Innovation as a Cultural Value

French innovation is deeply intertwined with cultural values. The concept of "l'art de vivre"—the art of living—influences how France approaches technology. Innovation isn't pursued solely for efficiency or profit but to enhance quality of life. This philosophy appears in everything from the design of the Citroën DS (often called the most beautiful car ever made) to the development of the Minitel (a precursor to the internet that prioritized user accessibility over technical sophistication).

The French language itself reflects this approach. While English readily adopts technical terms from other languages, French often creates its own terminology. "Ordinateur" for computer, "logiciel" for software, and "courriel" for email represent more than linguistic protectionism—they reflect a desire to make technology culturally accessible and conceptually clear to French speakers.