Incredible France: Uncovering 15 Fascinating & Unusual Facts About the Hexagonal Nation
France, the Hexagonal Nation, is known for its unparalleled beauty, glamorous lifestyle, and rich history. But beneath the surface lies a wealth of fascinating, unusual, and sometimes surprising facts. Here are 15 of them!
1. The Name Hexagonal: France is known as the Hexagonal Nation because it has six borders. The shape of the country’s hexagon resembles the layout of different territories on an old French map.
2. Paradoxical France: Known for its laid-back lifestyle, France paradoxically leads the world in the number of hours worked per year.
3. National Symbols: France has three national flowers – the Fleur-de-lis, the Rose, and the Lily – each symbolizing different significant periods in French history.
4. Secret Treasure: Beneath the Greek Theater of Epidaurus is a crown they say is the treasured property of Helen of Troy.
5. Dancing Government: In the French Parliament, Members of Parliament must stand up when they speak, making for quite the dance routine.
6. Oldest Theaters: France’s oldest theater, the Comédie-Française, was established in 1680 and remains one of the most prestigious theaters in the world today.
7. The First Confetti Celebration: Parisians celebrated the 1889 World’s Fair with ships made from confetti, causing confetti to be associated with festivities worldwide.
8. Chimney Mountains: France’s volcanic-origin mountains in Auvergne – like Puy de Dome – have a distinct black, volcanic soil and towering chimney-like formations.
9. Sea of Lavender Fields: Roussillon, a town in the French Pyrenees, is home to an awe-inspiring “Sea of Lavender,” where the fields of purple flowers extend as far as the eye can see.
10. Hidden Library: Sorbonne University, Paris, holds a forgotten library known as the “Secret Library,” which contains 120,000 volumes dating back to the 15th century and earlier, some nearly as old as the university itself.
11. Painting’s Purple Touch: The famous Mona Lisa hoax painting, the Isleworth Mona Lisa, curiously has a purple sash on Lisa Gherardini, as opposed to the original Mona Lisa’s green one.
12. Underwater Cemetery: French Corsica Islander are allowed to bury their deceased in underwater cemeteries, providing a unique and serene final resting place.
13. One Commune, Three Languages: In Belgium’s French-speaking Wallonia region, one town, Comines-Warneton, allows residents to speak French, Dutch, or German, paying homage to its history of diverse influences.
14. Mayor Of The Sea: Henri Lemoine, a French citizen, owns a 150-room watery castle on a lake in northern France, boasting the title ‘Lord of the Lake.’
15. A Nation of Patents: French inventor Nicolas Appert won the first-ever patent for a method of food preservation – caning.
Image: (picture of one of the lovely French landmarks here)
FAQs:
1. Does France have the largest number of hours worked annually in the world?
Yes, despite having a reputation for leisure and relaxation, France indeed leads the world’s average annual hours worked.
2. Where can you find the “Sea of Lavender?”
The breathtaking Sea of Lavender is located in the French Pyrenees, specifically in the town of Roussillon.
3. Who holds the world’s first patent for food preservation?
The world’s first patent for food preservation was won by French inventor Nicolas Appert.
