That's how French Muich is: From Glockenspiel to Champions League

France plays the semi-finals in Munich

As at the previous UEFA EURO, France will also be a guest at the 2024 European Championship in Munich. But while it was a group match in 2021, the Équipe Tricolore will now play the semi-final against Spain in the Bavarian capital. The team and fans should feel right at home in Munich: After all, they can find French culture and delicacies on every corner here too. Here you can find out how French Munich is.

The Glockenspiel celebrates a Munich-French wedding

The paths of Munich and France have crossed time and again throughout history. You can still experience a nearly 500-year-old Munich-French celebration every day on Marienplatz.

The world-famous carillon on the town hall tower shows scenes from the wedding of the Bavarian Duke William V and Renate of Lorraine in February 1568 every day at eleven and twelve o'clock, and also at five o'clock from March to October. A knight's tournament was held on Marienplatz in honor of the bride and groom. The Bavarian knight triumphed over his opponent from Lorraine.

Flair in the “French Quarter” in Haidhausen

If you are looking for French flair and Wilhelminian-era architecture, the "French Quarter" in Haidhausen is the right place for you. To the west of the Ostbahnhof, the historic townscape still exists around Pariser Platz. Around two thirds of all residential buildings here date from before 1914. In addition, Orleansplatz, Bordeauxplatz and Sedanstraße with galleries, cafés and idyllic squares exude a real French flair mixed with Bavarian cosiness.

Largest French school and 60 years of partnership

Munich and its French partners have been pushing for German-French reconciliation since the horrors of the Second World War at an early stage: the Lycée Jean Renoir, the largest French educational institution in Germany, has been located in the district since 1953. The institution also runs a primary school and a kindergarten in Giesing.

People from Munich and the French city of Bordeaux have been organizing exchange programs since the early 1950s. The rapprochement was finally sealed in 1964 with a town twinning, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in the year of the European Championships.

French art in Munich – Munich artists in France

Over 130 works of French painting are on display in the collections of the Munich Pinakothek alone, including paintings by artists such as François Boucher and Antoine Pesne. In addition, the various Munich museums and galleries regularly host exhibitions of contemporary art, such as the recent JR: Cronicles at the Kunsthalle Munich.

During the Nazi era, France became a refuge for Wassily Kandinsky, co-founder of the Munich artist group Der Blaue Reiter. After the Nazis came to power, the Kandinsky couple emigrated to Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris and lived there until Wassily Kandinsky's death in 1944.

French cuisine in Munich

From boulangerie to crêperie and wine bar to Michelin-starred restaurant: French cuisine has a firm place in Munich's cityscape. Whether it's pain au chocolat, croissants or unusual haute cuisine - Munich has the right address.

Personalities in Munich: FC Bayern relies on French class

The Frenchman who has made the biggest impression in Munich in recent years was undoubtedly Franck Ribéry. During his time at FC Bayern Munich from 2007 to 2019, he became a world-class player and won every major title there was to win. For the German record champions, he continued an aegis of French stars that had previously been started by Jean-Pierre Papin, Bixente Lizarazu and Willy Sagnol and that continues to this day with players such as Kingsley Coman, Dayot Upamecano, Mathys Tel and Sacha Boey in the current squad. It was also Coman who led the Munich club to its last Champions League title to date in 2020 with the decisive goal.

French national player Sylvain Francisco was also in FC Bayern Basketball's squad for the 2024 German Championship.

France at UEFA EURO 2024

The Équipe Tricolore, with its high-class squad including superstar Kylian Mbappé, is one of the top favorites for the European Championship title. In the tournament so far, however, coach Didier Deschamps' team has stood out above all for its efficient minimalism. France never scored more than one goal per game up to and including the quarter-finals. However, "les Bleus" only conceded one goal in a 1:1 draw with Poland in the group stage.

At UEFA EURO 2024, France is aiming for its third European Championship title after 1984 and 2000. At the last European Championship, they were eliminated in the round of 16. In 2016, France lost in the final to Portugal.