French1789 — La Révolution
The Revolution
The storming of the Bastille on 14 July — now the Fête nationale.
Destination 04
Histoire & Société
History and society
Kings, revolutions, republics — and the values of liberté, égalité, fraternité that still shape public life.
Les grandes dates
Key moments1804 — Le Code civil
The Napoleonic Code
A legal model still echoed in civil law systems around the world.
1958 — La Ve République
The Fifth Republic
De Gaulle's constitution, with a strong president, still in force today.
La société
SocietyLa laïcité
Secularism
Strict separation of state and religion since the 1905 law — a core civic principle.
La francophonie
The French-speaking world
Over 320 million speakers across five continents, from Québec to Dakar.