Nous, les Français: A Cultural X-Ray of Modern France Ahead of 2027
As France edges closer to the 2027 presidential election, a new book titled Nous, les Français offers a sharp, sociological cross-section of a nation defined less by clean fractures and more by deep-seated, everyday contradictions. Authored by a collective of researchers and journalists—including Gérald Andrieu, Jean-Laurent Cassely, Laure Coromines, Franck Dedieu, Laureline Dupont, and Raphaël Llorca—the volume moves past tired political clichés to examine how everyday habits reflect profound cultural and political shifts.
Far from painting a picture of a uniformly broken country, the authors use mundane domestic choices—from bottled water consumption to the furniture we display—as proxies for national anxieties. For political candidates eyeing the Elysée Palace, the book serves as an unconventional manual, suggesting that understanding the electorate requires looking at lifestyle markers as much as traditional party manifestos.
Bottled Water, Tap Trust, and the State of Public Services
One of the most striking cultural divides uncovered in the work involves something as simple as drinking water. According to data highlighted by the authors, a majority of residents in northern France consume bottled water (79%), compared to those in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region (37%). Raphaël Llorca points out that this disparity is not merely about taste, but serves as a discreet political indicator reflecting public confidence in local infrastructure and state institutions.
This regional split lays bare a fractured relationship with the state. When citizens turn away from the tap, they are often expressing a quiet skepticism toward public networks and institutional promises.
From Master Poulet to Regional Banquets: The Politics of the Plate
Food culture has similarly become a ideological battlefield. The book dedicates a chapter to high-profile culinary flashpoints, contrasting urban trends with rural traditions. On one side stands Master Poulet, a halal fried chicken chain that has emerged as a cultural symbol of the “New France” championed by figures like Jean-Luc Mélenchon. On the other are regional specialty banquets celebrating local French heritage, which are drawing massive crowds in rural areas where the Rassemblement National has steadily expanded its footprint.
These dietary battlegrounds illustrate how identity is increasingly negotiated at the dinner table. It is a tangible manifestation of two competing visions of French identity living side by side.
Domestic Displays and the Vanishing 18th-Century Commode
Beyond the ballot box and the kitchen table, even living room decor tells a story of social stratification. Franck Dedieu notes the curious disappearance of the traditional 18th-century commode from modern middle-class homes. Once a staple of bourgeois heritage, these heavy wooden pieces have been largely abandoned by younger executives and professionals.
Instead, the demographic capable of affording antique furniture now leans toward interior designs influenced by global aesthetics and digital curation, prioritizing spatial wanderlust over historical continuity. Meanwhile, new domestic rituals—such as asking guests to remove their shoes at the front door—highlight a growing obsession with interior styling designed for digital platforms, sometimes at the expense of traditional hospitality.
Even outerwear carries hidden codes. While quilted puffers are worn across all classes, fine distinctions separate the everyday jacket from the professional gear worn by tobacconists and sales reps, the specialized fleece popular in urban co-working spaces, and the official Élysée-branded puffers worn by presidential advisors.
The Road to 2027: Is There Still a Collective “We”?
Ultimately, Nous, les Français forces an uncomfortable question for presidential hopefuls: does a cohesive collective “We” still exist in France? By analyzing everything from the polarizing rise of cargo bikes to the socio-economic boundaries of running, the authors demonstrate that surface-level trends often mask deeper tribalisms.
As the campaign trail heats up, candidates will find that appealing to voters requires navigating these nuanced cultural fault lines. Whether addressing the decline of public trust revealed by bottled water consumption or acknowledging the shifting tastes of the suburban and rural electorate, the real contest in 2027 may well be won by whoever best understands the daily realities of modern French life. How do these cultural divides manifest in your own neighborhood? Let us know in the comments below.
