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Flag of France: colours, meaning and facts for kids

Three vertical stripes: blue, white and red.

The flag of France is one of the best known in the world. Here is what it looks like, where its colours came from, how to tell it from the flags that look like it, and a quick quiz to try.

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What does the flag of France look like?

The flag of France has three stripes of the same width, side by side: blue, white and red. Blue is nearest the flagpole. The stripes go up and down, not across.

In French it is called le drapeau tricolore, the three-coloured flag, or the tricolore for short.

Where do the colours come from?

Blue and red were the old colours of the city of Paris. White was the colour of the French kings.

The three colours were flown together after the French Revolution of 1789, and in 1794 the tricolore was made the official national flag. No single colour has an official meaning. Together, the flag stands for the ideas of the Revolution, such as liberty, equality and fraternity.

Flags that look like the flag of France

Some flags use the same colours or the same shape. Here is how to tell them apart:

Flags that look like the flag of France, and how each one differs
FlagHow it differs
The NetherlandsRed, white and blue too, but the stripes go across, with red on top.
RussiaWhite, blue and red, with the stripes going across.
LuxembourgRed, white and light blue, with the stripes going across.
ItalyThree upright stripes too, but green, white and red.
BelgiumThree upright stripes too, but black, yellow and red.

France in a nutshell

Quick quiz: the flag of France

Try these, then tap Show answer under each one.

  1. What do the French call their flag?

    • The Union Flag
    • The tricolore
    • The Maple Leaf
    • The Hinomaru

    The tricolore. It means the three-coloured flag.

  2. True or false: blue and red were the old colours of the city of Paris.

    True. White was the colour of the French kings.

  3. Which of these countries is next door to France?

    • Portugal
    • Poland
    • Spain
    • Greece

    Spain. In Europe, France also borders Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco and Andorra.

  4. True or false: France has more time zones than any other country.

    True. France has more time zones than any other country, thanks to its territories around the world.

  5. Which of these countries has a flag of three upright stripes in green, white and red?

    • Germany
    • Italy
    • Russia
    • Spain

    Italy.

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