French monarchs wore the three colours distinctly: blue, white and red.
- The blue banner flowing for the coronation of Charlemagne, in remembrance of the blue cover which Saint Martin gave to a poor person. From Clovis to Charles X, the royal coat is azur blue, ornated with gold fleur-de-lis, symbols of loyalty and fidelity. Under Hugues Capet and his descendants, the King’s Standard was the red banner of Saint-Denis, protector of the kingdom.
- White was the colour of the Royal Standard and the Navy flag from 1638 to 1790. from 1814 to 1830 it was also the colour of the Royal Army.
The French revolution instituted the tricolour flag. During the celebration of the Federation, July 14, 1790, the Champs de Mars was decorated with tricolour flags. A decree of 27 Pluviôse An 2 (1794) stipulates: “The banner, as well as the national flag, shall be composed of the three national colours, in three equal bands, so that the blue shall be attached to the flag pole, the white in the middle and the red floating in the wind”.

Marianne

In spite of the fact that the 1958 Constitution chose the tricolour flag as the national emblem, Marianne also incarnates the French republic. The first representations of a woman wearing a Phrygian bonnet, allegory of Liberty and of the Republic, appeared during the French Revolution.

The origin of the use of the name “Marianne” is not certain. A very popular first name in the XVIII century, Marie-Anne depicted the common people. However the anti-revolutionists also used this name, in mockery, for the Republic. Symbol of liberty, the Phrygian bonnet was worn by emancipated slaves in Greece and Rome.   A similar bonnet was also worn by mediterranean seamen and galley slaves and was apparently borrowed by revolutionists coming from the Midi region. Under the Third Republic, statues and especially busts of Marianne mutliplied, particularly in town halls. Several trends of representation were developed depending on whether the revolutionary or the well-behaved aspect of Marianne was privileged; the Phrygian bonnet is sometimes considered too seditious and is replaced by a tiara or crown. Nowadays famous actrices lend their faces to Marianne. She is represented on items benefiting from wide distribution such as coins or post stamps.

National Holiday : July 14

	The taking of the Bastille, July 14, 1789, was the first victory of the Parisiens against a symbol of the ancient regime.   The Paris revolution day and now the national holiday, July 14, today associates the formality of the military parades with the conviviality of dancing and fireworks.