Things That Are French

Welcome to our list of things that are French!

While France is most commonly known for its pastries, fashion and oppressive hold over parts of sub-Saharan Africa, it has many facets, inventions and exports. In this list, we’ve included food, drink, people, places and inventions. We hope our list is educational and that you find what you’re looking for!

Here’s a visual list of things that are French:

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Hopefully that visual list of French things was useful! Here’s a longer and more descriptive list of things that are French, separated into convenient categories:

Food and Drink:

• Baguette: An elongated stick of French bread with a crisp crust.
• Croissant: A buttery, flaky pastry with many layers in a crescent moon shape.
• Escargot: A savory dish made from cooked land snails.
• Eclair: A stick-shaped pastry cut lengthways and filled with cream, custard or both. Is then topped with chocolate or an icing glaze.
• Creme Brulee: Also known as burnt cream, burned cream or Trinity cream. A thick custard dessert with a top layer of hard, caramelised sugar.
• Beignet: Choux pastry that has been deep fried. Can also be made of deep-fried yeast dough.
• Blanquette de Veau: Veal ragout where the veal and butter are not browned while cooking.
• Bouillabaisse: A fish stew from Marseille.
• Brioche: A bread with a high butter and egg content. Has a soft texture.
• Cannele: A small pastry with rum and vanilla flavouring.
• Chouquette: A choux pastry that is sprinkled with pearl sugar.
• Champagne: Sparkling wine.
• Mille Feuille: A many-layered, crispy pastry.
• Pain au Chocolat: A croissant with chocolate piped throughout.
• Omelette: A sort of savoury egg pancake mixed with vegetables.
• Palmier: Also known as elephant ear, palm heart or pig’s ear. A many-layered pastry coated with sugar.
• Red Wine: Wine made from darker coloured varieties of grape.
• Ratatouille: A stew made from many layers of thinly-sliced vegetables.
• Salade Nicoise: A salad from the city of Nice. Generally includes tomatoes, egg, olives, anchovies and tuna.
• Coquilles Saint-Jacques: Scallops prepared with a cream sauce.
• Ragout: A stew that can be made of animals or vegetables.
• Bechamel Sauce: A cream sauce that commonly goes with pasta or pizza.
• Tarte: A sweet French pastry.
• Tartine: An open-faced sandwich.
• Souffle: A baked dessert with a fluffy interior and a crispy top. Can be sweet or savoury, and is commonly flavoured with berries, chocolate, banana or lemon.
• French Onion Soup: A thick soup commonly served with croutons and cheese.   
• Crepe: A thin pancake that can be served sweet or savoury.
• Croque Monsieur: A savoury sandwich topped with cheese and grilled.
• Fromage: Cheese.
• Flan: A custard dessert with a clear, crispy caramel top.
• Gratin Dauphinois: Sliced potatoes baked in milk or cream.
• Ile Flottante: Also known as floating island. A meringue that “floats” on a vanilla custard.
• Galette Complete: A flat cake that looks like an open-top pie. Commonly has a fruit filling.
• Gougere: Savoury choux pastry that is mixed with cheese.
• Madeleine: A small sweet cake in the shape of a shell.
• Macaron: Small confections consisting of two disc-shaped meringues held together with a sweet paste or icing.

Animals:

• Marmot: A large type of squirrel.
• Alpine Ibex: Also known as the bouquetin, steinbock or ibex. A type of mountain goat.
• Red Deer: A large species of deer.
• Polecat: A type of mammal with mask-like markings across the face.
• Weasel: A small mammal with a long body and tail. Generally reddish-brown in colour with a white belly.
• Wolf: Large canines with a thick shaggy coat.
• Racoon: Medium-sized mammals with mask-like markings across their faces. Known for stealing rubbish.
• Lynx: Big cats with a short tail and characteristically tufty ears.
• Beech Marten: Also known as the house marten, white breasted marten or stone marten. A medium-sized mammal with soft grey fur, a long body and a long tail.
• Common Genet: A mammal with a light grey, spotted coat and a striped tail similar to a lemur’s.
• Dormice: A small rodent with grey fur and a white belly.
• Chamois: A species of goat-antelope with dark brown, almost black fur. Has short horns and lives in or near mountainous areas.

Festivals/Celebrations:

• Berck Sur Mer Kite Festival: A kite festival that is annually held on a beach.
• Cannes Film Festival: An event that celebrates, acknowledges and commemorates excellence in film.
• Nice Carnival: Considered one of the world’s major carnivals (alongside the Venetian Carnival, Brazilian Carnival and Mardi Gras).
• Menton Lemon Festival: Also known as the Carnival of Menton. Celebrates the annual making of specialty lemons and other citrus fruits.
• Festival Medieval de Sedan: An annual medieval-themed festival that is held in the largest medieval castle.
• Bastille Day: An annual celebration commemorating the Storming of the Bastille (which was a turning point of the French Revolution in 1789).
• Festival d’Avignon: An arts festival held annually in the city of Avignon each summer.
• Choregies d’Orange: An opera festival held each summer in Orange.
• La Fete de la Musique: Also known as Music Day, Make Music Day or World Music Day. An annual celebration where cities are encouraged to play music in public spaces.
• Festival of Lights: An annual festival that celebrates Mary.
• Mardi Gras: Also known as Fat Tuesday. A carnivale celebration that reflects the practice of eating rich foods before fasting for Lent.

Traditions:

• Chandeleur: Also known as Candlemas. A holy day for Christians.
• The Apero Hour: A snack consumed whilst dinner is being made, typically around 6pm. Always accompanied by light drinks.
• Aperitif: An alcoholic drink used to stimulate your appetite before eating.
• Three King’s Day: Also known as Epiphany or Little Christmas. A Christian feast day celebrating Jesus.
• April Fish: An April Fools’ Day tradition.
• All Souls’ Day: Also known as Day of the Dead. A day of prayer and remembrance of family and friends (and souls in general) who have died.
• St. Martin’s Day: Also known as the Funeral of Saint Martin, Martinmas or Martinstag. The anniversary of Saint Martin’s funeral, which is celebrated annually.
• Paris Plages: A Parisian tradition where temporary artificial beaches are set up along the river Seine each year.
• St. Catherine’s Day: A day that remembers the martrydom of Saint Catherine.

Sports:

• Bocce: A ball sport related to bowls and petanque where you have to roll colourful balls and attempt to get them in close proximity to a smaller white ball.
• Soccer: A team sport played with a round ball with a hexagonal black and white pattern. The team that kicks the most goals wins.
• Rugby: A full contact team sport played with a ball that is pointed on each end.
• Football: A contact sport played with a ball similar to rugby. The team that scores the most points wins.
• Tour de France: A multiple stage bicycle race that is held annually for men.
• Parkour: Also known as freerunning. A sport that is about moving through natural landscapes and built environments as quickly as possible using a mix of gymnastics and calisthenics.
• Motorsports: Competitive sporting events that involve cars, motorcycles and dirt bikes.
• Judo: A martial art that is played as a competitive Olympic sport. Involves mental and moral training (along with the physical aspects) and is known for grappling moves.
• Ice Hockey: A contact team sport played on ice. Hockey sticks are used to push a puck towards a goal.
• Sailing: Navigating a boat through a body of water. In sporting terms, this is generally in the context of a race.
• Orienteering: A catergory of sport that uses navigational and survival skills to quickly get from one unfamiliar point to another, usually in diverse terrain.
• Cricket: A team sport where a bat is used to hit a ball. The further the ball goes, the more time the hitting team gets to run around and score points.
• Handball: A team sport where a ball is passed with the goal of throwing it into the net of the other team.
• Skiing: Traversing down snowy slopes at high speeds using skis.
• Rowing: Propelling a boat or canoe by rowing. Usually a team sport.
• Swimming: A solo or team sport that uses one’s body to move quickly through water.
• Gymnastics: A sport that combines balance, strength, flexibility, endurance and co-ordination.

Tourist Attractions/Places:

• Eiffel Tower: A tall tower made of latticed wrought-iron. Considered a French icon and is commonly considered a romantic date spot.
• Louvre: The world’s largest art museum. Considered a historic monument.
• Velodrome: An arena for multi-track cycling.
• Chateau de Versailles: Also known as the palace of Versailles. The main royal palace from 1682.
• Pigalle: An area in Paris famous for its nightlife and red light district.
• Marseille: A port city on the Mediterranean coast of France.
• Lyon: France’s third largest city.
• Disneyland Paris: Previously known as Euro Disney Resort. A theme park and entertainment centre in France.
• Alpe d’Huez: A ski resort in the French Western Alps.
• Agriates Desert: The only desert in Europe.
• Ile de Quiberon: A commune in Western France. Considered a historic site.
• Lille Braderie: An annueal flea market that happens on the first Sunday of September in Lille.
• Mont Saint Michel: An island and commune in Normandy.
• Biarritz: A seaside town and popular resort.
• Strasbourg: A capital city near the German border that blends German and French architecture and culture.
• Champagne: Now known as the wine region and famous for its production of bubbly white wine.
• Chamonix: Also known as Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. A ski resort at the base of Mont Blanc (the highest peak in the Alps), which is near the intersection of France, Italy and Switzerland.
• Mont Blanc: The tallest mountain in the Alps.
• Bordeaux: A city in South-western France. Famous for its wine-growing region.
• Arles: A commune and city in the southern region of France. Famed for being the inspiration for Van Gogh’s paintings.
• Fontainebleau: A town in southeastern Paris famous for the Fontainebleau Palace.
• Annecy: An alpine town famous for its Vielle Ville (old town), architecture, religious art and natural history exhibit.
• Noumea: The capital city of New Caledonia (a French territory). Known for its beaches, marine life and exhibits.
• Lascaux Cave Paintings: A group of caves near Montignac with over 600 paleolithic cave paintings.
• Rocamadour: A small clifftop commune and village. Famous for its religious architecture and artwork.
• Jardin des Tuileries: A public garden situated between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde.
• Avenue des Champs-Elysees: A large avenue between the Place de la Concorde and the Place Charles de Gaulle.
• Palais Garnier Opera House: A large opera house in Paris. Built at the request of Napoleon in the 1800s.
• Bibliotechque-Musee de l’Opera: The library and museum of the Paris Opera.
• Lourdes: A small market town in the Pyrenees.
• Nice: A capital in the French Riviera. A city that attracts artists and is known for its religious artworks and paintings.
• Burgundy: A historical region known for its production of Burgundy wine, pinot noir, Chablis and Chardonnay.
• Chateau de Chenonceau: A chateau spanning the River Cher.
• Epernay Champagne: A commune in Northern France known for its champagne houses.
• Nimes Roman Monuments: The best-preserved Roman amphitheatre in France.
• Camargue: A natural region that has been designated a “Wetland of International Importance”.
• Vieux Lyon: A Renaissance district in Lyon. The oldest district and filled with protected cultural sites.
• Bonifacio: A commune in Corsica located in the only major harbour of the Southern Coast.
• Millau Bridge: A bridge that spans the gorge valley of the Tarn.
• Etretat Cliffs: Chalk cliffs that feature three natural arches and The Needle (a raised formation that is 70 metres above sea level).
• Strasbourg Old Town: The largest city (and capital) of the Grand Est region in France.
• Reims Cathedral: Also known as Notre-Dame de Reims. A cathedral dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
• Promenade des Anglais: A promenade that stretches along the Mediterranean.
• Dune of Pyla: Also known as the Dune of Pilat. The tallest sand dune in Europe.
• Pont du Gard: A Roman aqueduct bridge that spans the Gardon river.
• Chartres Cathedral: A Roman Catholic church built in a High Gothic and Romanesque architectural style. Also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres.
• Gorge du Verdon: Also known as the Verdon Gorge. A river canyon in Southeastern France that is around 25km long.
• Provence: A historical province in southeastern France. Known for its vast lavender fields.
• St. Tropez: A town on the French Riviera. Known as a military stronghold and fishing village.
• Cote d’Azur: Also known as the French Riviera. The Mediterranean coastline of the southeast area of France.
• Loire Valley: The middle part of the Loire river in France. Also known as the Cradle of the French and the Garden of France. Known for its extensive vineyards, orchards and fields.   
• Palais des Papes: A historical palace in Southern France. Built in medieval Gothic style.
• Carcassonne: A city in Occitanie. Known for its medieval fortress, winemaking and manufacturing.
• Chambord: A chateau with Renaissance architecture.
• Reims: Also known as Rheims. A city in Marne with a huge population.
• Brittany: Also known as Little Britain. An area known for architecture, fine art and literature.
• Alsace: A cultural region in the east of France.
• Dune du Pilat: Also known as Grande Dune du Pilat. The tallest sand dune in all of Europe.
• Place de la Concorde: A public square in Paris in the eastern side of the Champs-Elysees. Known as being the site of the execution of King Louis XVI.
• Sacre-Coeur: Also known as The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris. A Roman Catholic church and basilica dedicated to Jesus.
• Place de Vosges: Also known as Palce Royale. The oldest square in Paris. Was an expensive and fashionable town square and popular amongst nobility.
• Place Vendome: Also known as Place Louis-le-Grand. A town square in Paris near the Tuilleries Gardens.
• Bassin d’Arcachon: Also known as Arcachon Bay. A bay in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of France.
• Riviera: Refers to the coastline of Liguria.

Musical Instruments:

• Bladder Fiddle: Also known as a Bumbass or Poispil. A folk instrument with a long stick, string and bladder.
• Boha: A type of bagpipe from Southwestern France.
• Cythara: A type of medieval stringed instrument from Europe.
• Cabrette: Translates to “little goat”. A type of bagpipe from Auvergne (in France).
• Bousine: A type of small bagpipe from Normandy.
• Bodega: A type of bagpipe from Southern France.
• Hurdy-Gurdy: A stringed instrument with a crank turned by hand.
• Mandore: A type of lute with four to six strings.
• Loure: A type of bagpipe from Normandy.
• Keyboard Glockenspiel: Also known as the organ glockenspiel. A glockenspiel that is operated by a keyboard.
• Pipasso: A bagpipe from northern France and Belgium.
• Fairground Organ: A musical organ with wind and percussive capabilities.
• Flageolet: A woodwind instrument that is a part of the flute family. The French form of the instrument has four finger holds on the front and two holes (for the thumb) on the back.
• French Bagpipes: Bagpipes that are native to the Bourbonnais, Nivernais and Morvan regions of France.

Inventions:

• Bikini: A two-piece swimsuit that is similar in coverage to an average bra and underwear.
• Bra: Underwear that covers and supports breasts.
• Calculator/Pascaline: Also known as Pascal’s calculator or the arithmetic machine. A mechanical calculator invented in the 17th century by Blaise Pascal.
• Etch-A-Sketch: A mechanical toy used to draw pictures by turning the knobs.
• Hairdryer: Also known as a blow dryer. A mechanical grooming device used to dry damp or wet hair.
• Oboe: A woodwind instrument that uses a double reed. Resembles the clarinet.
• Trash Can: Rubbish receptacle.
• Canned Food: A way of preserving food by sealing them in airtight metal containers, usually with some kind of preservative.
• Aqualung: Diving equipment that gives divers a supply of air underwater.
• Pencil Sharpener: Also known as a pencil pointer, parer or topper. A tool used to sharpen pencils.
• Pasteurisation: A process where foods are treated with mild heat as a way of preservation.
• Praxinoscope: A device used for animation. Came after the zoetrope.
• Sewing Machine: A machine used for sewing things quickly.
• First Ramjet Engine: Also known as a flying stovepipe or an athodyd. A type of jet engine that compresses incoming air.
• Smokeless Gunpowder: A propellant used in artillery and firearms. Makes a smaller amount of smoke when fired (compared to black powder).
• Stapler: An office tool that drives a small metal pin through sheaves of paper to hold them together.
• Pressure Cooker: A sealed pot that cooks food using steam pressure.
• Absorption Cooling: A fridge that uses a source of heat as an energy source for the cooling process.
• Wingsuit: A suit that is webbed between the arms and legs, increasing the surface area. This increases air friction and lift.
• Aspirin: A medicine used to help with reducing pain, inflammation and fever.
• Food Processor: A kitchen appliance used to blend or mince food.
• Blueprint: A copy of a technical drawing on blue light-sensitive sheets.  
• Airplane: Also known as an airplane or plane. A machine that’s used to travel through the air, using thrust as propulsion.
• The TGV: A high-speed train used in France’s intercity rail service.
• Photography: The process of making images by recording light.
• Cinematography: The process of creating video imagery.
• Umbrella: A foldable, portable canopy designed to protect from the rain and sun.
• Stethoscope: A medical device used to amplify the sounds of a heartbeat or pulse.
• Parachute: A large, circular canopy used to slow down a falling object.
• Metric System: A system of measurement introduced in the 1790s.   
• The Triathlon: A marathon that involves swimming, cycling and running.
• Braille: A tactile writing system that involves small raised bumps arranged in certain patterns. Used by visually impaired people.
• FIFA World Cup: Also just known as the World Cup. A football competition that is annual and international.
• Neon Lighting: Brightly glowing lights known for their different colours (pink, blue, green, red, yellow).
• Mayonnaise: Also known as mayo. A thick, creamy sauce with a tangy taste.
• Electric Plane: A plane powered by electric motors.
• Hot Air Balloon: A large, open-bottomed balloon with a sturdy basket underneath. Used as travel and entertainment.
• Bicycle: A two-wheeled mechanical vehicle powered by pushing on pedals.  

Celebrities/Entertainment:

• Catherine Deneuve: An actress, model, singer and producer.  
• Vanessa Paradis: A model, singer and actress who has been a spokesperson for Chanel.
• Roman Polanski: A producer, director, actor and writer. He is also a fugitive who is to be sentenced on five criminal charges including rape.  
• Olivier Martinez: An actor who was married to Halle Berry.
• Yannick Noah: A retired tennis player and singer who won the French Open in 1983.
• Dany Boon: A comedian and filmmaker who has done screen and stage work.
• Simone Veil: A lawyer and politician who was the Minister of Health at one point.
• Brigette Bardot: An actress, singer and animal rights activist.
• Gerard Depardieu: An actor known for his roles in Police and The Last Metro.
• Jean Reno: An actor who has worked in international productions including Crimson Rivers, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, The Pink Panther, Wasabi and Mission: Impossible.
• Luc Besson: A filmmaker, producer and screenwriter.
• Jacques-Yves Cousteau: An explorer, naval officer, researcher, photographer, scientist and author who specialised in marine biology and helped in the development of the Aqualung.  
• Edith Piaf: A singer and songwriter, cabaret and film actress.
• Coco Chanel: A fashion designer and businesswoman. Created the Chanel brand, known for its luxury designs.
• David Guetta: A record producer, DJ and songwriter.
• Marion Cotillard: An actress, musician, singer-songwriter and environmentalist. Best known for her roles in Big Fish, A Very Long Engagement and Inception.
• Marie Curie: A chemist and physicist who was a pioneer in research on radioactivity. The first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only woman to win the Prize twice.
• Alexandre Dumas:  A writer known for his novels The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years Later.
• Vincent Van Gogh: A painter of the post-impressionist movement. Known for his sunflower paintings, Starry Night, and to a lesser extent, for cutting off his ear.
• Avril Lavigne: A singer, songwriter and actress best known for her songs “Complicated” and “Sk8ter Boi”.
• Joan of Arc: Also known as The Maid of Orleans. Considered a heroine for her role during the Hundred Years’ War as part of the relief army.
• Andre the Giant: An actor and wrestler who was seven feet tall.
• Nostradamus: An astrologer, seer and physician who was known for allegedly predicting future events.
• Albert Camus: A journalist, author and philosopher who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.  
• Emma Mackey: An actress known for her role in the Netflix show Sex Education.
• Voltaire: A writer, historian and philosopher who was known for his criticism of Christianity.  
• Jean-Paul Sartre: A playwright, philosopher, novelist, activist, literary critic and screenwriter. Was considered a leading figure in Marxism.  
• Charlotte Gainsbourg: An actress and singer-songwriter. Best known for her film work with Lars Von Trier.  
• Napoleon Bonaparte: Also known as The Little Corporal. A statesman and military leader who was a notorious commander during the French Revolution, known for his tactical domination.
• Louis Vuitton: A designer and brand of luxury goods.
• Pom Klementieff: An actress and model known for her roles in Oldboy, Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers franchise.
• Claude Monet: An impressionist painter best known for his paintings of the French countryside.
• Claude Debussy: A composer who worked in an impressionist style (although he didn’t identify with the term).
• Simone de Beauvoir: A writer, academic, political activist, social theorist and philisopher. Had a formative influence on feminist theory and feminist existentialism.
• Marcel Proust: A writer, critic and essayest best known for his work In Search of Lost Time.
• John Calvin: A pastor and theologian who was influential in the development of the Christian theology now known as Calvinism.
• Henri Matisse: A painter, sculptor and printmaker known for his intense colours and expressive drawings.
• Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: A printmaker, painter and illustrator who worked in a post-impressionist style.
• Blaise Pascal: A writer, mathmetician, physicist, inventor and theologian. He worked on the concepts of vacuum and pressure and developed the first calculating machines (named Pascalines).
• Audrey Tatou: An actress best known for her work in A Very Long Engagement, Amelie and The Da Vinci Code.
• Carla Bruni: A singer-songwriter, social activist and previously a model.
• Yo-Yo Ma: A cellist who was born in France and now lives in America. He studied at Harvard and Julliard and started performing at age four.
• Le Corbusier: A designer, architect, writer, painter and urban planner who was known for improving the living conditions of residents of crowded cities.
• Jacques Derrida: A philosopher known for developing deconstruction (a form of semiotic analysis). A major influence in philosopy, literature, linguistics and political theory.
• Auguste Rodin: A sculptor who worked in a naturalist style.
• Christian Dior: A designer and fashion house/brand.
• Marcel Duchamp: A painter, chess player, writer and sculptor. His work is conceptual and heavily associated with Dadaism and Cubism.
• Charles Baudelaire: A poet, art critic, essayist and literary translator. Most well known for his work Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil).
• Jacques Lacan: A psychiatrist and psychoanalyst known for his theory of the blank slate.
• DJ Snake: A DJ and music producer from Paris. Known for his songs “Bird Machine” and “Turn Down for What”.
• Edgar Degas: An artist known for pastel and oil paintings, specifically of ballerinas.
• Charlotte Le Bon: An artist and actress who previously worked as a tv presenter and model.
• Roland Barthes: A literary theorist, philosopher, essayist and critic. His work involved social theory, semiotics, design theory, post-structuralism and anthropology.
• Gustave Flaubert: A novelist who was very influential in literary realism.
• Claude Levi-Strauss: An ethnologist and anthropologist whose work encompassed structuralism and structural anthropology.
• Denis Diderot: A writer, editor, philosopher and art critic who was in influential figure in the Age of Enlightenment.
• Charles Perrault: An author and academic who wrote fairytales.
• Jean Renoir: A director, actor, author and producer who worked during the silent era of film until the end of the 1960s.
• Marie Tussaud: An artist known for her sculptures, which were made of wax. Founder of Madame Tussauds, the famous museum of wax figurines based in London.
• Joseph Fourier: A physicist and mathmetician known for his work on the Fourier series, Fourier transform, Fourier’s law of conduction and harmonic analysis.
• Marcel Marceau: An actor and mime best known for his persona Bip the clown.
• The Intouchables: A comedy-drama film about two friends from different social classes.
• Les Enfants du Paradis: A romantic drama also known as Children of Paradise.
• Amelie: A romantic comedy about an isolated woman who attempts to help the lives of others.
• Guy: A comedy movie that was directed and written by Alex Lutz.
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire: A historical romantic drama set in the 18th century.
• Les Miserables: Considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century and has been turned into a film and a musical.
• My Golden Days: A drama about an anthropologist who is interrogated at the Parisian airport.
• My Life as a Zucchini: An animated film about children who are adjusting to life at an orphanage.
• Girlhood: Also known as “Gang of Girls”. A dramatic coming of age film.
• Amour: A tragic romance film that is centred around and elderly couple.
• Blue is the Warmest Colour: An lgbt romance film based on the graphic novel of the same name.
• The Little Prince: A novel (that has since been made into an animated movie) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Very famous and a cult classic novella.
• Madame Bovary: A novel by Gustave Flaubert about a character living beyond her means to deal with her life.
• The Flowers of Evil:A booke of poetry by Baudelaire. Involves themes of eroticism and decadence.
• In Search of Lost Time: Also known as Remembrance of Things Past. A seven-volume work by Marcel Proust which covers themes of involuntary memory.
• The Count of Monte Cristo: An adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas. Most well known for his work The Three Musketeers.
• Beauty and the Beast: A fairytale written in 1740 about a woman being kidnapped and developing Stockholm Syndrome for her captor.
• Dangerous Liaisons: A dramatic romance film.
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth: A sci-fi classic by Jules Verne.
• Candide: A French satire published by Voltaire.
• The Three Musketeers: An adventure written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844. Considered a classic.
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame: A gothic novel by Victor Hugo that has since been made into various films, including an animated cartoon.
• The Phantom of the Opera: A novel inspired by events at the Paris Opera. Has been adapted to film and musical theatre multiple times.
• The Black Tulip: A novel and a book of Romantic poetry by Alexandre Dumas.

We hope this list of French things was useful and that you found what you needed!

We did our best to cover all of the varied meanings of “French” with our visual gallery of French things and descriptive list. But if you feel there’s something we missed, please feel free to let us know and leave a comment.

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