Topic guides

The motto of the French Republic is "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity). You see it on the fronts of town halls, schools and many official documents. Born of the French Revolution of 1789, it sums up the three great ideas on which the Republic rests. You should be able to explain each word, not just recite them.

• Liberty — everyone can think, believe or not believe, express themselves and act, while respecting the law and others. My freedom stops where someone else's begins.
• Equality — all citizens have the same rights and the same duties, regardless of origin, sex, religion or wealth. It is equality before the law, not a requirement that everyone have the same things.
• Fraternity — solidarity and mutual help between people: respecting others, helping one another, contributing to shared life (for example through taxes or involvement in an association).

The Republic has several symbols. Some are official, set out in Article 2 of the 1958 Constitution; others are traditional symbols, well known but not named in the Constitution.

Set out in Article 2 of the Constitution:

• The tricolour flag — blue, white, red. It is the national emblem.
• The national anthem: "La Marseillaise" — written in 1792, during the Revolution.
• The motto: "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité".
• The language of the Republic: French.

Other symbols (well known but not listed in Article 2):

• Marianne — the representation (allegory) of the Republic; she appears in town halls, on stamps and on some coins. She often wears the Phrygian cap, a sign of liberty.
• The 14th of July — the national day. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille (1789) and the Fête de la Fédération (1790). A military parade traditionally takes place on the Champs-Élysées.
• The rooster (le coq) — a traditional symbol of France (seen on the France football team's shirts), but it is not a constitutional symbol.

Secularism (laïcité) is one of the founding principles of the Republic. The Constitution affirms it from its very first article: "France is an indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic." Its founding text is the law of 9 December 1905 on the separation of the Churches and the State.

Secularism rests on three linked ideas: 1. Freedom of conscience — everyone is free to believe, to change religion, or not to believe at all. 2. Separation of religions and the State — the State neither recognises, pays for, nor funds any religion. 3. Equality of all before the law, whatever their religion or lack of religion.

Secularism is therefore not a ban on religions, nor a requirement to be an atheist: it is a framework that protects believer and non-believer alike. In memory of the 1905 law, secularism is officially celebrated each year on 9 December.

To understand secularism in everyday life, you must distinguish two situations: that of public officials (people who work for the State or a public service) and that of users (people who come to use that service).

• Public officials must be neutral. A town-hall reception clerk, a préfecture civil servant, a public-school teacher… must not display their religious convictions while at work, nor wear a visible religious sign. This duty of neutrality applies to all public officials (State, municipalities, public hospitals…), towards all users.
• Users, however, remain free. A person coming to carry out a procedure in a town hall or préfecture may keep their religious signs: they are not subject to the duty of neutrality. They cannot be asked to remove them in order to be served.

The neutrality of the State therefore means that the State neither favours nor disfavours any religion, and treats all citizens the same way, whatever their belief.

The public school is a place where secularism is particularly important, because it must protect all pupils from any religious pressure and guarantee the neutrality of teaching.

• Pupils in public primary and secondary schools may not wear ostensible (very visible) religious signs. This is the rule set by the law of 15 March 2004. A discreet sign, however, is allowed.
• Teachers, like all public officials, must remain neutral.
• Schooling is compulsory: a child cannot refuse to go to school, nor refuse to attend a class (such as sport or science), for a religious reason. Secularism ensures that teaching follows common knowledge, not each family's beliefs.

A charter of secularism is displayed in schools: it recalls the rules that guarantee respect for secularism at school. It notably forbids proselytism (trying to impose one's religion on others) and the refusal of common rules in the name of a religion.

The language of the Republic is French. It is written in the 1958 Constitution, in Article 2 ("The language of the Republic is French"). French is therefore the language of public services, school, justice and official documents.

Learning and mastering French is part of the integration pathway. This is the meaning of the republican integration contract (CIR), signed by many people settling in France: it notably provides for French-language training. A level of French is also required for certain residence permits and for naturalisation.

This does not mean that other languages are forbidden in private life: everyone may speak the language they wish at home or with relatives. But in the public and administrative sphere, the common language is French.

Equality is one of the three values of the motto. In the Republic, it means that all citizens have the same rights and the same duties, regardless of origin, sex, religion, opinion or wealth. It is equality before the law: the same rule applies to everyone.

Two important concrete consequences:

• Equality between women and men. Women and men have the same rights. An employer cannot refuse to hire someone because she is a woman, and cannot reserve a job for one sex. For equal work, the law requires equal pay.
• The ban on discrimination. It is forbidden to treat someone worse because of their origin, sex, disability, appearance or religion. Publicly insulting a person for who they are is not allowed: the law punishes such behaviour, and the State acts to fight discrimination.

Beyond the motto, the Republic rests on values that guide life in common. They are not mere ideas: they are reflected in the law and in everyday behaviour.

• The dignity of the person — every human being has equal worth and deserves respect. It is the basis for the ban on degrading treatment, racism and discrimination.
• Fraternity and solidarity — mutual help between members of society. It is seen in everyday acts (helping an elderly neighbour carry their shopping, for example) but also in the great collective mechanisms: social protection and Social Security (created in 1945), funded by taxes and contributions, express this national solidarity.
• Civic involvement — taking part in shared life, for example through associations, by voting, or by respecting one's duties (such as paying taxes and declaring one's income). Paying tax is not only an obligation: it is a way of contributing to the services everyone benefits from (schools, hospitals, roads).

In a democracy, power is divided into three so that no single person can decide everything. This is the principle of the separation of powers:

These three powers are separate and keep watch over one another. The President of the Republic therefore does not hold all the powers. No one is above the law: a minister who breaks the law can be prosecuted, like any citizen.

Executive power has two heads. The President of the Republic is the head of state. He is elected by direct universal suffrage (directly by the citizens) for a five-year term called the quinquennat, and resides at the Élysée Palace. He appoints the Prime Minister and chairs the Council of Ministers.

The Prime Minister is the head of government. He directs the Government's action, runs day-to-day policy and resides at the Hôtel de Matignon. The Government applies the laws. A minister who breaks the law has no privilege: he can be prosecuted like any citizen.

In short: the President sets the broad direction, while the Prime Minister and the Government carry it out.

Legislative power belongs to Parliament, which votes the laws. Parliament has two chambers:

• The National Assembly has 577 deputies, elected by direct universal suffrage by the citizens for 5 years. It votes the law, oversees the Government and can bring it down.
• The Senate has 348 senators, elected by indirect universal suffrage (by an electoral college, mainly local elected officials) for 6 years. The Senate is renewed by half every 3 years and represents the local authorities.

Both chambers examine and vote on laws. If disagreement persists, the National Assembly has the final say.

The Constitution of 4 October 1958 is France's fundamental text: it founds the Fifth Republic and organises the institutions (President, Government, Parliament, justice). France's political system today is a democratic Republic, the Fifth Republic.

The Constitution is the supreme law: all other laws must respect it. The Constitutional Council is the guardian of the Constitution: it checks that the laws passed are consistent with the Constitution before they take effect.

National sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their elected representatives and through referendums.

The French territory is organised into three levels of local authorities, each led by elected officials:

The mayor runs the commune; the municipal council and the mayor are elected for 6 years. The prefect, by contrast, is not elected: he is appointed and represents the State in the department.

In France, you vote from the age of 18. Universal suffrage means that all adult citizens have the right to vote, without distinction: it is the opposite of a vote reserved for a few. To vote you must generally be a French national, of age, and registered on the electoral rolls. Voting is a right: it is not compulsory, but it is strongly encouraged. Voting is personal and secret: you cannot vote in someone else's place.

Each election chooses different office-holders:

France is a founding country of European integration and a member of the European Union (EU). As of 1 January 2025, the EU has 27 member states. The United Kingdom left the EU in 2020 ("Brexit"); the most recent state to join the EU is Croatia, in 2013.

France's currency is the euro. The euro has been the single currency since 1999 (first as an accounting currency); euro coins and banknotes came into circulation in 2002.

The EU's symbols: a blue flag with twelve golden stars in a circle; the anthem is the "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven; the motto is "United in diversity"; Europe Day is 9 May.

This theme contains many similar numbers and names: here are the confusions that come up most often in the exam.

• National Assembly ≠ Senate. National Assembly = 577 deputies, directly elected, 5-year term. Senate = 348 senators, indirectly elected, 6-year term, renewed by half every 3 years.
• Regions: 13 or 18? 13 mainland (metropolitan) regions, but 18 in total with the overseas territories. Read carefully whether the question says "mainland".
• Euro: 1999 or 2002? Single currency since 1999; coins and banknotes in circulation in 2002.
• Elected or appointed? The mayor is elected (he runs the commune); the prefect is appointed (he represents the State in the department).
• Who runs the schools? Commune = primary and nursery schools; department = collèges (lower-secondary); region = lycées (upper-secondary).

The rights of people in France rest first on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (DDHC), adopted on 26 August 1789 during the French Revolution. Its Article 1 states that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights." The DDHC sets out fundamental rights: liberty, equality, security (protection against arbitrary arrest) and property.

The 1958 Constitution is France's current fundamental law: it organises the powers of the State and guarantees rights and freedoms. Its Article 1 provides that "France is an indivisible, secular, democratic and social Republic." The Constitution is the hardest text to change: its revision follows a special procedure (Parliament meeting as a Congress, or a referendum).

Fundamental rights are the essential rights of every person. They are called "fundamental" because they are protected at the highest level: an ordinary law cannot remove them.

The Republic guarantees great freedoms to every person:

• Freedom of expression: expressing your opinions, by speech, writing or the media. It is protected by the 1789 DDHC (Article 11) and the law of 29 July 1881.
• Freedom of conscience and religion: believing in the religion of your choice, changing it, or having no religion. This is an aspect of secularism (laïcité).
• Freedom of assembly and to demonstrate: gathering and marching peacefully; a demonstration must, in principle, be declared to the authorities.
• Freedom of association: freely creating or joining an association.
• Freedom of movement (to come and go): moving freely within the country and choosing where to live.
• Freedom of the press: informing and being informed, without prior censorship; an essential guarantee of democracy.

There are also protective rights, such as security (protection against arbitrary arrest) and the rights of the defence (defending yourself before the courts, presumption of innocence, fair trial).

No freedom is absolute. Article 4 of the 1789 DDHC says it clearly: "liberty consists in being able to do anything that does not harm others." In other words, my freedom stops where the freedom of others begins.

The law can therefore limit freedoms, but only for specific reasons and in a proportionate way: to protect public order, safety, health and the rights of others. Examples:

• Freedom of expression does not permit insult, defamation, incitement to hatred or violence, or discriminatory remarks (about origin, sex, religion, a disability…). This also applies on the Internet and social media: online harassment is punished.
• Smoking is banned in enclosed public places to protect the health of others.

A limited freedom is not an abolished freedom: it is framed by the law so that everyone can live together.

Equality is a founding principle of the Republic: all citizens are equal before the law, "without distinction of origin, race or religion" (Article 1 of the Constitution). No one is above the law, and the same rule applies to all.

Equality between women and men is guaranteed in all areas: voting, work, pay, family life. Women's right to vote has existed since 1944. A job cannot be reserved for men: discrimination in hiring based on sex is forbidden.

The law prohibits any discrimination, that is, treating a person worse because of their origin, sex, age, disability, appearance, opinions or religion. For example, a landlord cannot refuse to rent housing to someone solely because of their origin: this is punished by law.

Equality is also linked to human dignity: every person must be respected. Torture, slavery, human trafficking or degrading treatment are serious violations of that dignity.

Rights come with duties. The main duties are:

• Respecting the law and others. Everyone must respect the law — citizens, foreign residents, elected officials, ministers: no one is above the law. Not respecting it exposes you to sanctions (a fine, prison depending on the seriousness).
• Paying taxes. Contributing to public spending is a duty. It is compulsory to declare your income every year in France.
• Coming to the aid of a person in danger. Failing to help when you can, without risk, is an offence: failure to assist a person in danger is punished (for example, calling the emergency services: 15, 17, 18 or 112).
• Serving as a juror at the assize court. A citizen may be drawn by lot to judge crimes at the assize court: this is a compulsory civic duty. A summoned juror must attend, except for a legitimate reason.
• Respecting the symbols of the Republic. Publicly insulting the tricolour flag or the national anthem is punished by law (Article 433-5-1 of the Criminal Code).
• Protecting the environment. Reducing and sorting your waste, throwing nothing in the street: dropping a cigarette butt or leaving a bulky item on the pavement (illegal dumping) is an offence punished by a fine.

There are also duties of remembrance and solidarity (see the following sections) and participation in national defence (census at 16, the Defence and Citizenship Day, JDC).

In France, education is compulsory for all children aged 3 to 16. It is the parents (or legal guardians) who have the duty to send the child to school or to ensure they receive an education. Failing to meet this obligation is punished: breach of the obligation of instruction falls under Article 227-17-1 of the Criminal Code.

School passes on knowledge but also the values of the Republic: equality, secularism, respect for others. State schooling is secular and free, open to all children without distinction.

Respecting the law is a duty that concerns all people residing in France, whatever their nationality. The law applies in the same way to everyone, and breaking it leads to sanctions decided by the courts, whose independence guarantees a fair judgment.

To be a citizen of a State is to have rights, duties and to take part in the life of the community. In France, French citizenship gives the right to vote and the right to be a candidate in elections (eligibility).

To vote, several conditions must be met: being of French nationality, being of age (18), being registered on the electoral rolls and enjoying your civil and political rights. Voting is a right; it is not compulsory, but it is an important civic act.

Special case: citizens of the European Union living in France may vote in municipal and European elections, but not in national elections (parliamentary, presidential).

A convicted person may, by decision of a judge, be deprived of their civil and political rights for a set period: during that time, they can neither vote nor be elected.

France is a social Republic: it organises a system of social protection that helps people cope with life's difficulties. Social Security reimburses part of health costs, pays pensions, family allowances and benefits in cases of unemployment, illness or maternity.

This protection rests on solidarity: it is financed by social contributions and taxes. Each person contributes according to their means and receives according to their needs. The duty of solidarity consists in taking part in this common effort (paying your contributions and taxes, helping one another); it is linked to fraternity, the third word of the motto.

In the world of work, the law protects employees: a minimum wage, the SMIC (growth minimum wage), guarantees a wage floor; working conditions, working hours and the right to strike are regulated.

Secularism, a right and a duty. Secularism (laïcité) guarantees a right — freedom of conscience: to believe, not to believe, or to change religion — and imposes a duty — respect for the convictions of others and the neutrality of the State, which favours no religion. It is a principle set out in Article 1 of the Constitution.

The family and respect for consent. French law protects the freedom to found a family. Marriage is monogamous (polygamy is forbidden) and rests on the free consent of both people: forced marriage is forbidden and punished. Divorce is a right. Marriage has been open to same-sex couples since 2013.

Common traps to know:

• "Freedom of expression" is not "the right to say anything": insult and incitement to hatred remain forbidden.
• A right is not an obligation: voting is a right (not compulsory); declaring your income, respecting the law or serving as a juror are obligations.
• The hierarchy of offences, from least to most serious: minor offence → misdemeanour → crime (contravention → délit → crime). A theft is a misdemeanour; a murder is a crime (tried at the assize court).
• Secularism is not a ban on religion: it is the neutrality of the State, not the erasure of people's beliefs.

The French Revolution begins in 1789. On 14 July 1789, the people of Paris storm the Bastille, a prison-fortress that symbolised the king's absolute power. At the time the king was Louis XVI: he would later be tried and guillotined, in 1793. In that same year, 1789, the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (DDHC), a major text affirming that people are born free and equal in rights. The Revolution ended absolute monarchy and opened the history of the Republic in France: the republican regime was proclaimed in 1792. The 14th of July is today the national day.

The 19th and 20th centuries gradually broadened rights. Slavery was definitively abolished in 1848, through the work of Victor Schœlcher (an earlier abolition in 1794 had later been reversed: it is indeed 1848 that is definitive). That same year, 1848, established universal male suffrage (all men vote). Women's right to vote came only in 1944: French women voted for the first time in 1945. Later, the death penalty was abolished in 1981, under President François Mitterrand.

Two dates shape schooling and the place of religions. Under the Third Republic, the Jules Ferry laws made public schooling free (1881), then compulsory and secular (1882): the aim was to educate all children, girls and boys, regardless of religion. Then the 1905 law organised the separation of churches and the State: this is the foundation of secularism (laïcité). The State becomes neutral, neither recognising nor funding any religion, and everyone remains free to believe or not to believe.

France has known five Republics. We live today under the Fifth Republic, founded in 1958 by General Charles de Gaulle. Its Constitution of 4 October 1958 organises today's institutions: it defines the roles of the President of the Republic, the government and Parliament, and rests on the separation of powers. It was also De Gaulle who, during the Second World War, launched from London the call to resistance of 18 June 1940.

The capital of France is Paris, crossed by the river Seine. Metropolitan France lies in Europe. Its main rivers are the Seine, the Loire (the longest), the Garonne and the Rhône. Its main mountains are the Alps (between France and Italy; home to Mont Blanc, France's highest peak) and the Pyrenees (between France and Spain). France is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the English Channel (la Manche) to the north-west (between France and England).

France is not limited to the mainland: it also includes Overseas France, territories located far from Europe (in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, South America, the Pacific). The main overseas departments and regions (DROM) are Guadeloupe, Martinique (Caribbean), French Guiana (in South America, bordering Brazil), Réunion and Mayotte (Indian Ocean). France has 13 metropolitan regions and 18 regions in total including the overseas territories, as well as 101 departments.

France is a founding member of European integration. It began in 1951 with the ECSC (European Coal and Steel Community), continued with the EEC (Treaty of Rome, 1957), then became the European Union (EU) with the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. On 1 January 2025, the EU has 27 member states. France uses the common currency, the euro: it became the single currency in 1999 (in trade and accounts), then circulated as coins and banknotes from 2002.

France is known for its heritage and culture. Among the iconic monuments: the Eiffel Tower (in Paris, built for the 1889 World's Fair), the Palace of Versailles (symbol of Louis XIV's power), Mont-Saint-Michel (in Normandy) and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris (damaged by a fire in 2019). The Louvre, in Paris, is France's largest museum; it holds the Mona Lisa (la Joconde). France is also renowned for its gastronomy and for the French language, spoken by about 300 million people worldwide (one of the most spoken languages, around 5th place).

This theme is broad and some questions look alike: here are the most common confusions.

• Regions: 13 or 18? → 13 in mainland France, 18 in total with the overseas territories. Read carefully whether the question says "metropolitan".
• Euro: 1999 or 2002? → 1999 = single currency (accounts, trade); 2002 = coins and banknotes in circulation.
• Slavery: 1794 or 1848? → the definitive abolition is 1848 (the 1794 one was later reversed).
• Revolution: 1789 or 1792? → 1789 = start of the Revolution (Bastille, DDHC); 1792 = proclamation of the Republic.

In France, many public services support daily life. They are open to all and must treat everyone equally and neutrally.

• The town hall (mairie) handles civil status (births, marriages, deaths), enrolment in public school, the electoral rolls and many local documents.
• The prefecture (préfecture) and sub-prefecture handle State-related matters: foreign nationals' residence permits, driving licences, the vehicle registration document (carte grise).
• La Poste delivers the mail and also offers banking services.
• Schools, the collège and the lycée provide education; the hospital and doctors provide care.

Most of these steps can now be done online, but you can always go in person and ask for help.

An emergency number is a free number, reachable at any time, to call for help or report danger. You must know them by heart:

On the phone, say where you are, what is happening and how many people are involved, then follow the instructions.

France has a social protection system that helps people get medical care and cope with life's difficulties.

• The treating doctor (médecin traitant) is the first point of contact: for a non-urgent problem, you turn to them first (not to A&E).
• The hospital emergency department (urgences) is for serious or life-threatening situations.
• The Social Security system, via the Health Insurance (Assurance maladie, CPAM, the Ameli online service), reimburses part of health costs. The carte Vitale proves your entitlements and enables this reimbursement.
• A complementary health insurance (mutuelle) reimburses the part not covered by the Health Insurance.
• The third-party payment (tiers payant) means you do not have to pay costs upfront to the health professional.
• Medical confidentiality (secret médical) protects your health information.

Registration with the Health Insurance is compulsory once you meet the conditions; compulsory vaccinations protect the health of everyone and of the community.

Work is governed by the Labour Code (Code du travail) and by each sector's collective agreement, which set the rules and protect employees.

• The employment contract sets out the job, pay and working hours. Undeclared work (working "off the books") is illegal: it deprives the employee of rights (social protection, pension) and exposes the employer to penalties.
• The SMIC is the legal minimum wage: an employee cannot be paid below it.
• The statutory working week is 35 hours; beyond that, hours count as overtime.
• Every employee is entitled to paid leave, maternity leave and paternity leave (28 days since 1 July 2021), and may request parental leave.
• Trade-union rights allow people to organise to defend their interests; the right to strike allows a collective stoppage of work to make demands.
• The labour tribunal (conseil de prud'hommes) settles disputes between an employer and an employee relating to the employment contract.

If you lose your job, you may, under certain conditions, receive unemployment benefit. The first step in looking for work is to register with France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi).

Housing follows rules that protect both the tenant (locataire, the one who rents) and the owner (propriétaire, the one who owns the home).

• The lease (bail) must be written; it sets the rent, the term and each party's obligations.
• The tenant pays the rent, maintains the home and may carry out small improvements (for example repainting the walls) without permission. However, they may not carry out major works (knocking down a partition wall), sublet freely, or sell the home, without the owner's agreement.
• The security deposit is returned at the end of the lease if the home is in good condition.
• Housing benefits (such as the APL, paid by the CAF) can reduce the cost of rent, subject to income conditions.

For waste, you cannot dump anything anywhere: a large broken item (washing machine, furniture) must be taken to the recycling centre (déchetterie) or collected through the commune's bulky-waste collection.

The French school is free (in the public system), secular and open to all. Education is compulsory from age 3 to 16; a training obligation then continues until 18.

• The path runs from nursery school (école maternelle) (from age 3), to primary school (école élémentaire), then to the collège (diploma: the brevet), and finally the lycée (diploma: the baccalauréat).
• You enrol your child in public school at the town hall (mairie).
• Children who do not speak French are welcomed and receive suitable support to learn the language.
• A child with a disability has the right to be schooled and supported.

On the family side, parental authority (autorité parentale) is the set of rights and duties parents have to protect, raise and provide for their child until the age of majority, set at 18. In the event of divorce, it is in principle exercised by both parents. Corporal punishment is forbidden by law.

Living in society also means contributing and helping one another.

• Taxes (such as income tax or VAT paid on purchases) fund public services: schools, hospitals, roads, security. Paying your taxes is a duty; they are calculated according to each person's income.
• National solidarity helps people in difficulty: social benefits (such as the RSA), housing benefits (APL), unemployment insurance. This is the spirit of fraternity, the third word of the motto.
• Legal aid (aide juridictionnelle) enables people on low incomes to be defended by a lawyer whose fees are covered, wholly or partly, by the State.
• Associative life is highly developed: anyone can create or join an association (1901 law) and do volunteering (giving one's time free of charge) for sport, culture, mutual aid or the environment.

Getting involved, voting, taking part in local life: these are concrete ways of bringing citizenship to life.

Equality between women and men is a fundamental principle of the Republic, one that translates concretely into everyday life.

• At work, a woman is entitled to the same pay as a man for work of equal value; discrimination in hiring or in a career is forbidden. A woman may create and run a business.
• It is forbidden to dismiss a woman because of her pregnancy or during her maternity leave.
• In the family, both parents exercise parental authority together and share responsibilities.
• Everyone is free to make decisions about their own body: contraception is a right, free and accessible; abortion (IVG) is legal and recognised as a right.
• Violence against women (domestic violence, harassment) are offences severely punished; helplines and support services exist (such as 3919, a listening line for women victims of violence).

This equality is not merely a written principle: it is a requirement of respect within the couple, the family, school and work.

Many foreign nationals who settle in France for the long term follow an integration path structured by the republican integration contract (CIR), signed with the State (through the OFII).

• The CIR commits the person to attend civic training (the Republic's values and principles, how the institutions work, life in France) and, if needed, language training to reach the required level of French.
• This path also prepares for the civic exam, compulsory since 1 January 2026 for a first multi-year residence permit, a resident card and naturalisation (simple renewals are not concerned).
• Successful integration means knowing your rights, but also respecting the shared rules: the law applies to everyone, you respect public order, the cleanliness of shared spaces, the peace of the neighbourhood and other people, whatever their origin or beliefs.

Everyday good manners (savoir-vivre) (politeness, punctuality, respecting queues and schedules, sorting waste) are part of this peaceful life in society.

A few mistakes come up often; knowing them helps you answer correctly and act properly day to day.

• Emergency numbers: do not confuse 15 (SAMU, medical), 17 (police) and 18 (fire brigade). The 112 is the European number, the 114 is reserved for deaf or hard-of-hearing people (by text).
• Compulsory education: it runs from age 3 to 16 (not 6 to 16, nor 3 to 18). After 16, a training obligation remains until 18.
• Carte Vitale: it is used for the reimbursement of care; it is not a bank card or a means of payment.
• Health: for a non-urgent problem, you see your treating doctor, not the hospital A&E.
• Marriage: only the civil marriage, held at the town hall, has legal value; a purely religious marriage is not recognised by the State.
• Work: undeclared work is illegal; the SMIC is a minimum wage (not a tax); the statutory week is 35 hours (not 39 or 40).
• Housing: a tenant may repaint, but not knock down a wall or sublet without agreement; a large broken item goes to the recycling centre, never onto the pavement.
• Children: corporal punishment is forbidden; the age of majority is 18.