What Makes France Special: Heritage, Food and Regional Pride

France is one of the most celebrated countries in the world: 56 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, palaces and cathedrals known everywhere, a way of eating recognised by UNESCO itself, and regions each proud of their own food, landscape and character. Here is what makes it special.

Fifty-six World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists 56 World Heritage properties in France. Among the best known:

• Palace and Park of Versailles, the grandest royal palace in Europe
• Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay, an abbey rising from the tides
• Chartres Cathedral, famous for its stained glass
• Paris, Banks of the Seine, the heart of the capital
• Reims Cathedral, where French kings were crowned
• Canal du Midi, a seventeenth-century engineering marvel

A gastronomy recognised by UNESCO

In 2010, the gastronomic meal of the French was added to UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The shared meal, the pairing of food and wine, and the rituals around the table are part of French identity. Bread from the local bakery, the weekly market and regional cheeses and wines are everyday sources of pride.

Pride in every region

From Brittany to Provence, Alsace to the Basque Country, every French region has its own food, accent, landscape and traditions. Many people identify first with their region or town.

Art, ideas and fashion

France has given the world great painters, writers and thinkers, from the Impressionists to its philosophers and novelists. Paris remains a world capital of art and fashion.

A language spoken worldwide

French is spoken on every continent and is one of the official languages of many international organisations.

The Tour de France

First held in 1903, the Tour de France is one of the world's most famous sporting events, crossing the country's landscapes every summer.

Carrying the pride with you

Palaces, cathedrals, a celebrated way of eating and pride in every region: France gives its people a great deal to celebrate. That pride is what our France designs are made for, and our guide to choosing a gift based on someone's home town shows how to make it personal.