Flag of France

Meaning and history of the flag of France

France's flag, known as le Tricolore, is one of the most influential flags in history: three equal vertical stripes of blue, white, and red, running from the hoist. It was adopted during the French Revolution in 1794 and has served as the direct model for dozens of national flags around the world.

Blue and red were the traditional colors of the city of Paris, while white stood for the French monarchy. Combining the three symbolized reconciliation between revolutionary Paris and the king in the Revolution's early days. Later, the colors came to represent the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity, the motto of the French Republic.

The Tricolore has directly inspired the flags of Italy, Ireland, Belgium, Chad, Ivory Coast, Romania, and many other nations. Chad's flag is nearly identical to France's, differing only in a slightly darker shade of blue. In 2020, President Macron quietly shifted the flag's blue from cobalt back to the original navy used during the Revolution. The official proportions are 2:3.

You can view the flag of France in high resolution above and download it in several sizes for personal, educational or reference use. To explore more, visit the full France profile, its map, or the current local time in Paris.