Gallic rooster

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"Apotheosis of the French heroes who fell for the nation during the War of Liberty" by Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson (1802) is an allegory that features the bard Ossian welcoming the generals Desaix, Kléber, Marceau, Hoche et Championnet in Heaven; new symbols of the nation born from the Revolution are introduced, such as the fight between the gallic rooster and the german eagle, as a root of French-German enmity that will prevail in European battlefields at the end of the 19th century.

The Gallic rooster (French:le coq gaulois) is a national symbol of France. 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 of the country ever since. The rooster was featured on the reverse of French 20-franc gold pieces from 1899 to 1914.

Footix, from 1998 World Cup

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 its mascot.

Le Coq Sportif, "The sporting cock", is a French manufacturer of sports equipment using a stylized rooster and the colors of the French tricolour as their logo.

[edit] 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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