserati Hublotb) Louis Vuitton Miu Miu Hermèsc) Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessyd) Louis Vuitton Hennes Mauritz

Q19. Which state in the USA was once a French Colony ?

a) New Yorkb) Louisianac) Marylandd) California

Q20. Among these 4 crazy possibilities, which one is doable in France ?

a) Marrying an animalb) Marrying a dead person

c) Marrying a character from video gamesd) Marrying a pillow

Correction

Q1. La bise: how many cheek kiss(es) do we do to greet each others ?

a) from 1 to 2 b) from 1 to 3 c) from 1 to 4 d) from 1 to 5

Q2. What is the name of the character that serves as a symbol for republic ?

a) Adèleb) Marianne

c) Belled) Cosette

“La liberté guidant le peuple” Delacroix

Q3. Which one of these Disney characters is not french ?

a) Berlioz from the Aristocatsb) Belle from the Beauty and the Beast

c) Ariel from the Little Mermaidd) Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Little Mermaid

Q4. On the french flag, what does the white colour represent ?

a) Royaltyb) Purityc) Peace

d) Wisdom

Q5. Which River is the longest in France ?

a) Le Rhoneb) La Seinec) La Loire

d) La Garonne


a) 44 Millionsb) 64 Millionsc) 84 Millions

d) 104 Millions


a) 44 Millionsb) 64 Millionsc) 84 Millionsd) 104 Millions

Data from the World Bank

Q7. France has won the most Nobel Prizes for ___ than any other country in the world:

a) Peaceb) Literature

c) Physicsd) Economics

France: 15USA: 10UK: 10

Germany: 8Sweden: 8

Sully Prudhomme, Frédéric Mistral, Romain Rolland,Anatole France, Henri Bergson, Roger Martin du Gard, André Gide,

François Mauriac, Albert Camus, Gao Xingjian, Saint-John Perse, Jean-Paul Sartre, Claude Simon, J.M.G Le Clézio, Patrick Modiano.

Q8. What is the animal emblem of France ?

a) French Bulldogb) Beef Bourguignon

c) Gallic Roosterd) French Frog

Gallic Rooster

Q9. Which dish is not french ?

a) Flammekuecheb) Tartiflette

c) Kig Ha Farzd) Moules-frites


the State” ?a) Louis XVb) Louis XVIc) Louis XIVd) Louis X


the State” ?a) Louis XVb) Louis XVIc) Louis XIV

d) Louis X