LanguagesMythology and folkloreCuisineFestivalsReligionArtLiteratureMusic and performing artsMediaSportMonumentsSymbolsFlag of France.svg France portalvteFrench literature (French: Littérature française) generally speaking, literature written in the Frenchlanguage, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living inFrance who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in the Frenchlanguage, by citizens of other nations such as Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria,Morocco, etc. is referred to as Francophone literature. France itself ranks first on the list of Nobel Prizesin literature by country.For centuries, French literature has been an object of national pride for French people, and it has beenone of the most influential components of the literature of Europe.[1][2]One of the first known examples of French literature is the Song of Roland, the first major work in aseries of poems known as, "chansons de geste".[3]The French language is a Romance language derived from Latin and heavily influenced principally byCeltic and Frankish. Beginning in the 11th century, literature written in medieval French was one of theoldest vernacular (non-Latin) literatures in western Europe and it became a key source of literary themesin the Middle Ages across the continent.
