Our French World

Our French World By Tamanna Pannu

This is a map of the main countries where French is spoken.

France

France is home of many French landmarks - including the great Eiffel Tower. In France, typical clothing here are usually neutral coloured with a coloured accessory, like a scarf. Trench coats and neutral stripes are also very popular in the French community. In major cities, like Paris, usually people have very colourful and fashionable clothing.

France is also home to great foods and cuisines. The French eat Escargots (Snails). This weird appetizer is a popular one in France. They are usually boiled and served with bread and butter.

One religious celebration that the French celebrate is Assumption Day. This celebration celebrates the Catholic beliefs that the spirit and body of Mary (the mother of Jesus) was assumed to heaven. This is an important time for village and church festivals. This is on the 15th of August every year and it's a public holiday in France.

This is the modern flag of France. It was adopted in 1794 after its colours were reversed. Then, during the Bourbon Restoration, the white flag was used. It was brought back again in 1830.

The Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular French landmarks in the world. It was built for the 1889 World Fair to celebrate the 100th anniversary of French Replublic.

Canada

More than 7 million Canadians speak French, and they mostly live in the province of Quebec. The French came to Canada since 1534, but there wasn't permanent settlement until 1608, when Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City.

French Canadians wear modern Western style clothing. Men commonly wear white shirts, black vests, and a pair of knee-length black pants. Women usually wear black skirts, and white blouses. Both French Canadian men and woman wear black shoes with white stockings.

Food here includes poutine, a dish that has French fries and is finished with gravy and cheese curds. This orginates in the province of Quebec. French Canadians eat some foods that are from France, but they mostly eat Canadian and American classics.

French Canadians in Quebec celebrate National Patriots Day on the Monday before May 25. It is celebrated across Quebec to represent the struggles of the patriots for freedom when the British ruled. National Patriots Day is observed on the same day as Victoria Day.

On the left is the national flag of Canada, and on the right is the provincial flag of Quebec.

This is the Chateau Frontenac is a grand hotel in Quebec City. It was built by manager of Canadian Pacific Railway, William Van Horne, in the late 1800s, with the help of the marvelous New York architect, Bruce Price.

Belgium

French is the second most-spoken language in Belgium. The French community lives in Brussels and Wallonia, and even though they speak French, the words and pronunciation are different than French in France. Belgians usually wear modern western clothing, like French Canadians, but on some farms, they wear traditional clothing. Men wear old fashioned caps, and women wear dark clothing with white aprons.

A French Belgian classic is Croque. It's simply just a grilled sandwich containing mostly crab, shrimp, lobster, and Abbey cheese. The French here also eat the same or similar food as people in France.

A specific holiday that French Belgians celebrate is French Community Day, which is on the 27th of September. This day is celebrated to honor the patriots' victory against the Dutch army in Brussels.

On the left is the national flag of Belgium, and on the right is the regional flag of Wallonia.

The Bois Du Cazier was a coal-mining site. Now, it is an industrial heritage museum, located in Marcinelle, which is in the region of Wallonia.

Switzerland

French is spoken in the western Switzerland, called Romandy. Just like in Belgium, the words and pronunciations are a bit different. About 18% of the Swiss population speaks French. Clothing here is Western style, but traditional clothing is worn on festivals and celebrations.

Some of the French specialities in Switzerland are steaks and wine-flavored meat stews. They also eat the same or similar dishes as the French in France eat.

A festival that is celebrated in the French speaking region of Switzerland is called Restoration Day. It celebartes the re-establishment of Geneva as a republic.

On the left is the Flag of Switzerland, and on the right is the flag of Romandy, where French is spoken. The 3 colours in the background represent the French, since they are the same colours as the flag of France.

The city of Geneva is the second most popluar in Switzerland. It is the capital of Romandy. Geneva is also ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Chad

Chad is a country in northern Africa. It has hot and dry climate, and is home to one of the most expensive city in the world. Clothing here usually differs, and it depends on where in Chad you live in. French speakers are all over this country, they don't all usually live in a certain region.

Chadians usually eat food that contain millet. They use millet to make porridge, and then they sweeten it. Chadians in Sahel often eat dishes with okra and meat sauce. At many Sahelian eateries in the village, you'll find grilled goat meat with dried hot pepper and squeezed lime.

In the farming regions, festivals usually have to do with farming and harvest. One festival that is celebrated happens during the harvesting of millet. They play music with traditional instruments, while dancers perform. Then, they have a large meal afterwards which the locals have prepared for all guests.

The flag of Chad is tri-coloured and was adopted in 1959 It is a combination of two Pan - African colours (yellow and red), and two colours from the French Tricolore (red and blue).

This is Lake Chad, located in western Chad. This lake provides water to people from all four countries that surrounds the lake; including Chad.

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