France

FLAG OF FRANCE

Flag of France

The French flag appeared since the revolution time. Created in 1790 is also called “Tricolore” because of its three colors that complete it. Blue, White and Red are the colors that makes the French Flag, each one added in a different time of France history representing different characters in French history.
Blue identified with Saint Martin, a rich officerwho ripped his blue cloak with his sword to give one half of it to a poor who was begging him in the snow.
Red is the color that represent Saint Denis, because of the first war banner was the red oriflamme of Saint Denis.
White is the color of Virgin Mary, because of her pure and holiness.

Country Seal

Country Seal

Representing France since 1953 but still it´s not the official seal ofFrance. It was adopted as the seal of France in 1848. The seal represents democracy and the rights of male to universal suffrage. Also in the seal says “République française démocratique une et indivisible” which means “Democratic French Republic, One and Indivisible”.

Country Bird

The Gallic Rooster

The Gallic Rooster is an unofficial national symbol of France as a nation, but still is thebird that represents France since the middle age. The link between the rooster and the French is developed by the kings of France for the strong Christian symbol that the rooster represents. The popularity of the Gallic rooster as a national personification faded away until its resurgence during the French Revolution. Nowadays this rooster is a symbol in France from economy to sport teams andmusic bands.

National Flower

The fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis also called stylized lily. It´s used as a decorative symbol for flags and royalty cloaks. Most of the time used for political, dynastic, artistic and heraldic symbol. In the modern France the stylized lily remained representing the royal standard and used as a symbol for the national flag in 1814, but replaced again after therevolution against Charles X of France in 1830. In a very strange turn of events after the end of the Second French Empire, where a flag apparently influenced the course of history.

National Tree

National Tree of France: YEW

YEW wood was used for making weapons: bows and arrows, cross-bows and lances were made out of it because it is both hard and elastic, Gallic tribes used lances poisonedwith yew sap. In the Celtic tradition the yew was worshipped as a holy tree. In Brittany and Normandy there are still existing thousand year old yew which bear witness to Celtic cults. In the Brittany of the middle ages burial places were planted with yews. They symbolized the eternal peace of the dead and offered protection from witches.

Native wildlife animals

Genet

Genets are relatedto mongoose and civets. They are carnivorous, eating usually insects, and small rodents and birds, and use their sharp claws to trap their prey. They have a body rather like a domestic cat, but with almost leopard like 'spot' markings on the greyish-brown fur - very distinctive. The tail is longer and bushier than that of a domestic cat, and the tail of the genet has distintive stripes. The headis small and pointed, and the ears are large. Genets are rarely seen, being nocturnal. They tend to sleep in holes in trees, hollows etc during the day, and their camouflaged coat means you are very unlikely to come across one.

Red squirrel



The red squirrel in France is more common then the grey squirrel a constant surprise to visitors from the UK where grey squirrels have largelyevicted the red squirrel population.The bronze-red hair of the squirrel sometimes has areas of much darker, almost black, hair. A mature squirrel might measure 20cm long with a 15 cm tail.The red squirrel lives usually in a nest that it makes in the fork of a tree. It eats mostly seeds, fruits and nuts and in the autumn stocks food in holes in preparation for the winter.

Tourist Attractions...