French Expressions with France

Of course you know that la France means "France," but are you aware that this country's name is also used in some idiomatic expressions? Learn how to say ordinary people, the rich, and more with this list of expressions with France.

la France
France

le France
French ocean liner built in 1960 (renamed le Norway in 1979)

France 2, France 3, France Inter
French TV stations

la France black-blanc-beur
multicultural, multiracial France

la France continentale
Metropolitan France minus Corsica

la France d'en bas
ordinary people

la France d'en haut
the privileged classes (the ruling establishment, the rich)

la France d'outre-mer
French overseas departments and territories

la France jacobine
France's centralized system of government

la France libre
free France

la France métropolitaine
France, not including overseas departments and territories

la France profonde
rural France

la France qui se lève tôt
working classes

la France ultramarine
French overseas departments and territories


de France et de Navarre
from everywhere, from all over the place

l'Île-de-France
Greater Paris, metropolitan area including Paris and its neighboring departments

les internationaux de France (de tennis)
French Open

le midi (de la France)
the South of France

Miss France
Miss France (winner of French beauty pageant)

le onze de France
French soccer (European football) team

le premier flic de France (informal)
French Minister of the Interior

la première dame de France
France's first lady

les quatre coins de la France
all over France, everywhere in France

le quinze de France
French rugby team

le Tour de France
"the Tour of France" - annual bike tournament

la vieille France
France of yesteryear

Vive la France !
Long live France!


Related lessons:

• Expressions with français
• Vocabulary related to French and France