Home › Civic exam questions › What is Paris?
What is Paris?
Model-written, not yet read by a native reader.
Correct answer: The capital of France. Paris is the capital of France. The main institutions of the Republic sit there. Think: Paris, capital. Source: the Ministry of the Interior sheet “Projet de loi relatif au statut de Paris et à l'aménagement métropolitain (Sénat)” (in French).
Sources: Sheet “Projet de loi relatif au statut de Paris et à l'aménagement métropolitain (Sénat)” (French), read on 15 October 2026. Answer written by Hexaciv from this source. Hexaciv is an independent preparation tool. It is not an official website, is not linked to any government body and does not give legal advice. The authoritative source is the Ministry of the Interior's, cited on this page.
The four choices and why
- ✗ An island in the Mediterranean SeaUne île de la mer MéditerranéeThis is not the right answer: the region around Paris is in the centre-north of France.
- ✗ A country next to FranceUn pays voisin de la FranceParis is a city in France, not a neighbouring country.
- ✓ The capital of FranceLa capitale de la FranceCorrect answer. Paris is the capital of France. The main institutions of the Republic sit there. Think: Paris, capital.
- ✗ A river that flows through FranceUn fleuve qui traverse la FranceParis is a city crossed by a river, the Seine, but it is not a river.
What the source says
« De tous temps, le territoire de Paris a été soumis à un régime particulier en raison de son statut de capitale. »
Sentence copied word for word from the source, in French, read on 15 October 2026.
How it reads on exam day
The exam is in French, so this is the question you will see: « Qu'est-ce que Paris ? ». Learn the English idea above and the French words in the options.
This question is on the official list for the multi-year residence card (CSP). The Ministry's wording: “Qu'est-ce que Paris ?”.
Where the Ministry explains it
Sheet “Projet de loi relatif au statut de Paris et à l'aménagement métropolitain (Sénat)” (French).
All 47 “History, geography and culture” questions on the CSP list
One question corrected is a start. Now see where you stand: 40 timed questions, corrected in English, French or Arabic.
Our rule of thumb: book only after 34 out of 40 on two mock exams. The official pass mark is 32 out of 40. A fail means registering and paying again.
Take the free mock exam (40 questions)