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Being very serious here - aside from fries, toast, bread, and wine, what other French products are there?

[azhenfud]

LOL! Well, next time I let the Red-Head (Ronald McDonald) cook for me, I'll just drop the (cough) "french" when I order fries....

[We Happy Few]

Check Fortune magazine's list of the largest multinational companies. Also, the Department of Commerce or the International Trade Commission probably compiles statistics on imports by product category (SIC code) by country. Alcatel, Peugeot, Renault, Schlumberger, AirBus all sell in the United States. French steel is sold here.

Champagne is a good example of a familiar consumer product from which you can easily substitute away. Only French producers can call their sparkling wine "champagne." So look for a California or Italian or Spanish sparkling wine--it's the same product, just without the name. (I have never seen an Australian or Chilean sparkling wine, but I'm sure they exist.) But note that some California sparkling wines are owned by French companies. The same is true of some regular wines produced in Napa.

There are also many familiar brands of French liqueurs, cognacs, armagnacs, etc. sold in the United States. Consider an American, British, Spanish, or Italian alternative.

The French also have a large amount of direct foreign investment in the United States. It would be illuminating to find out which American companies have the largest French ownership. For example, has Vivendi yet divested itself of Universal?

[MEGoody]

Any type of make up products from Lancome or L'Oreal.

[rolling_stone]

France does have some very nice fine perfumes. There are a few fine perfumes made in Italy or the USA......As of now, French perfumes are off my list for gifts, maybe some ladies out there can recommend some USA or Italian perfumes to take their place.....

On another thread someone suggested we start calling french fries American fries, and that sounds good to me.

The French are also famous for recognition with "French Kissing" (etc.) and now they can kiss my derriere (etc.)......

[SolutionsOnly]

Here are some French business interests..

Air France
Air Liquide
Airbus
Alcatel - Based in Paris France
Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France
Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)
AXA Advisors
Bank of the West - Owned by BNP Paribas
Beneteau (boats)
BF Goodrich - Owned by Michelin
BIC (Razors, Pens & Lighters) - Started in 1945 by Marcel Bich. Originally based just outside of Paris. Began trading on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. 40.5% Publicly traded. Bich family still owns 33.5%.
Biotherm (Cosmetics)
Black Bush
Bollinger (Champagne)
Car & Driver Magazine
Cartier
Chanel
Chivas Regal (Scotch)
Christian Dior
Club Med (Vacations) - Owned in part by Paris based CDC (Caisse des Dépôts
et Consignations)
Culligan (owned by Vivendi)
Dannon (Yogurt & Dairy Foods)
DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.
Dom Perignon
Durand Crystal
Elle Magazine
Essilor Optical Products
Evian
Fina Gas Stations
Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields
First Hawaiian Bank
George Magazine
Givenchy
Hennessy
Houghton Mifflin (books)
International Herald Tribune - 181 ave Charles-de-Gaulle - F-92521 Neuilly - FRSource:World Business Council for Sustainable Development '00 [Domain Registration], [Corporate Profile]
Jacobs Creek - Owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989
Jameson (wiskey)
Jerry Springer (talk show)
Krups (coffee and cappaccino makers)
Lancome
Le Creuset (Cookware)
L'Oreal (Health & Beauty Products)
Louis Vuitton
Marie Claire
Martel Cognac
Maybelline
Méphisto (Footwear & Apparel)
Michelin (Tires & Auto Parts) - Their phone number is: (33) 1 45 66 15 53 in France
Mikasa Crystal and Glass (purchased by ARC int'l in 2001)
Moet (Champagne)
Motel 6 - 33, Avenue du Maine- 75755 Paris Cedex 15 France
Motown Records
MP3.com
Mumms (Champagne)
Nissan (Cars) - Majority owned by Renault
Nivea
Normany Butter
Parents Magazine
Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French
Pierre Cardin
Playstation Magazine
ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising)
RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France
Red Magazine
Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Renault (Automobiles)
Road & Track Magazine
Roquefort Cheese - All Roquefort cheese is made in France
Rowenta (Toasters, Irons, Coffee makers, etc)
Royal Canadian
Salomon (Skis)
Seagram's Gin
Sierra Software and Computer Games
Smart & Final
Sofitel (Hotels) - Owned by the Accor group based in France
Sparkletts (Water) - Owned by Danone, based in France
Spencer Gifts
Sundance Channel
Taylor Made (Golf)
Technicolor
T-Fal (Kitchenware)
The Glenlivet (Scotch
Total Gas Stations
UbiSoft (Computer Games)
Uniroyal
Uniroyal Tires - Owned by Michelin
Universal Studios (Music, Movies & Theme Parks) - Universal Studios is owned by Vivendi-Universal, headquartered in Paris France
USFilter
Veritas Group
Veuve Clicquot Champagne
Vittel
Vivendi - Vivendi Headquarters, Paris France
Wild Turkey (bourbon)
Woman's Day Magazine
Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait
Yves Saint Laurent
Zodiac Inflatable Boats