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The French flag
The French flag is an official symbol of the Republic. It has three vertical stripes: blue, white and red.
Key points of the sheet
- Blue and red were the colours of Paris. White was the king's colour. Together, they are the symbol of a united France.
- In July 1789, the Paris national guards wear a blue and red cockade (cocarde). General Lafayette adds the royal white in the centre.
- In 1790, the navy starts to use the tricolour flag. It becomes the official flag of France in 1794.
- When the monarchy returns, the flag keeps only the royal white. The blue, white and red flag comes back for good in 1830.
- Today, the flag is seen in front of public buildings, for example town halls (mairies), schools and prefectures (préfectures). It is also seen at official ceremonies and national days (14 July).
- The flag is also seen in stadiums during sports competitions. It is seen on some official documents, such as the identity card or the driving licence.
- It is forbidden to insult the flag. This means destroying it or using it in a degrading way in public.
Words to know
- tricolour flag (drapeau tricolore)
- It is the blue, white and red flag. It becomes the official flag of France in 1794.
- cockade (cocarde)
- In July 1789, the Paris national guards wear a blue and red cockade.
- French Revolution (Révolution française)
- In July 1789, during the French Revolution, the Paris guards wear a blue and red cockade. Lafayette adds the royal white: these are the three colours brought together.
- insulting the flag (outrage au drapeau)
- It means destroying the flag or using it in a degrading way in public. It is forbidden.
Test yourself: 3 questions
What were the colours of the city of Paris?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelles étaient les couleurs de la ville de Paris ?
The sheet says that blue and red were the colours of the city of Paris.
Who added the royal white in the centre of the cockade?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui ajoute le blanc royal au centre de la cocarde ?
General Lafayette added the royal white in the centre to symbolise the unity of the king and the people.
In which year did the blue, white and red flag come back for good?
In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année le drapeau bleu blanc rouge revient-il définitivement ?
The sheet says that the blue, white and red flag came back for good in 1830.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- Which flag is a symbol of the French Republic?
- Is it legal to burn a French flag in public?
- Which symbol of the French Republic is tricolour?
- What are the colours of the French flag?
More in this topic (The symbols of the Republic)
Source
Sheet “Le drapeau français” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.