What have the French ever done for us?

Question

What has France given to the world in terms of, say, science, technology, invention, innovation, research etc. Is their contribution mainly cultural (arts, fashion, cuisine etc.)?

Answer 1

Nobel prizes french winners :

1901 - Sully Prudhomme (The first Nobel Prize in literature)

1904 - Frédéric Mistral (wrote in Occitan)

1911 - Maurice Maeterlinck (Belgian)

1915 - Romain Rolland

1921 - Anatole France

1927 - Henri Bergson

1937 - Roger Martin du Gard

1947 - André Gide

1952 - François Mauriac

1957 - Albert Camus

1960 - Saint-John Perse

1964 - Jean-Paul Sartre (declined the prize)

1969 - Samuel Beckett (Irish, wrote in English and French)

1985 - Claude Simon

2000 - Gao Xingjian (writes in Chinese)



This is just an extract from the long list of our modern writers. Further classical french writers as Balzac, Molière or Victor Hugo can be found on the following website (in fact, there are thousands of french writers):



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_literature



Adding to that, there are many french philosophers or poets.



For science, there are many scientists too. Amongst the best known are Marie Curie, or Henri Becquerel, who discovered radioactivity, René Descartes, who founded the cartesian geometry, Blaise Pascal...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:French_scientists



France has also a lot of musicians : Ravel, Couperin, Bizet...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:French_musicians



France has developped its own nuclear weapons in the 60s, it launches rockets and satellites, builds the fastest railway electric train in the world (the Train à Grande Vitesse, who reached 320mph in the 90s), it hosts the Airbus airplane constructor and its Aérospatiale Industry has created the Concorde with the UK.



It's also a french doctor who discovered AIDS in 1983.

It's a french baron who created the modern Olympic Games.



As you mentioned it, France is also well known for culture, that's true.

Answer 2

French Fries and Mr French on Family Affair. French kissing, French Ticklers, The French Cut-hair doo. French Salad Dressing, French Toast to name a few!

Answer 3

They gave us renault cars, you know, the ones with rapid wear alloy rockers, wafer thin body panels, and disposable rear axles because you cant get the brake drums off once they have worn a bit. They also took us for the biggest, free now pay later, ride of the century on their magic E.E.C. roundabout. They have sent us lots of their illegal immigrant castoffs for free. They have saved us lots of money on abbatoir fees, by butchering our sheep for free at the docks, saving us transport costs. Concorde has been grounded saving lots off pollution, simply by some french technicians not doing their jobs properly. They have reduced tension in the middle east, by not backing up our boys out there with their troops, or was that the 2nd ww, oh dear I'm wrong, it was both. Like I said to my mates grandkids, if you eat frogs legs, and snails, your brains will fail.lol. I like the French they do not want to live here, they do not want to make us speak their language. Above all they tell us to our face they do not like us, fair play, at least they are not two faced, or racist, or have ambitions about blowing us up.

Answer 4

Louis Pasteur for a start. Jean Paul Sartre (I think he was French) ? Rene Descartes ? Those guys at Renault, Peugeot & Citreon know a thing or two.



Bal*s to all that. Its the wine I like...

Answer 5

"isn't it slightly previous?" English is over 2460 years previous. could we end using that? No, because of the fact it fits us nicely. "do human beings quite savor the monarchs residing OFF THEIR TAXES?" right here in the united kingdom, they do no longer. straightforward as that. And whilst they did, they delivered greater in from tourism by using using the Crown Estates than they took. that's justifiable. "they have boats, massive residences, their babies bypass to the wonderful colleges etc..." maximum astronomically wealthy human beings do. except you intend on introducing communism it is going to proceed. "and that's not like they actually do something" Being Head of State is a enormous interest, and royals do it for existence. to assert otherwise is only stupid. "they do no longer possibly have a job or artwork" confident they do. right here in the united kingdom, all Royal men are or have been in the army or the air rigidity. maximum females do severe charity artwork. "I do exactly no longer understand the way human beings can quite help this sort of habit distinctly in Spain the place all of us understand that their economic gadget is going via a bad time" Kicking your King from the throne could exacerbate that. Your King is a tourist catch and Spain desires each and every of the money it could get good now. "i does unlike absolutely everyone residing greater valuable than me off my money and my taxes." different than the money they make is a lot, a lot greater effective than they take. It takes money to make money.

Answer 6

The French and Germans are the ones that influenced the modern way we catalog geographic information with maps, etc.

Answer 7

I dont know much about culture but once I was in a holiday and a french gave me a head.

For me its fair enough!

Answer 8

The French gave Hitler a tour of Paris and it made him so sick he went back to Berlin and shot himself.

I'm so glad they did that I have vowed to never eat a snail, and save them all for the French people to eat.

Answer 9

exocet missile; the revolving bullet used in the Civil War; they colonised the US and Canada

Answer 10

French donuts. So called because they go down so easily.

Answer 11

french fries

Answer 12

crepes,fashion,and perfume. also a city of LOVE.

Answer 13

french kiss.

Answer 14

peppe la peu

Answer 15

X-Rays.

Answer 16

monet

Answer 17

They give the world arrogance!!!!!!!!!!! The most stuck up self center people on earth!!!!!!!!!

Answer 18

garlic bread!!!!!!!