Fantasy France - what would it have?

[Tonguez]

French Folklore list from wikipedia

• Beast of Gévaudan
• Brownie of the Lake
• Cheval Gauvin (horse)
• Cheval Mallet - A fabulous and evil horse that appears at night and tempts exhausted travelers into riding it, only to take off with the rider never to be seen again.
• Dahu
• Dames Blanches, type of female spirit
• European dragon
• Fae - aka Fae, Fée, the origin of the word Fairy
• Gap of Goeblin - is a "goblin hole", the legend that surrounds a hole and tunnel in Mortain, France.
• Gargouille - A legendary dragon
• Gargoyle - A beast
• Goblins
• Lutins - A type of hobgoblin
• Matagot - A spirit in the form of an animal, usually a cat
• Melusine - A feminine spirit of fresh waters
• Morgan le Fay (Morgue le Faye) - In the early Legends of Charlemagne, she is most famous for her association with Ogier the Dane, whom she takes to her mystical island palace to be her lover. In Huon de Bordeaux, Morgan le Fay and Julius Caesarare the parents of Oberon.
• Oberon - King of the Fairies. In the early Legends of Charlemagne, Huon de Bordeaux he is the son of Morgan le Faye and Julius Caesar.
• Reynard - A trickster fox. See also Animal fables, mock epics.
• Tarasque - A legendary dragon
• Werewolf
• Woodwose

Also Mère l'Oye (Mother Goose) is the French version of Perchta the Hag mother who protects animals and spinning wheels, but will slit the belly of the greedy

 

[Dioltach]

Une vache.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Don’t forget Julie D’Aubigny (better known as La Maupin)

One of the baddest bards of all times!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_d'Aubigny

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

There were heroines, but also schrewd female politicians (Marie de Bourgogne, Mahaut d'Artois) that one might not expect in a Middle Ages-inspired setting.

 

[John Dallman]

French Elves are even snootier than the usual kinds.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

French Elves are even snootier than the usual kinds.

In my Islands World setting, Eladrin are from an island about the size of the British Isles archipelago that contains analogies to medieval France, Spain, and a little bit of Germany, with each having subcultures inspired by different times and regions, like Al Andalus pre-Reconquista vs Aragon in the 1500’s. The French part is called Capet, and Capetian Eladrin are indeed snootier than most other Eladrin!

 

[Blue Orange]

French Elves are even snootier than the usual kinds.

FWIW, I'm told by French people I've met the stereotype only holds for Parisians (compare stereotypes about the arrogance of New Yorkers).

Which you could work into your game as well. All the best magical colleges are in not-Paris, and rural classes like rangers and druids despise the snooty not-Parisians.

 

[Haiku Elvis]

I recommend two works by Guy Gavriel Kay.

The first is Song For Arbonne, a tale set in the fictional land of Arbonne, centered on a warrior trying to find a new place in the heart of his homeland’s ancient rival. (He’s from fantasy Germany, near as I can tell)

The second is Ysabel, which is set in modern day Provence and especial Aix, and is about an ancient cycle playing out with a small group of modern people caught in the middle.

I read Song for Arbonne years ago and liked it but couldn't remember the exact name or who wrote it so thank you for that.
It has a very minstrels and courtly romance vibe would go well with Blue Rose RPG from what I remember. It's also a single volume so you're not wading through multiple doorstops to reach the ending.
I may check out this Ysabel of what you speak as well.

 

[Cadence]

Is Castle Amber based on vaguely French things?

 

[Nutation]

Poul and Karen Anderson's The King of Ys novels feature a Roman centurion in 5th century Brittany. They are based on local folklore with Celtic culture and mythology.

Although, if I want to do Romans in Gaul, I will use the classic setting that Shades of Eternity referenced.