The

national flag A national flag is a flag that represents and national symbol, symbolizes a given nation. It is Fly (flag), flown by the government of that nation, but can also be flown by its citizens. A national flag is typically designed with specific meanin ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

() is a

tricolour A triband is a vexillological style which consists of three stripes arranged to form a flag. These stripes may be two or three colours, and may be charged with an emblem in the middle stripe. Not all tribands are tricolour flags, which requires t ...

featuring three vertical bands coloured

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...

( hoist side),

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, and

red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–750 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a seconda ...

. The design was adopted after the French Revolution, whose revolutionaries were influenced by the horizontally striped red-white-blue

flag of the Netherlands The national flag of the Netherlands () is a horizontal tricolour (flag), tricolour of red, white, and blue. The current design originates as a variant of the late 16th century orange-white-blue ''Prince's Flag, Prinsenvlag'' ("Prince's Fla ...

. While not the first tricolour, it became one of the most influential flags in history. The tricolour scheme was later adopted by many other nations in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and elsewhere, and, according to the ''

Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...

'' has historically stood "in symbolic opposition to the

autocratic Autocracy is a form of government in which absolute power is held by the head of state and Head of government, government, known as an autocrat. It includes some forms of monarchy and all forms of dictatorship, while it is contrasted with demo ...

and clericalist royal standards of the past". Before the tricolour was adopted the royal government used many flags, the best known being a blue shield and gold

fleurs-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the ( stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis ...

(the

Royal Arms of France The coat of arms of France is an unofficial emblem of the French Republic. It depicts a lictor's fasces upon branches of laurel and oak, as well as a ribbon bearing the national motto of . The full achievement includes the star and grand collar ...

) on a white background, or state flag. Early in the French Revolution, the Paris militia, which played a prominent role in the

storming of the Bastille The Storming of the Bastille ( ), which occurred in Paris, France, on 14 July 1789, was an act of political violence by revolutionary insurgents who attempted to storm and seize control of the medieval armoury, fortress, and political prison k ...

, wore a

cockade A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colours which is usually worn on a hat or cap. The word cockade derives from the French ''cocarde'', from Old French ''coquarde'', feminine of ''coquard'' (va ...

of blue and red, the city's traditional colours. According to French general

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

, white was the "ancient French colour" and was added to the militia cockade to form a tricolour, or national,

cockade of France The cockade of France () is the national ornament of France, obtained by circularly pleating a blue, white and red ribbon. It is composed of the three colors of the French flag, with blue in the center, white immediately outside and red on the e ...

.Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier Lafayette (marquis de), ''Memoirs, correspondence and manuscripts of General Lafayette,'' vol. 2, p. 252. This cockade became part of the uniform of the

National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...

, which succeeded the militia and was commanded by Lafayette. The colours and design of the cockade are the basis of the Tricolour flag, adopted in 1790, originally with the red nearest to the flagpole and the blue farthest from it. A modified design by

Jacques-Louis David Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in ...

was adopted in 1794. The royal white flag was used during the

Bourbon Restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to: France under the House of Bourbon: * Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815) Spain under the Spanish Bourbons: * Ab ...

from 1815 to 1830; the tricolour was brought back after the

July Revolution The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after French Revolution, the first of 1789–99. It led to the overthrow of King Cha ...

and has been used since then, except for an interruption for a few days in 1848. Since 1976, there have been two versions of the flag in varying levels of use by the state: the original (identifiable by its use of navy blue) and one with a lighter shade of blue. Since July 2020, France has used the older variant by default, including at the

Élysée Palace The Élysée Palace (, ) is the official residence of the President of France, President of the French Republic in Paris. Completed in 1722, it was built for Louis Henri de La Tour d'Auvergne, a nobleman and army officer who had been appointed g ...

Design

Article 2 of the

French constitution The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic , and it replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946 with the exception of the preamble per a 1971 ...

of 1958 states that "the national emblem is the tricolour flag, blue, white, red". No law has specified the shades of these official colours. In English

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct an accurate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The visual d ...

, the flag is described as ''tierced in pale

azure Azure may refer to: Color * Azure (color), a hue of blue ** Azure (heraldry) ** Shades of azure, shades and variations Arts and media * ''Azure'' (Art Farmer and Fritz Pauer album), 1987 * Azure (Gary Peacock and Marilyn Crispell album), 2013 * ...

argent In heraldry, argent () is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it. In engravings and line drawings, regions to b ...

and

gules In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple). Gules is portrayed in heraldic hatch ...

.'' The blue stripe has usually been a dark navy blue; a lighter blue (and lighter red) version was introduced in 1976 by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, ; ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as simply Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981. After serving as Ministry of the Economy ...

. Both versions were used from then; town halls, public buildings and barracks usually fly the darker version of the flag, but the lighter version was sometimes used even on official State buildings. On 13 July 2020, President

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...

reverted, without any statement and with no orders for other institutions to use a specific version, to the darker hue for the presidential

, as a symbol of the French Revolution. The move was met with comments both in favour of and against the change, but it was noted that both the darker and lighter flags have been in use for decades. Currently, the flag is one and a half times wider than its height (i.e. in the proportion 2:3) and, except in the

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

, has stripes of equal width. Initially, the three stripes of the flag were not equally wide, being in the proportions 30 (blue), 33 (white) and 37 (red). Under

Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, the proportions were changed to make the stripes' width equal, but by a regulation dated 17 May 1853, the navy went back to using the 30:33:37 proportions, which it now continues to use, as the flapping of the flag makes portions farther from the

halyard In sailing, a halyard or halliard is a line (rope) that is used to hoist a ladder, sail, flag or yard. The term "halyard" derives from the Middle English ''halier'' ("rope to haul with"), with the last syllable altered by association with the E ...

seem smaller. When the French president or prime minister is expected to be photographed at an official or televised event, a flag with a much narrower white stripe is often used as a backdrop to ensure that all three stripes are visible when the cameras are focused on them, as using a flag with equal stripes might show only the white stripe in frame.

Symbolism

Blue and red are the traditional colours of Paris, used on the city's coat of arms. Blue is identified with

Saint Martin Saint Martin may refer to: People * Saint Martin of Tours (c. 316–397), Bishop of Tours, France * Saint Martin of Braga (c. 520–580), archbishop of Bracara Augusta in Gallaecia (now Braga in Portugal) * Pope Martin I (c. 595–655), bishop of R ...

, red with Saint Denis. At the

in 1789, the Paris militia wore blue and red cockades on their hats. White had long featured prominently on French flags and is described as the "ancient French colour" by Lafayette. White was added to the "revolutionary" colours of the militia cockade to "nationalise" the design, thus forming the

. Although Lafayette identified the white stripe with the nation, other accounts identify it with the monarchy. Lafayette denied that the flag contains any reference to the red-and-white livery of the Duc d'Orléans. Despite this, Orléanists adopted the tricolour as their own. Blue and red are associated with the Virgin Mary, the patroness of France, and were the colours of the

oriflamme The Oriflamme (from Latin ''aurea flamma'', "golden flame"), a pointed, blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance, was the sacred battle standard of the King of France and a symbol of divine intervention on the battlefield from God and Saint ...

. The colours of the French flag may also represent the three main estates of the

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for " ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

(the clergy: white, the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

: red and the

bourgeoisie The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and aristocracy. They are traditionally contrasted wi ...

: blue). Blue, as the symbol of class, comes first and red, representing the nobility, comes last. Both extreme colours are situated on each side of white referring to a superior order. The

was adopted in July 1789, a moment of national unity that soon faded. Royalists began wearing white cockades and flying white flags, while the

Jacobins The Society of the Friends of the Constitution (), renamed the Society of the Jacobins, Friends of Freedom and Equality () after 1792 and commonly known as the Jacobin Club () or simply the Jacobins (; ), was the most influential List of polit ...

, and later the Socialists, flew the red flag. The tricolour, which combines royalist white with republican red, came to be seen as a symbol of moderation and of a nationalism that transcended factionalism. The French government website states that the white field was the colour of the king, while blue and red were the colours of Paris. The three colours are occasionally taken to represent the three elements of the revolutionary motto, (freedom: blue), (equality: white), (brotherhood: red); this symbolism was referenced in Krzysztof Kieślowski's three colours film trilogy, for example. In the aftermath of the

November 2015 Paris attacks A series of coordinated Islamist terrorist attacks took place on Friday, 13 November 2015 in Paris, France, and the city's northern suburb, Saint-Denis. Beginning at 21:16, three suicide bombers struck outside the Stade de France in Saint-De ...

, many famous landmarks and stadiums around the world were illuminated in the flag colours to honour the victims.

History

Kingdom of France

During the early

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the

, the flag of Saint Denis, was used—red, with two, three, or five spikes. Originally, it was the royal banner under the Capetians. It was stored in Saint-Denis abbey, where it was taken when war broke out. French kings went forth into battle preceded either by Saint Martin's red cape, which was supposed to protect the monarch, or by the red banner of Saint Denis. Later during the Middle Ages, these colours came to be associated with the reigning house of France. In 1328, the coat-of-arms of the

House of Valois The Capetian House of Valois ( , also , ) was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. They succeeded the House of Capet (or "Direct Capetians") to the List of French monarchs, French throne, and were the royal house of France from 1328 to 1589. ...

was blue with gold

bordered in red. From this time on, the kings of France were represented in vignettes and manuscripts wearing a red gown under a blue coat decorated with gold fleurs-de-lis.

Charles V of France Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (; ), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War as his armies recovered much of the terri ...

changed the design from an all-over scattering of fleurs-de-lis to a group of three in about 1376; these two coats are known in heraldic terminology as ''France Ancient'' and ''France Modern'', respectively. During the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

, England was recognised by a red cross;

Burgundy Burgundy ( ; ; Burgundian: ''Bregogne'') is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. ...

, a red

saltire A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a Heraldry, heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross. The word comes from the Middle French , Medieval Latin ("stirrup"). From its use as field sign, the saltire cam ...

; and France, a white cross. This cross could figure either on a blue or a red field. The blue field eventually became the common standard for French armies. The French regiments were later assigned the white cross as standard, with their proper colours in the cantons. The French flag of a white cross on a blue field is still seen on some flags derived from it, such as that of

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

. The flag of

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

during the Hundred Years' War is described in her own words, "I had a banner of which the field was sprinkled with lilies; the world was painted there, with an angel at each side; it was white of the white cloth called ' boccassin'; there was written above it, I believe, 'JHESUS MARIA'; it was fringed with silk."Whitney Smith, ''Flags through the ages and across the world'', McGraw-Hill, England, 1975 , pp. 66–67, The Standard of Joan of Arc, after quoting her from her trial transcript he states: "it was her influence which determined that white should serve as the principal French national colour from shortly after her death in 1431 until the French Revolution almost 350 years later." Joan's standard led to the prominent use of white on later French flags. From the accession of the Bourbons to the throne of France, the green ensign of the navy became a plain white flag, the symbol of purity and royal authority. The merchant navy was assigned "the old flag of the nation of France", the white cross on a blue field. There also was a red jack for the French galleys. A variant of the plain white Bourbon banner, a white field strewn with gold fleur de lis, was also sometimes seen. File:Oriflamme.svg, The

Oriflamme The Oriflamme (from Latin ''aurea flamma'', "golden flame"), a pointed, blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance, was the sacred battle standard of the King of France and a symbol of divine intervention on the battlefield from God and Saint ...

, the banner of the Capetians File:Flag of France (XII-XIII).svg, Flag of France under the Capetian dynasty since the twelfth century File:Flag of France (XIV-XVI).svg, Flag of France under the Capetian dynasty since the fourteenth century File:Pavillon royal de la France.svg, The Royal Banner of France or "Bourbon Flag". The

House of Bourbon The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a dynasty that originated in the Kingdom of France as a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Kingdom of Navarre, Navarre in the 16th century. A br ...

ruled France from 1589 to 1792 and again from 1815 to 1848. File:Royal Standard of the King of France.svg, The Royal Standard of France File:Pavillon royal de France.svg, Variant royal standard of France File:Royal Standard of King Louis XIV.svg, Variant royal standard of France File:Royal flag of France during the Bourbon Restoration.svg , The Royal Standard of France

The ''Tricolore''

The horizontally striped red-white-blue

originally inspired the colour scheme used by the French revolutionaries after the French Revolution in 1789. Consequently, the French tricolour flag is derived from the

used during the French Revolution. These were circular rosette-like emblems attached to the hat.

Camille Desmoulins Lucie-Simplice-Camille-Benoît Desmoulins (; 2 March 17605 April 1794) was a French journalist, politician and a prominent figure of the French Revolution. He is best known for playing an instrumental role in the events that led to the Stormin ...

asked his followers to wear green cockades on 12 July 1789. The Paris militia, formed on 13 July, adopted a blue and red cockade. Blue and red are the traditional colours of Paris, and they are used on the city's coat of arms. The addition of white has been attributed to Lafayette, Mayor Jean Sylvain Bailly, and even

Louis XVI Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

himself. This episode is supposed to have taken place on July 17, 1789, on the occasion of the king's visit to the Paris city hall. However, it is proven that the tricolor cockade began to be worn, by order of the city, from the 13th or 14th of July. In any case, Louis XVI actually went to the Paris city hall where he received the tricolor cockade. On 27 July, a tricolour cockade was adopted as part of the uniform of the National Guard, the national police force that succeeded the militia. A ''drapeau tricolore'' with vertical red, white and blue stripes was approved by the

Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

on 24 October 1790. Simplified designs were used to illustrate how the revolution had broken with the past. The order was reversed to blue-white-red, the current design, by a resolution passed on 15 February 1794. When the

Bourbon dynasty The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a dynasty that originated in the Kingdom of France as a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Kingdom of Navarre, Navarre in the 16th century. A br ...

was restored following the defeat of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

in 1815, the ''tricolore''—with its revolutionary connotations—was replaced by a white flag, the pre-revolutionary naval flag. However, following the

of 1830, the "citizen-king",

Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe I (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850), nicknamed the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, the penultimate monarch of France, and the last French monarch to bear the title "King". He abdicated from his throne ...

, restored the ''tricolore'', and it has remained France's national flag since that time. Following the overthrow of

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

, voters elected a royalist majority to the National Assembly of the new Third Republic. This parliament then offered the throne to the

Bourbon Bourbon may refer to: Food and drink * Bourbon whiskey, an American whiskey made using a corn-based mash * Bourbon, a beer produced by Brasseries de Bourbon * Bourbon biscuit, a chocolate sandwich biscuit * Bourbon coffee, a type of coffee ma ...

pretender,

Henri, Comte de Chambord Henri, Count of Chambord and Duke of Bordeaux (; 29 September 1820 – 24 August 1883), was the Legitimist pretender to the throne of France as Henri V from 1844 until his death in 1883. Henri was the only son of Charles Ferdinand, Duke of ...

. However, he insisted that he would accept the throne only on the condition that the tricolour be replaced by the white flag. As the tricolour had become a cherished national symbol, this demand proved impossible to accommodate. Plans to restore the monarchy were adjourned and ultimately dropped, and France has remained a republic, with the tricolour flag, ever since. The

Vichy régime Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against G ...

, which dropped the word "republic" in favour of "the French state", maintained the use of the ''tricolore'', but

Philippe Pétain Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (; 24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Marshal Pétain (, ), was a French marshal who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the Collaboration with Nazi Ger ...

used as his personal standard a version of the flag with, in the white stripe, an axe made with a star-studded marshal's

baton Baton may refer to: Stick-like objects *Baton, a type of club *Baton (law enforcement) *Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts *Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people *Baton (conducti ...

. This axe is called the "Francisque" in reference to the ancient Frankish throwing axe. During this same period, the

Free French Forces __NOTOC__ The French Liberation Army ( ; AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (; FFL) during World War II. The military force of Free France, it participated ...

used a ''tricolore'' with, in the white stripe, a red

Cross of Lorraine The Cross of Lorraine (), known as the Cross of Anjou in the 16th century, is a heraldry, heraldic two-barred cross, consisting of a vertical line crossed by two shorter horizontal bars. In most renditions, the horizontal bars are "graded" with ...

. The constitutions of 1946 and 1958 instituted the "blue, white, and red" flag as the national emblem of the Republic. The colours of the national flag are occasionally said to represent different flowers; blue represents

cornflower ''Centaurea cyanus'', commonly known as cornflower or bachelor's button (among other names), is an annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to Europe. In the past, it often grew as a weed in cornfields (in the broad sense of "co ...

s, white represents marguerites, and red represents

poppies Poppies can refer to: *Poppy, a flowering plant *The Poppies (disambiguation) - multiple uses *''Poppies (film)'' - Children's BBC remembrance animation *Poppies (Mary Oliver poem), ''Poppies'' (poem) - a poem by Mary Oliver *"Poppies", a song by P ...

. File:Flag of Paris.svg, The

flag of Paris The flag of Paris is vertically divided between the traditional colours of Paris, blue and red, both of which also feature in the city's coat of arms of Paris, coat of arms. Red is identified with Saint Denis of Paris, Saint Denis (a martyr who ...

, source of the tricolour's blue and red stripes File:The french tricolor cockade.svg, The

, designed in July 1789. White was added to "nationalise" an earlier blue and red design. File:Flag of France (1790–1794).svg, The flag of France used from 1790 until 1794 File:Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1974, 2020–present).svg, The flag of France used from 1794 (interrupted in 1815–1830 and in 1848) File:Drapeau france 1848.svg, The

French Second Republic The French Second Republic ( or ), officially the French Republic (), was the second republican government of France. It existed from 1848 until its dissolution in 1852. Following the final defeat of Napoleon, Napoleon Bonaparte at the Battle ...

adopted a variant of the tricolour for a few days between 24 February and 5 March 1848. File:Henri d'Artois' Flag of France (proposed).svg, The French ''tricolore'' with the royal crown and fleur-de-lys was possibly designed by the

Henri, Count of Chambord Henri, Count of Chambord and Duke of Bordeaux (; 29 September 1820 – 24 August 1883), was the Legitimist pretender to the throne of France as Henri V from 1844 until his death in 1883. Henri was the only son of Charles Ferdinand, Duke ...

, in his younger years as a compromise, but which was never made official, and which he himself rejected when offered the throne in 1870. File:Roundel of France.svg, From 1912 onwards, the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...

originated the use of

roundel A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of differ ...

s on military aircraft shortly before

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Similar national cockades, with different ordering of colours, were later adopted as aircraft roundels by their allies. File:VichyFlag.svg, Personal standard of

, as Chief of the

Vichy France Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...

. File:Flag of Free France (1940-1944).svg, Flag used by the

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

; in the centre is the

; later, the personal standard of President

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

, as Chief of the

Free France Free France () was a resistance government claiming to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third French Republic, Third Republic during World War II. Led by General , Free France was established as a gover ...

. File:Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1974, 2020–present).svg, The flag of France, darker red and blue variant. File:Flag of France (2024–present).svg, The flag of France, lighter red and blue variant.

Regimental flags

File:Vigiles du roi Charles VII 32.jpg, The French soldiers started to use white crosses, during the

, to distinguish themselves from the English soldiers wearing red crosses. File:Rég d Auvergne 1635.png, A white-crossed regimental flag during the (here, ') File:Rég de La Sarre 1685.png, Regiment (') File:Rég du Roi 1757.png, King's Regiment (') File:Rég de La Reine 1661.png, Queen's Regiment (') File:Flag of Levis.svg, General ' Regiment Flag in North America. Now official flag of the city of Lévis, Quebec File:Franche de la Marine1.jpg, The pre-

revolutionary A revolutionary is a person who either participates in, or advocates for, a revolution. The term ''revolutionary'' can also be used as an adjective to describe something producing a major and sudden impact on society. Definition The term—bot ...

regimental flags inspired the flag of

(here, the '). File:Grenadier Pied 1 1812 Revers.png, Regimental flag of the 1st Regiment of Grenadiers of the

French Imperial Guard The Imperial Guard ( French: ''Garde Impériale'') was the imperial guard formation of the French Imperial Army. Under the direct command of Napoleon, the formation expanded considerably over time and acted as his personal bodyguard and tactic ...

(1812) File:Drapeaux 1RE et 2REI Paris 2003.jpg, Current regimental flags of the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the

Légion étrangère The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...

Naval flags

File:Flag of the Kingdom of France (1814-1830).svg, Naval ensign prior to 1789 and 1814–1830 File:Naval Flag of the Kingdom of France (Civil Ensign).svg, The merchant flag of France File:Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg, The present ensign of France introduced on 17 May 1853

Colonial flags

Most French colonies either used the regular tricolour or a regional flag without the French flag. There were some exceptions: File:Flag of Colonial Annam.svg, Flag of

Tonkin (French protectorate) Tonkin (), or Bắc Kỳ (), was a French protectorate encompassing modern Northern Vietnam from 1883 to 1949. Like the French protectorate of Annam, Tonkin was still nominally ruled by the Vietnamese Nguyễn dynasty. In 1886, the French sepa ...

and Annam in

French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...

File:Flag of French Laos.svg, Flag of

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

in French Indochina File:Flag of the Tai Dam People.svg, Flag of the

Sip Song Chau Tai The Sip Song Chau TaiOther spellings include: Sip Song Chau Thai, Sipsong Chuthai, Sipsong Chu Tai, Sip Song Chu Tai, Sipsongchuthai, Sip Song Chu Thai, Sipsong Chau Tai, Sip Song Chao Thai, Sipsong Chao Tai, Sipsongchutai, Sipsong Chao Thai. ("Tw ...

, French Indochina (1948–1955) File:Flag of French Sudan.svg, Flag of

French Sudan French Sudan (; ') was a French colonial territory in the Federation of French West Africa from around 1880 until 1959, when it joined the Mali Federation, and then in 1960, when it became the independent state of Mali. The colony was formall ...

(1958–1959), present-day

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

File:Flag of Togo (1957-1958).svg, Flag of

French Togoland French Togoland () was a French colonial League of Nations mandate from 1916 to 1946, and a UN trust territory from 1946 to 1960 in French West Africa. In 1960 it became the independent Togolese Republic. Transfer from Germany to France a ...

(1916–1960), present-day

Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

File:Flag of Gabon 1959-1960.svg,

Flag of Gabon The flag of Gabon () is a tricolour (flag), tricolour consisting of three horizontal green, yellow, and blue bands. Adopted in 1960 to replace the previous colonial flag containing the Flag of France, French Tricolour at the Canton (flag), canton ...

(1959–1960) File:Flag of the Madagascar Protectorate (1885-1896).svg, Flag of Madagascar under French protection (1885–1895) File:Merchant flag of French Morocco.svg, Merchant flag of the

French protectorate of Morocco French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

(1912–1956) File:Flag of French Tunisia.svg, Flag used by some military units based in the

French protectorate of Tunisia The French protectorate of Tunisia (; '), officially the Regency of Tunis () and commonly referred to as simply French Tunisia, was established in 1881, during the French colonial empire era, and lasted until Tunisian independence in 1956. T ...

File:Flag of the French Mandate of Syria (1920).svg, Briefly used flag of the

French Mandate of Syria and the Lebanon The Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon (; , also referred to as the Levant States; 1923−1946) was a League of Nations mandate founded in the aftermath of the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, concerning the territorie ...

in 1920 File:Flag of the State of Aleppo.svg, Flag of the

State of Aleppo The State of Aleppo (; ') was one of the six states that were established by the France, French High Commissioner of the Levant, General Henri Gouraud (French Army officer), Henri Gouraud, in the Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, French Mandate of ...

, in the French Mandate of Syria (1920–1924) File:Flag of the State of Damascus.svg, Flag of the

State of Damascus The State of Damascus (; ') was one of the six states established by the French General Henri Gouraud in the French Mandate of Syria which followed the San Remo conference of 1920 and the defeat of King Faisal's short-lived monarchy in Syri ...

, in the French Mandate of Syria (1920–1924) File:Flag of Syria French mandate.svg, Flag of the

State of Syria The State of Syria (, ') was a French Mandate state created by decree of 5 December 1924, with effect from 1 January 1925, from the union of the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus. It was the successor of the Syrian Federation (1922� ...

, in the French Mandate of Syria (1924–1930) File:Flag of the Alawite State (1920–1936).svg, Flag of the State of Alawites, in the French Mandate of Syria File:Flag of Jabal ad-Druze (state).svg, Flag of Jabal ad-Druze, in the French Mandate of Syria File:Flag of Lebanon (1920-1943).svg, Flag of the

State of Greater Lebanon The State of Greater Lebanon (; ), informally known as French Lebanon, was a state declared on 1 September 1920, which became the Lebanese Republic (; ) in May 1926, and is the predecessor of modern Lebanon. The state was declared on 1 Septembe ...

during the French mandate 1920–1943 File:Flag of the Republic of Independent Guyana (1886-1887).svg, Flag of

Republic of Independent Guyana The Republic of Independent Guiana (), commonly referred to by the name of the capital Counani (rendered "Cunani" in Portuguese), was a short-lived List of states with limited recognition, unrecognized state in South America. Republic (1886–18 ...

(1886–1887) File:Flag of Saint Barthelemy (local).svg, Unofficial flag of

Saint Barthélemy Saint Barthélemy, officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy, also known as St. Barts (English) or St. Barth (French), is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. The island lies about southeast of the island ...

File:Flag of Franceville.svg, Flag of

New Hebrides New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium () and named after the Hebrides in Scotland, was the colonial name for the island group in the South Pacific Ocean that is now Vanuatu. Native people had inhabited the islands for three th ...

(Vanuatu) under the

Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission The Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission was in charge of the territory of the New Hebrides in the period 1887–1889 and again in 1890–1906. It was briefly suspended by the constitution of the unrecognized independent state of Franceville. H ...

(1887–1906) File:Flag of Uvea (1860).svg, Flag of the French Protectorate of

Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands (), is a French island territorial collectivity, collectivity in the Oceania, South Pacific, situated between Tuvalu to the northwest, Fiji to the southwest, Tonga t ...

(Uvea) (1860–1886) File:Flag of Wallis and Futuna.svg, Present unofficial flag of

File:Flag of the Society Islands Protectorate.svg, Flag of the

Kingdom of Tahiti The Kingdom of Tahiti or the Tahitian Kingdom was a Polynesian monarchy founded by paramount chief Pōmare I, who, with the aid of British missionaries and traders, and European weaponry, unified the islands of Tahiti, Moʻorea, Teti‘aroa, ...

under the Protectorate of France (1845–1880) File:Drapeau Protectorat Français RuRutu (1858-1889).png, Flag of the French protectorate of Rurutu in

French Polynesia French Polynesia ( ; ; ) is an overseas collectivity of France and its sole #Governance, overseas country. It comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than in the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. The t ...

(1858–1889) File:Flag of French Polynesia.svg, Flag of

File:Flag of Saar (1947–1956).svg, Flag of the French protectorate of

Saar Saar or SAAR has several meanings: People Given name * Sarr Boubacar (born 1951), Senegalese professional football player * Saar Ganor, Israeli archaeologist * Saar Klein (born 1967), American film editor Surname * Ain Saar (born 1968), E ...

(1947–1956) File:Flag of French Governor in French Colony.svg, Flag of the French colonial governor File:Flag of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.svg, Flag of the

French Southern and Antarctic Lands The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (, TAAF) is an overseas territory ( or ) of France. It consists of: * Adélie Land (), the French claim on the continent of Antarctica. * Crozet Islands (), a group in the southern Indian Ocean, south ...

File:Flag of Louisiana (January 1861).svg, Unofficial flag of

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

(1861)

Other

Many provinces and territories in Canada have French-speaking communities with flags represents: File:Flag of Acadia.svg, The

Acadian flag The flag of Acadia is a 2:3 ratioed symbolic flag representing the Acadian community of Canada. It was adopted on 15 August 1884, at the Second Acadian National Convention held in Miscouche, Prince Edward Island, by nearly 5,000 Acadian deleg ...

used in Canada is based on the tricolour flag of France, but this flag was never used during French rule of

Acadia Acadia (; ) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. The population of Acadia included the various ...

. It was adopted in 1884. Acadians live mainly in

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

and

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

. File:Flag of Quebec.svg, The current

flag of Quebec The flag of Quebec (), called the in Quebec French, French, represents the Canadian province of Quebec. It consists of a white cross on a blue background, with four white fleur-de-lis, fleurs-de-lis. It was the first provincial flag officially ...

. The use of blue and white is a characteristic of pre-revolutionary flags. File:Franco-Terreneuviens.svg, Flag of

Franco-Newfoundlander Franco-Newfoundlanders, also known as Franco-Terreneuvians (or just Terreneuvians) in English or ''Franco-Terreneuviens'' in French, are Francophone Canadians, francophone and/or French Canadian residents of the Provinces and territories of Canada, ...

s File:French Congo 1959 proposal (Flag).svg, Proposed flag of the

French Congo The French Congo (), also known as Middle Congo (), was a French colony which at one time comprised the present-day area of the Republic of the Congo and parts of Gabon, and the Central African Republic. In 1910, it was made part of the larger ...

(pre-1959) Many areas in North America have substantial French-speaking and ancestral communities: File:Flag of Acadiana.svg, Flag of

Acadiana Acadiana (; French language, French and Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane'' or ''Acadiane''), also known as Cajun Country (Cajun French language, Louisiana French: ''Pays des Cadiens''), is the official name given to the ...

File:Drapeau Franco-Américain.svg, Flag of United Franco-Americans File:Drapeau français-américain.svg, Flag of

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

Franco-Americans File:Drapeau de l'Acadie occidentale.svg, Flag of

Aroostook county Aroostook County ( ; ) is the northernmost county in the U.S. state of Maine. It is located along the Canada–United States border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,105. The county seat is Houlton, with offices in Caribou and Fo ...

Franco-Americans File:Drapeau de l'Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Amérique.svg, Flag of

Androscoggin county Androscoggin County ( French: ''Comté d'Androscoggin'') is a county in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 111,139. Its county seat is Auburn and its most populous city is Lewiston. Androscoggin Cou ...

Franco-Americans File:Drapeau de la Louisiane septentrionale.svg, Flag of

Illinois Country The Illinois Country ( ; ; ), also referred to as Upper Louisiana ( ; ), was a vast region of New France claimed in the 1600s that later fell under Spanish and British control before becoming what is now part of the Midwestern United States. Whi ...

Franco-Americans File:Flag of Iowa.svg, Flag of

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

File:Flag of New Orleans, Louisiana.svg, Flag of

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, Louisiana File:Flag of Mobile, Alabama.png, Flag of Mobile, Alabama

used several flags incorporating both the British Union Flag and the French flag. File:Flag Vanuatu 1963.svg, Flag attested as being used in the

1963 South Pacific Games The 1st South Pacific Games (), also known as Suva 1963, held from 29 August to 9 September 1963 in Suva, Fiji, was the first edition of the South Pacific Games. The multisport games were established to engender bonds of friendship amongst peopl ...

Flag of New Hebrides.svg, Flag attested as being used in the

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

and

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...

South Pacific Games Flag of New Hebrides (1969).svg, Dark blue version attested at the time of the

1969 South Pacific Games The 3rd South Pacific Games, also known as Port Moresby 1969 (), held on 13–23 August 1969 in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, was the third edition of the South Pacific Games. A total of 1,150 athletes participated in the games. Participating ...

In the

Shanghai International Settlement The Shanghai International Settlement () originated from the 1863 merger of the British Concession (Shanghai), British and American Concession (Shanghai), American list of former foreign enclaves in China, enclaves in Shanghai, in which Brit ...

, the flag of Shanghai Municipal Council has a shield incorporating the French tricolour. File:Flag of the Shanghai International Settlement.svg, Flag of the Shanghai Municipal Council, Shanghai International Settlement Two territories of Vietnam used flags based on the tricolour flag of France. File:Flag of the Montagnard country of South Indochina.svg, Montagnard country (1946–1950) File:Flag of Tai Autonomous Territory.svg,

Tai Autonomous Territory The Sip Song Chau TaiOther spellings include: Sip Song Chau Thai, Sipsong Chuthai, Sipsong Chu Tai, Sip Song Chu Tai, Sipsongchuthai, Sip Song Chu Thai, Sipsong Chau Tai, Sip Song Chao Thai, Sipsong Chao Tai, Sipsongchutai, Sipsong Chao Thai. ("Tw ...

(1946–1950)

Gallery

File:El_114_de_infantería,_en_París,_el_14_de_julio_de_1917,_León_Gimpel.jpg, French regimental flag, Paris, autochrome dated 1917 File:Dieudonné Costes devant le Point d'Interrogation.jpg, Flag of France,

color photography Color photography (also spelled as colour photography in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English) is photography that uses media capable of capturing and reproducing colors. By contrast, black-and-white or gray-monochrome ...

dated 1930 File:Drapeaux français.jpg, Multiple French flags as commonly flown from public buildings

Notes

References

Sources

* * *

External links

*
French flag
at Flags Corner {{Navboxes , title = Articles related to the flags of France , list = {{France topics {{Symbols of the French Republic {{FranceFlags {{Subnational flags of France {{French Revolution navbox {{nationalflags {{Flag of Europe {{Six flags of Texas National symbols of France

Articles containing video clips 1794 in art 1794 in politics 1794 introductions Flags introduced in the 18th century Flags introduced in 1830 Flags with blue, red and white Vertically symmetrical flags