Jean-Auguste Dominique Ingres, La Baigneuse de Valpincon, 1808, Louvre
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Let me first off state that the influence and prestige of France has been declining in inverse proportion to the ascendency of the U.S. since 1945. Nowadays, American culture has conquered even "l'exception culturelle," with French being more familiar with U.S. television sitcoms and pop-stars than I am.
But this country, only one-fifth the size of the United States of America (in population) still matters, at least to me.
And it is neither fashion nor cuisine that interest me.
For most Americans, I'm assuming that the mention of France brings up "Les Miserables" or "Phantom of the Opera" or "The DaVinci Code" in the popular imagination.
But it is French culture and history that fascinate me. It is only 15 years that separate the French Revolution from Napoleon, who conquered most of continental Europe. The Revolution ended the notion of divine rule by monarch, and all the rest of Europe trembled. It brought the French Republic into existence.
And proceeding 17th century--that of the Sun King Louis XIV--was the era when French culture began its cultural dominance in Europe. And going back further, in the 15th century, one has the incredible Jeanne d'Arc, who helped liberate France from the yoke of the English. In the 16th century the epochal rivalry between Protestants and Catholics reached its climax in the St. Bartholomew's Massacre, where thousands of Huguenots were massacred.
This is also the country that was overrun by the Germans in World War II and occupied by its chief continental rival and enemy. The United States has never known being invaded and ruled by another country.
In art, Gothic art began in France, where it reached its apogee. The 19th century saw the movements in art of Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, in all of which France was "where it happened." And the early half of the 20th century witnessed both cubism and Surrealism, art movements in which Paris was clearly the epicenter. (The latter half is given to the U.S., with abstract expressionism coming to the fore after 1945).
If only for comparative reasons, France matters. Unlike America, which had its one war of independence and revolution in 1776, France has had successive revolutions, the first in 1787 followed by revolutions in 1830 to rid the country of the Bourbons and 1848 to overthrow Louis-Phillipe.
The U.S. is conservative-moderate, politically speaking, and no one except a fringe of people believe that a revolution could happen here again. So the French have a history of "taking to the streets" and demanding their rights ("liberte, egalite, et fraternite").
From the 1980's onwards, France has a mandated six-week vacation for all workers. In the U.S. getting more than two weeks is unusual. The U.S. has never had national health insurance, something that is considered a basic human right.
And the recent demonstrations by McDonalds workers in New York City over low hourly wages is another point in case.*
France also, unlike the U.K., vehemently refused (and led international opposition) to go along with the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, arguing passionately during a session of the U.N. General Assembly against giving the U.S. the mandate to go in. (France holds one of the five permanent seats on the U.N. Security Council).
This is also a country where news programs such as "Envoye Speciale" or "Secrets d'histoire" are presented in their entirety--100 minutes--without commercial interruption, in contrast to the U.S., where the major networks bombard viewers with advertising every 6-7 minutes, encouraging them to consume, consume, consume.
This is not to say that France is not in crisis--the French are notoriously cynical and/or pessimistic--, with a huge deficit, high unemployment, sluggish growth, and a social malaise (immigration, national identity...).
France is in a unique geographical position in Europe, as a result of which it has been influenced and, in turn, influenced, successively, England, Spain, Italy, and Germany--the principal nations. You only have to cross the English Channel using Eurostar to realize this.
Lastly, I don't think there is anyone who would contest that the French language is, in pure aural terms, the most beautiful (Italian being a distant second, Mandarin third?).
(I won't even get into here how American women--whose ranks include not just an occasional loud, fat harridan, or wannabe, for whom "understatement" is not to be found in any dictionary--could learn a thing or two about femininity, sophistication, and charm from French women).
In France one does not talk loudly in public spaces--something Americans completely ignore--, while in England, talking loudly--and thus drawing attention to oneself and causing others to stare--is considered frankly lower-class and vulgar.
Obviously, in terms of being loud, Americans have competition from the Germans, Mexicans, and Chinese, although the latter usually realize not long after their arrival in the U.S. that being loud is both being indiscreet, unaware, and a marker of lower socioeconomic status and educational attainment.
The Romanos, Russia's last czarist dynasty, spoke French, the language of the court, this despite a century earlier Napoleon's Grand Army having marched through Russia to Moscow ("War and Peace").
There is nothing, in my opinion, in American history that compares to the dramatic richness of the events and experiences that have shaped France.
Which national anthem is more stirring, "La Marseillaise" (think of "Casablanca") or "The Star Spangled Banner"?
* http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/09/how-americas-minimum-wage-em-really-em-stacks-up-globally/279258/
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/arts/design/19abroad.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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