Gallic rooster
The Gallic rooster (French: le coq gaulois) is a national symbol of France as a nation and its history, land and culture (as opposed to Marianne representing France as a State, and its values : the Republic). Its association with France is due to the play on words in Latin between Gallus, meaning an inhabitant of Gaul, and gallus meaning rooster, or cock. Although its use in France dates to the Middle Ages, it gained particular popularity during the French Revolution, and has been a national emblem ever since. The rooster was featured on the reverse of French 20-franc gold pieces from 1899 to 1914.
Today, it is often used as a national mascot, particularly in sporting events such as football (soccer) and rugby. The 1998 FIFA World Cup, hosted by France, adopted a rooster named Footix as mascot. The French national Australian rules football team in the 2008 Australian Football International Cup is known as the Coqs after the Gallic rooster.
The popularity of the symbol extends into business. Le Coq Sportif ("The sporting rooster"), is a French manufacturer of sports equipment using a stylized rooster and the colors of the French tricolour as its logo.
External links
- Embassy of France in the United States - additional information
- French Prime Minister's office - additional information
- Images of Footix, the cockerel mascot of the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
- France plucks its bird from peril, from BBC. A plan to preserve the genetic heritage of the French cockerel.
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