C'est Ça La France Lyrics in English Marc Lavoine

Below, I translated the lyrics of the song C'est Ça La France by Marc Lavoine from French to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
They drink espresso or a little white wine
They look for a fight and for work often
They raise their fists, they move, they protest
They go out every Saturday to spend their dough
That's France
Chili in the mess tins and wine in the cans
That's France
From Laguiole to Opinel, they share the sausages
That's France
We're all brothers, according to the declarations
Or so I think
We must never forget them
The three words that end in té
They make olive oil and chicken couscous
They toast to pétanque
At the bar, in Marseille
They 'Brassens' nonstop
A girl's breasts are beautiful
They 'camembert' the Chinese, they frizz at the Bastille
That's France
Chili in the mess tins and wine in the cans
That's France
From Laguiole to Opinel, they share the sausages
That's France
We're all brothers, according to the declarations
Or so I think
We must never forget them
The three words that end in té
They swallow their Vichy and they Dreyfus the joy
Jean Moulin Rouge too, Pierre Bérégovoy
Its freedom of the press isn't just an impression
Most often they O.S. at Renault, at 'Citron'
That's France
Chili in the mess tins and wine in the cans
That's France
From Laguiole to Opinel, they share the sausages
That's France
We're all brothers, according to the declarations
Or so I think
We must never forget them
Those three words end in té
They police plenty, they beat you up again
It heats up in the dance halls, I'm heading back to the casbah
It jams on the ring roads, it still prowls at night
It makes hieroglyphs, it makes babies
That's France
Chili in the mess tins and wine in the cans
That's France
From Laguiole to Opinel, they share the sausages
That's France
We're all brothers, according to the declarations
Or so I think
We must never forget them
The three words end in té
That's France
Chili in the mess tins and wine in the cans
That's France
From Laguiole to Opinel, they share the sausages
That's France
We're all brothers, according to the declarations
Or so I think
We must never forget them
Those three words end in té
That's France
That's France
That's France
Or so I think
Did you like these lyrics?
SONG MEANING

Marc Lavoine’s “C’est Ça La France” is a cheeky postcard from the streets, cafés and factory floors of France. In a rapid-fire carousel of images, the singer pours us a petit noir at dawn, marches with protestors by noon and clinks glasses of wine at dusk. Between bites of saucisson, bowls of chili and fragrant couscous, he salutes everything from pétanque games in Marseille to the smoky guitars of Brassens. Each line begins with the playful, anonymous “ça” (it/that) which turns the whole country into one bustling character: sometimes warm and festive, other times rowdy or restless.

Behind the lively collage hides a gentle jab at France’s own contradictions. The refrain “C’est ça la France” sounds proud yet slightly ironic, especially when Lavoine reminds us of the nation’s motto—liberté, égalité, fraternité—the “three words ending in té.” He celebrates shared bread and brotherhood, but also flashes of violence, traffic jams and police crackdowns. The song is both a love letter and a mirror: it invites listeners to savor the rich mix of cultures, tastes and traditions while asking whether the lofty ideals painted on public buildings still shine in everyday life.

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