No matter how strange it may sound, but many French residents do not recognize the national coat of arms, because they believe that it is a relic of the past. The main symbols of France, in their opinion, are a woman, a lily and a rooster. This combination may seem strange, but given the local mentality, it becomes quite acceptable. The main national idea of the inhabitants of this country comes down to three concepts: equality, freedom and brotherhood. It was they who were allegorically embodied in the image of Marianne - a young woman who went down in history as the most famous symbol of France. She is wearing a Phrygian cap, which symbolized equality and freedom during the French Revolution.
Marianna
This symbol was first introduced in 1792. Since that time, Marianne has become very popular with local sculptors and artists. Moreover, bas-reliefs, busts and even paintings with her images began to be placed in public buildings. In the seventies of the last century, the image of this Frenchwoman ceased to be collective andfaceless. Then the committee of city mayors decided that the symbols of France should be recognized by every citizen of the country. At different times, famous French women were depicted on the country's logo, stamps, state documents, which were TV presenters, models, actresses. They were even minted on coins. The first woman symbol of France was Brigitte Bardot. Behind her such a worthy honor fell Mireille Mathieu, Catherine Deneuve, Ines de la Fressange, Laetitia Casta, Evelyn Thomas, Sophie Marceau.
Lily - as a symbol of the monarchy
Answering the question which flower is the symbol of France, it should be noted that the lily was chosen for this role back in the days of the monarchy. According to legend, the plant saved the army of King Clovis and helped them win an important battle. During the reign of Louis XVI, the lily became especially popular. It has been successfully cultivated and used to decorate women's hairstyles, rooms, streets, and so on. Flowers were present in every garden. Thanks to this, an incredibly pleasant aroma filled the whole country.
Snooty Gallic cock
The symbols of France cannot be imagined without the Gallic rooster. It so happened historically that the Romans who came to the local lands called their red-haired inhabitants Gauls (roosters) because of the similarity of hairstyles with the bird of the same name. When a revolution took place in the country, and the monarchy was overthrown by the descendants of the Gauls, it was she who was chosen to be the republican symbol. While the image of Marianne was placed on the state seals of the republic, the Gallic roosters beganminted on its newly produced coins. Initially, these symbols of France meant vigilance, and a little later they became associated with the national fighting spirit and enthusiasm. The image of the new symbol also appeared on medals for military merit, bladed weapon handles and on army banners. It is impossible not to mention the fact that at all times of its existence there was always a place for a Gallic rooster on the sports uniform of the French national football team.
