What are facts about France's flag?

Answer 1

the French flag is the official French pavilion since 1794. It was drawn by Jacques Louis David, famous French painter, but it has its origins in July 1789. Shortly after the fall of the Bastille, the king visited the Paris town hall and was handed a blue and red cocard - the long-time colours of the town - which he put on his hat next to the white cocard (French royalty emblem at the time), as a gesture towards the people of Paris. The blue and red colours are said to be representing the patron saints of the town (Saint Denis, Saint Martin) while the white indicated the dedication of the kingdom to the Virgin Mary. Since the reign Henri IV, the red and blue were included in the royal emblems, standing for the Kingdom of "Navarre".
The popular "Garde Nationale", heir of the "Garde française" (regiment meant to protect the King) already had the three colours blue, white and red on their uniforms. Members of the Garde Nationale took part - and even led - the fall of the Bastille.
It is sometimes said that LAFAYETTE played a role in the adoption of the three colours by the King Louis XVI. The white flag replaced the three-colour flag in 1814-1815, and from 1815 to 1830, during the two first periods when the monarchy was reinstated.