What does the flag of France look like, and what does it mean?

France attracts many tourists with its culture and history. Kitchen, high fashion, architecture - all this shocks the imagination of foreigners. The state symbols of the French also deserve attention - it hides a lot of information about this distinctive country. What can tell the flag of the French or their coat of arms?

Official type of cloth

Many know what the flag of France looks like, because souvenirs with such symbolism are popular even outside the country. The panel is a rectangle whose width refers to the length of two to three. There are three vertical stripes on it. The first one on the left is blue, the center is white, and the right edge is red. This version of the national flag was approved in the eighteenth century, in 1794, and to this day it has remained unchanged.

History of origin

What the flag of France looks like was determined by a multitude of historical events. Initially, the banner of the Gauls was a blue banner designed to symbolize St. Martin. It was used by the first French Christian king, Clovis the First. Up to 496 the banner was white and depicted three golden toads. When Charlemagne ascended to the throne, the state standard was a three-tailed red cloth with roses. There were six of them, and they were executed in blue-red-yellow color. After the collapse of the French Empire, the country returned to its former, blue banner. In the twelfth century, King Ludwig the Sixth Thick added gold lilies to the fabric. They symbolized the Most Holy Virgin. Charles the Fifth used the image of three lilies to mention the Holy Trinity in this way. During the Hundred Years War, the French wanted to separate themselves from the English and used as a symbol a white cloth with lilies, on which were also the coat of arms, God and two angels. Joan of Arc supporters also used white. After the end of the war, the blue flag returned to use. At the end of the eighteenth century, after the capture of the Bastille, red and blue tones were combined with white. So for the first time appeared tricolor banners. Soon the first national flag was used, which used tricolor. In Napoleon's time, on a white element in the center, there were gold inscriptions reminiscent of the banners of the Roman Empire. After the French Revolution, the flag strips meant freedom, equality and brotherhood as the main ideals. Anyway, the version of what the flag of France looks like has already taken on a modern look.

What do the colors of the flag mean?

Interested in the country of the Gauls and its culture is not just to know what flag France has, but also to understand its symbolism. Red means the home, the warmth of the French hearts, and also recalls the holy Dionysia. The idea of a divine order and the memory of France's national heroine Jeanne d'Arc are connected with the white. Blue is the symbol of St. Martin of Tours, who patronizes Paris. There is a legend according to which he gave a blue raincoat to a beggar who froze from the cold. Knowing what the flag of France looks like and why, you can get an idea of the customs of this country and its history.

Coat of arms of France

Tourists always know what the flag of France looks like. Photos and images of it can be found without any problems. But the coat of arms can be seen less often, while it is of no less importance. On its modern version, one can see a lion head with a lion's head, on which are engraved the letters RF, this is the short name of the French Republic. The drawing is surrounded by branches of oak and olive trees, which symbolize wisdom. The basis is the fascia and ax, which point to unity and justice.