Category: French History
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French Surnames of Corsica: Origins, Meanings and Family Heritage
Discover the most common French surnames from Corsica, their Italian and Genoese origins, and how to trace your Corsican ancestry through French and Italian records.
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French Surnames of Île-de-France: Origins, Meanings and Family Heritage
Discover the most common French surnames from Île-de-France, their origins, meanings and how they spread from Paris to Québec, Louisiana and beyond.
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What Really Happens in France on Bastille Day
Every year on 14 July, France stops completely. Not just Paris — but every village, every coastal town, and every mountain hamlet across the country. Tourists see the fireworks. The French see something far older. Photo: Love France Why the French don’t call it Bastille Day The English-speaking world calls it “Bastille Day.” The French…
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French Surnames of the Basque Country: Origins, Meanings and
Photo: Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash What’s your name in French? 🇫🇷 Your French Name — type any first name for the French equivalent, with meaning and regional notes. There is a moment, standing in the market square of Saint-Jean-de-Luz on a warm September morning, when you notice that the names on the shop…
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Alsace: The Region That Was French, Then German, Then French
Alsace sits on France’s border with Germany. In 74 years, this single region changed nationality four times. No other part of Europe has a story quite like it — and no other landscape holds the marks of history so visibly in its streets and its people. Image: Shutterstock A Land Between Two Nations Alsace lies…
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French Work Culture vs American Work Culture: Why the French
A café terrace on Rue de Buci, Paris. Photo: zoetnet, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Thinking about it seriously? If you’ve started actually planning a move, our complete our complete Moving to France guide walks through every step, every cost, and the paperwork that catches most people out. Love France? Join the community 🇫🇷…
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The Normans Who Changed the World: From France to England to Sicily
How Viking settlers in Normandy became the Normans — and conquered England in 1066 before building a kingdom in Sicily. France's most ambitious story.
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French School Culture vs. American School Culture
French school culture differs from American schools in surprising ways. From two-hour lunches to compulsory philosophy, here is the full picture.
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Joan of Arc: Why France’s National Hero Still Matters
Joan of Arc was a teenage peasant girl who helped save France. She led armies, crowned a king, and changed the course of a war — then died at 19. Seven centuries later, France still claims her as its own. Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) A Peasant Girl from Lorraine She…
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Napoleon’s France: The Man Who Remade Europe
Napoleon Bonaparte changed France. He changed Europe. He changed the law, the map, and what it meant to be French. No other figure in modern history remade so much so fast. Napoleon’s France was not just a country. It was an empire stretching from the Atlantic coast to the borders of Russia. He ruled it…
