From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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A Francophile is a non-French person who has a strong interest in, or admiration for French culture. This could include France itself and its history, the French language, French cuisine, literature, etc. The opposite of a Francophile is a Francophobe -- someone who dislikes all that is French.

Francophilia often arises in former French colonies where the élite spoke French and adopted many French habits--although places where resentment against French rules is fresh in the mind of the population (such as Algeria and Vietnam) might instead want to dispense with French culture. In some countries such as Romania, French culture has also long been popular among the educated classes. Even in the United States, the French language is still one of the main foreign languages taught in school. French Canadians who look to the culture of France could also be considered francophiles.

Historically, francophilia has been associated with supporters of the philosophy of French Enlightenment during and after the French Revolution, where democratic uprisings challenged the autocratic countries of Europe.

Famous modern Francophiles include Californian rock legend Jim Morrison who died and was buried in Paris, and Hollywood star Robert de Niro.

See also

• Francophobia
• Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
• Alliance française
• List of French expressions in English
• Alliance israélite universelle, an association that extended French culture among Sephardi Jews
• Afrancesado, Spanish Francophiles of the 19th century
• Missão Artística Francesa, French culture mission in Brazil in the 19th and 20th centuries
• Culture of France
• List of French possessions and colonies
• Foreign relations of France