History, geography and culture: French civic exam 2026 questions
Key dates, figures, territories, European symbols: this theme covers the historical and geographical landmarks every candidate is expected to know.
The theme "History, geography and culture" accounts for 8 of the 40 questions on the 2026 French civic exam, which you pass with 32 correct answers out of 40 in 45 minutes maximum.
- 8 of the 40 questions on exam day
- 17 practice questions on this theme
1.What is the current Constitution of France called?
- a.The Constitution of the Fifth Republic
- b.The Constitution of the Fourth Republic
- c.The 1830 Charter
- d.The 1789 Declaration
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Correct answer: The Constitution of the Fifth Republic
France lives under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, adopted on 4 October 1958.
Reference: Constitution du 4 octobre 1958
2.In what year was the Fifth Republic established?
- a.1958
- b.1946
- c.1968
- d.1981
3.What does the date of 14 July correspond to?
- a.The French national day
- b.Labour Day
- c.The 1918 armistice
- d.Victory Day
4.What is the capital of France?
- a.Paris
- b.Lyon
- c.Marseille
- d.Bordeaux
5.Which major event marked the year 1789 in France?
- a.The French Revolution
- b.World War I
- c.Napoleon's coronation
- d.The Paris Commune
6.How many regions does metropolitan France have?
- a.13
- b.22
- c.18
- d.27
7.Which river runs through Paris?
- a.The Seine
- b.The Loire
- c.The Rhône
- d.The Garonne
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Correct answer: The Seine
The Seine runs through Paris.
Reference: Géographie
8.What currency is used in France?
- a.The euro
- b.The franc
- c.The pound
- d.The dollar
9.Who was the first President of the Fifth Republic?
- a.Charles de Gaulle
- b.François Mitterrand
- c.Jacques Chirac
- d.Georges Pompidou
10.In what year did women obtain the right to vote in France?
- a.1944
- b.1789
- c.1848
- d.1968
11.What is the highest peak in France?
- a.Mont Blanc
- b.Mont Ventoux
- c.Puy de Dôme
- d.Pic du Midi
12.Which sea borders France to the south?
- a.The Mediterranean Sea
- b.The North Sea
- c.The Baltic Sea
- d.The Black Sea
13.What is the official language of France?
- a.French
- b.Latin
- c.English
- d.Occitan
Show the answer
Correct answer: French
The language of the Republic is French, under Article 2 of the Constitution.
Reference: Constitution, art. 2
14.In what year was slavery definitively abolished in France?
- a.1848
- b.1789
- c.1905
- d.1945
15.What is celebrated on 1 May in France?
- a.Labour Day
- b.The national day
- c.The 1945 victory
- d.The music festival
16.How many stars are on the flag of the European Union?
- a.12
- b.27
- c.15
- d.50
17.Which French city hosts the European Parliament?
- a.Strasbourg
- b.Paris
- c.Lyon
- d.Lille
The other exam themes
- Principles and values of the Republic
- Rights and duties
- Institutional and political system
- Living in French society
Our guides to passing the exam
- Official format, pass mark and how it works
- The 5 exam themes, explained
- Situational questions: how to answer them
- Who must take the civic exam?
- Registration, price, centres and results
- Failed the exam? How to retake it
Official sources: Arrêté of 10 October 2025 on the civic exam (Légifrance) · Service-public.gouv.fr: how to take the civic exam · Ministry of the Interior: civic training. Updated on
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