The national flag of France (known in French as drapeau tricolore, drapeau français, and in military parlance, les couleurs) is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red. It is known to English speakers as the French tricolour or simply, the tricolour, although tricoleur (in the French pronunciation) is far from unknown.
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The national flag of France (known in French as drapeau tricolore, drapeau français, and in military parlance, les couleurs) is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red. It is known to English speakers as the French tricolour or simply, the tricolour, although tricoleur (in the French pronunciation) is far from unknown.
The traditional emblem of France was the fleur-de-lis, or lily, which first appeared on the arms in the 12th century. The Tricoleur was used during the Revolution and has since become a symbol of liberty around the world. Other nations have also adopted the design. Because France has no arms, the Tricoleur is also the national emblem. The colours represent those of Paris (blue and red), combined with that of the Bourbon Dynasty (white), though they are usually associated with freedom, equality, and brotherhood, the ideals of the French Revolution.
Design
The colours adopted by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, which replaced a darker version of the flag,
Currently, the flag is 50% wider than its height (i.e. in the proportion 2:3) and, except in the French navy, has stripes of equal width. Initially, the three stripes of the flag were not equally wide, being in the proportions 30 (blue), 33 (white) and 37 (red). The theory behind this was that if they were equal then the white stripe, being brighter, would appear disproportionately wider to the human eye.Fact: date=February 2009 Under Napoleon I, the proportions were changed to make the stripes' width equal, but by a regulation dated 17 May 1853, the navy went back to using the 30:33:37 proportions, which it continues to use.
Symbolism
thumb|Flag of France and the flag of EU at the French Embassy in London Flag of France The blue and red of the flag have been the colours of Paris since 1358 when they were used by the followers of Etienne Marcel, then leader of a Parisian revolt against the King of France and the Dauphin. In 1794, the Convention officially adopted the tricolour, the Commander of the Guard, Lafayette, having reputedly added the royal white between the blue and the red.
Meanings have subsequently been ascribed to the colours. It is sometimes said - and taught in French schools - that the colours of the French flag represent the three main estates of the Ancien Régime (the clergy: white, the nobility: red and the bourgeoisie: blue). Blue, as the symbol of the bourgeoisie, comes first within the colour enumeration and red, representing the nobility, comes last. Both extreme colours are situated on each side of white referring to a superior order. If it is true that blue was the colour of the bourgeoisie during medieval times, the white colour may be linked to Joan of Arc (a first use, with a lamb) and later, along with the fleur de lys, to the monarchy.
