And what about France culture?

Vol 28, Issue 16, 20^th February 2026

After talking about Finland, it’s now time to talk about my country, France. I come from Nantes, a city in the northwest, close to Brittany. There are many stereotypes about our country: baguettes under our arms, cheese and wine every day, French arrogance, repeated strikes, and so on. Even if some of these may be close to reality, France is not an Instagram cliché, so how can we illustrate our culture?

First of all, we stand out (and this confirms the clichés) for our relationship with food. Of course, French cuisine is well known and renowned, but it’s linked to a special relationship with food. This is illustrated by many details, such as going to the bakery every day, taking walks after meals, meals as a crucial moment in the day, and the time spent at the table. Indeed, this last point is somewhat of a tradition. Family meals, when everyone gets together, are usually long affairs, and people may even stay at the table all day. They start with lunch, extend their coffee break until evening, and then start all over again.

France also has a culture of debate. It’s well known that we love to talk. And most often to debate. This also involves a touch of humor, French humor, which is also well known. Our dark, sarcastic humor is our trademark. I could add to this habit of debating our street culture. We love to chat, talk, and debate, but most of the time this happens over a drink on a terrace. In fact, no matter what time of day it is, from morning coffee to after-work wine, any excuse is good enough to sit on a terrace, winter or summer. Whether you’re in the heart of Paris or a small village in the middle of nowhere, there will always be a terrace open to welcome you.

Secondly, our country also stands out for its relationship with time, particularly tardiness. While being late may be considered rude in some countries, in France it’s completely normal. There is even an expression that says that any French person who has an appointment will be 15 minutes late, known as “le quart d’heure français” (the French quarter hour). However, this tardiness is not accepted everywhere, such as at school. The education system is also quite different from other countries. It’s based on hierarchy and theory, completely unlike Finland. With long school days and a lot of homework, there is little time left for extracurricular activities.

Finally, how can we talk about France without mentioning its landscapes? Each one is different from the next. In just a few hours, you can go from mountains to paradise beaches to forests to the architecture of the largest cities, not to mention our overseas territories such as Guadeloupe.

For me, France is all of these things: debates, gastronomy, street culture, French humor, landscapes each more surprising than the last, art, fashion, etc. Even though Finland has its strengths, its calm, its nature, its respect, France will always be the country of my heart.