Blue, white and red have always been the traditional colours of France. Originally, the flags were of one solid colour. For example the early kings used blue with gold fleurs de lys, the war standard (or oriflamme) was red and the banners of the army and navy were often white.

The flag as we recognise it today was first used during Revolutionary France, at the end of the eighteenth century.

White was recognised as the King's colour, and the colours of Paris were blue and red. By choosing those three colours, the revolutionaries in Paris united the traditional colours used by both the old government and Paris. The design was adopted as it was very easy for everyone to make and material in the three colours was readily available. The flag quickly became adopted as the Flag of France.

When you visit France, you will see the Tricolore flying proudly above, outside and inside all public buildings.

The pictures above show Tricolores outside a Post Office, and inside the Opera House in Vichy. The picture on the right shows the flags flying by the Monument aux Morts (War Memorial) in the village of Saint Madrian in the South of France.

It is always an easy way to find "L'Hôtel de Ville" or the town hall. This Hôtel de Ville is in Nouméa, the capital city of New Caledonia - nearly 20 000 km from the mother country of France