Languages
French is the official language of France and is spoken by the large majority of people in the nation. Modern French is a dialect of the langue d’oïl, a form of the French language that originated in northern France. This dialect developed in the Île de France, a historic province that includes Paris and much of the surrounding Paris Basin. Beginning in medieval times, the language of the Île de France gradually began to supplant the other French dialects. Today it enjoys overwhelming dominance in French daily life, including in commerce, education, government, and culture.