Quelle Surprise!! Fun, Interesting Facts About France

French was the official language of England for over 300 years. It's the native language of 75 million people worldwide. French is the second most commonly taught foreign language, after English. It is the official language of the United Nations. English and French are the only languages taught in every country in the world. The word 'salut' means both 'hello' and 'goodbye'. At the time of the French Revolution, 75% of French citizens didn't speak French as a native language. There is a Victor Hugo street in every town in France. In France, it is against the law to name a pig Napoleon. Non-French celebrities who speak the language include: Jodie Foster, Johnny Depp, Elton John, Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Madonna, Mick Jagger and John Travolta. 34% of French people can speak English. In 1386 a pig was hung in France for the murder of a child. In France, it is permissible to marry a dead person! Louis XIX was King of France for just 20 minutes. During WWII when Hitler visited Paris, the French cut the lift cables on the Eiffel Tower so that Hitler would have to climb the steps if he wanted to reach the top. The Mosque of Paris helped Jews escape the Nazis by giving them Muslim IDs during the Second World War. There is only one STOP sign in the entire city of Paris. France is the most visited country in the world, hosting in excess of 80 million tourists each year. France has the highest number of ski resorts. France ruled the second largest colonial empire in the world, controlling 8.6% of the world's land. An early version of the internet was introduced in 1984 called Minitel which allowed the French to pay their bills and shop from home using the service. France has won the most Nobel Prizes for Literature than any other country in the world and the second most in mathematics. Famous French inventions include the hot air balloon, the submarine and the parachute. 'Let them eat cake' was a statement falsely associated with Marie Antoinette as the expression was created ten years before she was born. The guillotine was last used in 1977. Paris is nicknamed 'city of lights' which actually refers to the number of intellectuals who live there. Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde were buried in the Paris cemetery called Pere Lachaise. The Eiffel tower was originally intended to be dismantled and sold as scrap after its construction. The croissant was actually invented in Austria. France is home to 28 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Roughly two new cook books are published in France every day. It is against the law to take pictures of police officers and police vehicles.