波旁王朝復闢時，三色旗曾經被廢除，而用王室的鳶尾花旗(fleur-de-lis)。然而1830年7月革命後，三色旗再度成為法國的國旗，並延續至今。
法國國旗被法國人稱呼為：
le drapeau tricolore
le drapeau bleu-blanc-rouge
le drapeau de la France
有時也叫le tricolore，口頭稱作les couleurs。
法國國旗也被使用英文的人叫做French tricolor（美式英語），或French tricolour（英式英語）。
盧浮宮 (Palais du Louvre)是法國最大的王宮建築之一, 位於巴黎市中心塞納河右畔、巴黎歌劇院廣場南側。原是一座中世紀城堡，１６世紀後經多次改建、擴建，至１８世紀為現存規模。占地約４５公頃。早在１５４６年，法王弗朗索瓦一世决定在原城堡的基礎上建造新的王宮，此後經過９位君主不斷擴建，歷時３００餘年，形成一座呈Ｕ字形的宏偉輝煌的宮殿建築群。１７９３年８月１０日，在推翻君主製的周年紀念日時，法國“國民公會”决定把昔日的皇宮闢為國立美術博物館；同年１１月１８日，盧浮宮博物館正式嚮公衆開放。其全部工程於１８５７年完成。在盧浮宮口字形正殿的西側，伸展出兩個側廳，中間的空地形成卡魯賽廣場。宮的東側有長列柱廊，建築巍峨壯麗。其畫廊長達９００英尺，藏有大量十七世紀以及歐洲文藝復興期間許多藝術傢的作品。館藏品達４０萬件。盧浮宮美術博物館分為６大部分：希臘和羅馬藝術館；東方藝術館；埃及藝術館；歐洲中世紀、文藝復興時期和現代雕像館；歷代繪畫館。展覽按不同流派、學派和時代劃分。一層展出雕刻。二層油畫，三層是素描和彩粉畫。八十年代初，法國政府實施擴建和修復盧浮宮的“大盧浮宮計劃”。
巴黎聖母院(Notre-Dame de Paris)是最著名的中世紀哥特式大教堂，以其規模、年代和在考古、建築上的價值而著稱。巴黎主教莫裏斯·德緒利曾設想將兩座較早的巴西利卡式（長方形）教堂合成一座大型教堂，１１６３年由教皇亞歷山大三世奠基，高聖壇於１１８９年舉行奉獻儀式，１２４０年唱詩班席、西立面和中堂竣工，門廊、祈禱室和其他裝修在其後的一百年中陸續建成。內部平面１３０×４８米，屋頂高３５米，塔高６８米。塔的尖頂始終未建。教堂經過歷代的損壞不得不 於１９世紀重修，衹有三個巨大的圓花窗仍保持着１３世紀的彩色玻璃。後堂的飛扶垛特別雄健優美。
巴士底獄遺址(Place de la Bastille)位於巴黎市區東部、塞納河右岸，這裏曾是公元１３６９—１３８２年建立的一座軍事堡壘。“巴士底”一詞的法文原意是“城堡”。這座古城堡擁有８座巍峨堅固的炮臺，興建之初是用來抵抗英國入侵的。１３８０－１４２２年，這座城堡被改為王傢監獄。整座城堡占地２６７０平方米，四周建有一堵又高又厚的石墻和８座高３０多米的塔樓，四周掘有寬２４米的深溝，設吊橋進出。早在１６世紀，這裏就開始關押囚禁政治犯，法國啓蒙思想傢伏爾泰就曾兩次關押在這裏。在法國人民心目中，巴士底獄已成為法國封建專製統治的象徵。１７８９年７月３日，巴黎人民奮然起義，１４日，攻占了巴士底獄，揭開了法國大革命的序幕。１７９１年，巴黎人民拆毀了巴士底獄，在其舊址上建成了巴士底廣場，並把拆下來的石頭鋪到塞納河的協和橋上，供路人踐踏。１８３０年，法國人民又在廣場中心建立起一座紀念七月革命的烈士碑。這座烈士碑高５２米，碑身是用青銅鑄成的圓柱體，人稱“７月圓柱”，在柱頂端是一尊右手高舉火炬的金翅自由神像，神像左手提着被砸斷的鎖鏈象徵着獲得了自由。在監獄遺址前方立着一塊牌子，上寫：“大傢在這裏跳舞吧！”１８８０年６月，法國將７月１４日巴黎人民攻占巴士底獄這一天定為法國國慶日。
喬治·蓬皮杜國傢藝術文化中心(Centre National d'art et de Culture Georges Pompidou)坐落在巴黎拉丁區北側，塞納河右岸的博堡大街，當地人常也簡稱為“博堡”。文化中心的外部鋼架林立、管道縱橫，並且根據不同功能分別漆上紅、黃、藍、緑、白等顔色。因這座現代化的建築外觀極像一座工廠，故又有“煉油廠”和“文化工廠”之稱。這座設計新穎、造型特異的現代化建築是已故總統蓬皮杜於１９６９年决定興建的，１９７２年正式動工，１９７７年建成，同年２月開館。整座建築占地７５００平方米，建築面積共１０萬平方米，地上６層。整座建築共分為工業創造中心、大衆知識圖書館、現代藝術館以及音樂音響諧調與研究中心四大部分。
巴黎協和廣場(Place de la Concorde in Paris)位於巴黎市中心、塞納河北岸，是法國最著名廣場和世界上最美麗的廣場之一。廣場始建於１７５７年，是根據著名建築師卡布裏埃爾的設計而建造的。因廣場中心曾塑有路易十五騎像，１７６３年曾命名“路易十五廣場”。大革命時期又被改名為“革命廣場”。１７９５年又將其改稱為“協和廣場”，後經名建築師希托弗主持整修，最終於１８４０年形成了現在的規模。廣場中央矗立着一尊２３米高、有３４００多年歷史的埃及方尖碑，這是路易－菲利普於１８３１年從埃及盧剋索移來的著名文物，碑身的古文字記載着拉美西斯二世法老的事跡。石碑兩側各有一座噴水池。池中精緻的雕刻也是希托弗的作品。廣場四周放置了８座雕像，分別象徵着８座在法國歷史上起過重要作用的城市：裏昂、馬賽、波爾多、南特、魯昂、布勒斯特、裏爾和斯特拉斯堡。１７９３年大革命時期，巴黎人民奮起搗毀了路易十五的銅像，並將路易十六送上了斷頭臺。
香榭麗捨大街 (Ave des Champs-Elysees)東起協和廣場西至星形廣場，全長約１８００米，街道最寬處約１２０米，是橫貫巴黎且最具特色、最繁華的街道之一。在法文中“香榭麗捨”是“田園樂土”的意思。過去，這裏曾是一片低窪潮濕的空地。１７世紀路易十四在位時，曾在這裏植樹造林，使之成為專供宮廷貴族遊樂的禁區。後來，圖勒裏公園的東西軸綫嚮西延伸，在這裏建成了近１公裏長的林蔭道。以後又加擴展。１７０９年纔將其命名為香榭麗捨大街。大街以南北走嚮的隆布萬街為界，分成風格迥異的東西兩段。幽靜的東段體現了田園風光，長約７００米，一排排梧桐蒼翠欲滴，街心花園夾在萬木叢中時隱時現。東端的星形廣場中央有巍峨雄偉、遐邇聞名的凱旋門。大街附近有波旁宮、瑪德琳娜大教堂。這裏還有圖勒裏公園、盧浮宮、市府大廈和愛麗捨宮等名勝古跡。西段長１１００多米，西端的協和廣場是巴黎的另一個交通要衝。法國的一些重大節日──７月１４日國慶閱兵式、新年聯歡都在這條著名的街道上舉行。
France (pronounced /fræns/ or /frɑns/, French: [fʁɑ̃s]), officially the French Republic (French: République française, pronounced [ʁepyˈblik fʁɑ̃ˈsɛz]), is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various overseas islands and territories located in other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. French people often refer to Metropolitan France as L’Hexagone (The “Hexagon”) because of the geometric shape of its territory.
France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. Due to its overseas departments, France also shares land borders with Brazil and Suriname (bordering French Guiana) , and the Netherlands Antilles (bordering Saint-Martin). France is also linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath the English Channel.
France is a unitary semi-presidential republic. Its main ideals are expressed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. France was the world's foremost power from the latter half of the 17th century until the early 19th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, France built one of the largest colonial empires of the time, stretching across West Africa and Southeast Asia, prominently influencing the cultures and politics of the regions. France is a developed country, with the sixth (nominal GDP) or eighth (PPP) largest economy in the world. It is the most visited country in the world, receiving over 79 million foreign tourists annually (including business visitors, but excluding people staying less than 24 hours in France). France is one of the founding members of the European Union, and has the largest land area of all members. France is also a founding member of the United Nations, and a member of the Francophonie, the G8, and the Latin Union. It is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council; it is also an acknowledged nuclear power.
The name “France” comes from Latin Francia, which literally means “land of the Franks” or “Frankland”. There are various theories as to the origin of the name of the Franks. One is that it is derived from the Proto-Germanic word frankon which translates as javelin or lance as the throwing axe of the Franks was known as a francisca.
Another proposed etymology is that in an ancient Germanic language, Frank means free as opposed to slave. This word still exists in French as franc, it is also used as the translation of “Frank” and to name the local money, until the use of the euro in the 2000s.
However, rather than the ethnic name of the Franks coming from the word frank, it is also possible that the word is derived from the ethnic name of the Franks, the connection being that only the Franks, as the conquering class, had the status of freemen. In German, France is still called Frankreich, which literally means “Realm of the Franks”. In order to distinguish from the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne, Modern France is called Frankreich, while the Frankish Realm is called Frankenreich.
The word “Frank” had been loosely used from the fall of Rome to the Middle Ages, yet from Hugh Capet's coronation as “King of the Franks” (“Rex Francorum”) it became used to strictly refer to the Kingdom of Francia, which would become France. The Capetian Kings were descended from the Robertines, who had produced two Frankish kings, and previously held the title of “Duke of the Franks” (“dux Francorum”). This Frankish duchy encompassed most of modern northern France but because the royal power was sapped by regional princes the term was then applied to the royal demesne as shorthand. It was finally the name adopted for the entire Kingdom as central power was affirmed over the entire kingdom.
