--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here is everything I know about France…" description: "\"“Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/stephanie-perkins-482_bastille_here-is-everything-i-know-about-france-m_3077363.jpg" --- # Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and… ![“Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings named Louis. I'm not sure what they did either, but I think it has…” quote by Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/stephanie-perkins-482_bastille_here-is-everything-i-know-about-france-m_3077363.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/stephanie-perkins-482_bastille_here-is-everything-i-know-about-france-m_3077363.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/423/stephanie-perkins-482_bastille_here-is-everything-i-know-about-france-m_3077363.jpg) > ““Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings named Louis. I'm not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day. The art museum is called the Louvre and it's shaped like a pyramid and the Mona Lisa lives there along with that statue of the women missing her arms. And there are cafes and bistros or whatever they call them on every street corner. And mimes. The food is supposed to be good, and the people drink a lot of wine and smoke a lot of cigarettes. I've heard they don't like Americans, and they don't like white sneakers.”” [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A superficial, stereotypical snapshot of French culture focusing on iconic symbols and clichés. **In simple terms:** France reduced to famous landmarks and habits. Key Takeaway Look beyond clichés to understand a culture. Themes culture stereotypes travel perception identity Mood curious critical lighthearted Type observational humorous When to use this quote - planning a trip to France - teaching a French class - writing a travel blog - debating cultural stereotypes Key Concepts cultural reductionism media influence tourism Questions to Reflect On - What deeper aspects of French life are missing? - How do stereotypes shape travel expectations? A Different Perspective Stereotypes can reinforce misunderstandings and ignore diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art Museum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-museum/) [Bastille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bastille/) [Bastille day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bastille-day/) [French revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/french-revolution/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Moulin Rouge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moulin-rouge/) ## Related quotes > [Bastille Day is just like the Fourth of July except it takes place in France and we don't care about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bastille-day-is-just-like-the-fourth-of-july-except-it-takes-place-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of the crew were staying in Monaco. But my family and I were actually staying in Nice because I had my whole family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dornan/most-of-the-crew-were-staying-in-monaco-but-my-family-and-i-were/) [Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dornan/) > [ I was in New York 9/11. Mark's \[Wahlberg\] from Boston, flew there immediately after. I was in Nice Bastille Day when the truck drove… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-was-in-new-york-9-11-mark-s-wahlberg-from-boston-flew-there/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [I didn't know about the rest of the class, but when Bastille Day eventually rolled around, I planned to stay home and clean my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-didn-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-class-but-when-bastille-day/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Happy Bastille Day to someone still stuck in a monarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-bastille-day-to-someone-still-stuck-in-a-monarchy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would be in my cabana at the Hotel de Cat, and there he would be. Amid all the fireworks on Bastille Day, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-waldorf/i-would-be-in-my-cabana-at-the-hotel-de-cat-and-there-he-would-be/) [Blair Waldorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-waldorf/) > [It's my country but I don't want to know about France - I was born there but I feel English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/it-s-my-country-but-i-don-t-want-to-know-about-france-i-was-born/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [Like, if I want to know about France, I'll buy the book I don't know if that makes me a moron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richey-edwards/like-if-i-want-to-know-about-france-i-ll-buy-the-book-i-don-t-know-if/) [Richey Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richey-edwards/) > [When I want to know what France thinks, I ask myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/when-i-want-to-know-what-france-thinks-i-ask-myself/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [The best thing I know between France and England is the sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/the-best-thing-i-know-between-france-and-england-is-the-sea/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [“two white men were put on trial for a particularly gruesome set of murders in the French Congo; to celebrate Bastille Day, one had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/two-white-men-were-put-on-trial-for-a-particularly-gruesome-set-of/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [If you'd been a prisoner liberated from the Bastille, I'd have carefully considered your plight before alerting the authorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-d-been-a-prisoner-liberated-from-the-bastille-i-d-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to be remembered going off the front, not the other way. After winning my seventh king-of-the-mountains title and winning a stage on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-virenque/i-want-to-be-remembered-going-off-the-front-not-the-other-way-after/) [Richard Virenque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-virenque/) > [“That is indeed the best way to dumb down the masses: make them do the same thing over and over; let them have their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-julien/that-is-indeed-the-best-way-to-dumb-down-the-masses-make-them-do-the/) [Maude Julien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-julien/) > [This Bastille Day, let's pause to admire a country where leaders are celebrated for screwing hot models rather than impeached for ejaculating on interns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-bastille-day-let-s-pause-to-admire-a-country-where-leaders-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Stephanie Perkins > [“This warmth over the telephone. Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place? Bridgette used to be home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/this-warmth-over-the-telephone-is-it-possible-for-home-to-be-a-person/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“I wasn't being a git. I wasn't even being a twat, or a wanker, or any of your other bleeding Briticisms -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-wasn-t-being-a-git-i-wasn-t-even-being-a-twat-or-a-wanker-or-any-of/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“You said on my birthday that you were afraid of being alone, but I’ve been here this whole time. This whole time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-said-on-my-birthday-that-you-were-afraid-of-being-alone-but-i-ve/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Lola: Do you think things have to be easy? For it to work? Cricket: NO. I mean, yes, but... sometimes there are... extenuating circumstances.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/lola-do-you-think-things-have-to-be-easy-for-it-to-work-cricket-no-i/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Sometimes a mistake isn't a what. It's a who.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/sometimes-a-mistake-isn-t-a-what-it-s-a-who/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“And that. Why don’t you call me Étienne anymore?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/and-that-why-don-t-you-call-me-tienne-anymore/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Thanks. I forgot how to flip off the English. I'll use the correct hand gesture next time." "My pleasure. Always happy to educate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/thanks-i-forgot-how-to-flip-off-the-english-i-ll-use-the-correct-hand/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“Beautiful. He called me beautiful! But wait. I don't like Dave. Do I like Dave?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/beautiful-he-called-me-beautiful-but-wait-i-don-t-like-dave-do-i-like/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“You can't undo loss. You can't unmake a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/you-can-t-undo-loss-you-can-t-unmake-a-mistake/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“They didn’t talk much, but their silence was companionable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/they-didn-t-talk-much-but-their-silence-was-companionable/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“We're enveloped in pitch black. "Wait here," I whisper. "Are you getting your ax?" "Handcuffs." "Kinky. But, okay, I'll try it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/we-re-enveloped-in-pitch-black-wait-here-i-whisper-are-you-getting/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“And, suddenly, I want to touch him. Not a push, or a shove, or even a friendly hug. I want to feel the creases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/and-suddenly-i-want-to-touch-him-not-a-push-or-a-shove-or-even-a/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“My face is round, and my cheeks are pinchable, and my ears stick out farther than I'd like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/my-face-is-round-and-my-cheeks-are-pinchable-and-my-ears-stick-out/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“There's something about blue eyes. The kind of blue that startles you every time they're lifted in your direction. The kind of blue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/there-s-something-about-blue-eyes-the-kind-of-blue-that-startles-you/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [“I'm a little distracted by this English French American Boy Masterpiece.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/i-m-a-little-distracted-by-this-english-french-american-boy/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) [Explore all 500 Stephanie Perkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) ## More Bastille quotes > [Bastille Day is just like the Fourth of July except it takes place in France and we don't care about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bastille-day-is-just-like-the-fourth-of-july-except-it-takes-place-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When the Washington Post telephoned me at home on Valentine's Day 1989 to ask my opinion about the Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwah , I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/when-the-washington-post-telephoned-me-at-home-on-valentine-s-day/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [What is this much repeated phrase 'active citizen' supposed to mean? The active citizens are the ones who took the Bastille.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-desmoulins/what-is-this-much-repeated-phrase-active-citizen-supposed-to-mean-the/) [Camille Desmoulins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-desmoulins/) > [In France, the people were the sport of a king's caprice. Everywhere was the shadow of the Bastille. It fell upon the sunniest field,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/in-france-the-people-were-the-sport-of-a-king-s-caprice-everywhere/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I would be in my cabana at the Hotel de Cat, and there he would be. Amid all the fireworks on Bastille Day, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-waldorf/i-would-be-in-my-cabana-at-the-hotel-de-cat-and-there-he-would-be/) [Blair Waldorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-waldorf/) > [Yes, Bastille. I keep trying to get killed because it's inconvenient for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/yes-bastille-i-keep-trying-to-get-killed-because-it-s-inconvenient/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [ \[My wife\] liked to collect old encyclopedias from second-hand bookstores, and at one point we had eight of them. When I wrote my first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/my-wife-liked-to-collect-old-encyclopedias-from-second-hand/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [My bad head cannot adjust itself to the way things are… If I want to depict spring, it has to be in wintertime; if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/my-bad-head-cannot-adjust-itself-to-the-way-things-are-if-i-want-to/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“Still, the Doctor walked among the terrors with a steady head. No man better known than he, in Paris at that day; no man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/still-the-doctor-walked-among-the-terrors-with-a-steady-head-no-man/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“But if you close your eyes,does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bastille-pompeii/but-if-you-close-your-eyes-does-it-almost-feel-like-nothing-changed/) Bastille Pompeii > [I didn't know about the rest of the class, but when Bastille Day eventually rolled around, I planned to stay home and clean my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-didn-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-class-but-when-bastille-day/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Besides writing, I have been teaching myself to 'develop' my own photographic plates, and I haven't a stick of clothing or an exposed finger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/besides-writing-i-have-been-teaching-myself-to-develop-my-own/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [ I was in New York 9/11. Mark's \[Wahlberg\] from Boston, flew there immediately after. I was in Nice Bastille Day when the truck drove… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-was-in-new-york-9-11-mark-s-wahlberg-from-boston-flew-there/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [“date of our first anniversary, Jamie had been in the Bastille, and I … I had been in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/date-of-our-first-anniversary-jamie-had-been-in-the-bastille-and-i-i/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“The Bastille, where I live, is best known as the site where the infamous prison was seized and ransacked by the masses, igniting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lebovitz/the-bastille-where-i-live-is-best-known-as-the-site-where-the/) [David Lebovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lebovitz/) [Browse all 22 Bastille quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bastille/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings named Louis. I'm not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day. The art museum is called the Louvre and it's shaped like a pyramid and the Mona Lisa lives there along with that statue of the women missing her arms. And there are cafes and bistros or whatever they call them on every street corner. And mimes. The food is supposed to be good, and the people drink a lot of wine and smoke a lot of cigarettes. 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