How Well Do You Know France? The Lesser-Known French Culture and Inventions Loved Globally

France is famous for many things. Cuisine, wine, art, and architecture are what come to mind when asked about the country’s culture. It is a hotbed of culture and is internationally renowned for its contributions to many different areas. Parisis seen as the city of love, a restaurant Mecca, and the home of the finest art in the world.

It's difficult to overlook these contributions when describing how the country has shaped our culture and everyday lives. As a result, many great creations have been overlooked, and few can name them as examples of the country’s cultural and industrial excellence, including some very popular pastimes, medical instruments, and household fixtures.

A Game Played by Millions Across the Globe

France isn’t a country that many would mention when talking about gaming. Even if we were to narrow it down to casino gaming, most would point to Las Vegas, Macau, and their neighbour Monaco, before seeing France as having a seismic influence.However, that couldn’t be further from the case, especially when you consider the origins of the ever-popular casino game baccarat.

Baccarat is a card game that can be traced back to 19th-century France. While many dispute the specifics, with some suggesting it began in Italy, its current form was developed in France, and it was popularized by the French. Despite being centuries old, it endures in the 2020s through modern venues and the digital casino industry.

Users can still play baccarat at an online casino, which shows just how popular it remains. This is despite one of the biggest snubs in movie history. The big-screen adaptation of the 007 novel Casino Royale saw filmmakers swap out baccarat for poker in the pivotal scene in which James Bond must beat the villain in a casino game. Even without the power of Hollywood behind it, it isa staple of casino floors, both offline and online.

A Thrill-Filled Pastime That Boomed in the 2000s

Baccarat may have been snubbed by the creators of the James Bond movies, but the sequel toCasino Royale, Quantum of Solace, did tip its hat to one of France’s cultural creations. As Daniel Craig’s Bond leapt, vaulted, and slid after an enemy in the sequel, he became a practitioner of the physical art of parkour, which is very much a French invention.

The name derives from the term parcours du combattant, which translates to “obstacle course”. It was developed by David Belle and his group of friends, known as Yamakasi, as a way to meld the traditional French military training method with the awe-inspiring artistry of martial arts, specifically aping practitioners like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

Globally, it became a phenomenon, with city plazas seeing young parkour enthusiasts trying their hand at the art and expressing themselves through movement. It was as ubiquitous in the 2000s and 2010s as the flash mob, becoming a cultural phenomenon that could be understood regardless of the language. Essentially, it was a modern form of urban dance that verged on extreme sports, and one ofFrance’s most modern exports and a potential future Olympic sport.

Medical Instruments and Bathroom Fixtures

The world would not be the same without France. That may seem obvious, as removing acountry of nearly 70 million will always be world-changing, but few are aware of the innovations born from French minds that have rendered the world as ignificantly better place. Advancements in medicine and medical technology area part of France’s fabric as much as its gastronomy.

Take the stethoscope. It’s something we rarely think of, as far as its origins go.Despite modern advancements in technology threatening to render it obsolete, it remains a key part of the medical world’s arsenal. It was invented by René Laennec in the early 1800s, meaning it has survived more than 200 years as a crucial piece of technology.

Additionally, you have the shower. An important factor in battling disease through hygiene, it has its origins in France. François Merry Delabost was a physician at aRouen prison, where he invented hot showers to combat the spread of disease through the population. It was highly successful and is why we continue to use a form of his early technology to this day, showing just how influential theFrench have been.

Sometimes, we can miss some of the influences of a nation when it is so famous for other aspects of culture or innovation. France is a perfect example of this, and yet we continue to benefit from and enjoy some of its lesser-known creations everyday.