Why is everyone watching Dix pour cent? How did TV anchor Cyril Hanouna become a national hero? And why are the French more eco-conscious than ever? This Cultural Snapshot uses local statistics and case studies to explore behavioural norms shared by French people in 2016.

The French have fiercely defended their language for centuries, but via imported TV shows and the internet, English words are infiltrating – 'selfie' and 'troll' now appear in the two most popular French dictionaries. But in a nation with notoriously poor English skills, how can the French adapt?

At the heart of French culture sits the language. But the way people speak and write is fluid and continuously evolving. As the government announces a simplification of the French language in schools, the circumflex – the little hat over vowels in French written language – is facing the guillotine.

While Aldi and Lidl are seeing huge growth in the UK, hard discount retailers are losing market share in France to the point that Dia, formerly the third biggest hard discounter, closed all of its stores in May 2014. What is it about hard discounters that puts off the French?