7 things we perceive as French but their origin is actually different

France is the birthplace of fashion, architecture, romance, and pasta. However, many objects, phenomena, and even breeds of animals have been called "French" for no reason.

For example, the French bulldog originated in the UK, and the modern French press was made in Italy. OBOZREVATEL talks about things that have been strangely given French name.

• French braid

The French braid was first made in Algeria 6,000 years ago, and later the unisex hairstyle became popular in Greece. The legend that the birthplace of the braid is Paris was invented in the United States in the 19th century. Home magazine then wrote that the hairstyle was French. It was fashionable to add the adjective "French" to all jewelry and things, as after that they became a trend.

• French bulldog

Toy bulldogs are called French, but they actually originated in Great Britain. British wealthy people brought the first litters of dogs to France during the Industrial Revolution in England. The British considered the dogs sick, but the French liked them. The breed was taken out of the country because it was considered "defective". Nowadays, miniature animals are popular all over the world, and the French have decided that their homeland is Paris.

• French toast

A white slice of bread dipped in milk or egg and fried in a pan is called French toast. However, it is an international food, and Ukrainians often have this kind of toast for breakfast. The first mention of the dish was found in the book by the cook Apicius, so it would be logical to call it Roman or Italian.

In France, fried toast is called "lost bread" (pain perdu) because milk makes the stale baguette softer and can be eaten instead of thrown away.

• French press

The technology of brewing and filtering coffee was patented in France in 1852. However, the French press became popular among Italians. In Italy, in 1926, designer Attilio Callimani presented a brewer that has survived to this day. He added a few details to make it even more convenient to decant the liquid.

• French dip sandwiches

The dip sandwich is popular all over the world, especially in the United States. For the first time, the fast food was accidentally cooked by the owner of a restaurant in Los Angeles, Philippe Mathieu. A cafe guest asked to make a regular burger, but the cook was in a hurry and threw it into the broth, and the bun got wet, but the customer liked it. Philippe included the dish in his restaurant's menu.

• French manicure

A manicure with a painted tip of the nail plate is also called French. However, it became famous not in France but in the United States. It was invented by the owner of the ORLY nail polish company. In 1986, Jeff Pink created a universal manicure style that suited any outfit and was combined with all colors. To make the design more popular, he decided to call it French.

• French kiss

France is considered the center of romance and love. However, the most passionate kiss with the tongue appeared when Americans and British soldiers, returning home from France during the First World War, kissed their girlfriends and wives hard, so the kiss was called French.