<P> In general, France is regarded with favour by Britain in regard to its high culture and is seen as an ideal holiday destination, whilst France sees Britain as a major trading partner . Both countries are famously contemptuous of each other's cooking, many French claiming all British food is bland and boring, whilst many British claim that French food is inedible . Much of the apparent disdain for French food and culture in Britain takes the form of self - effacing humour, and British comedy often uses French culture as the butt of its jokes . Whether this is representative of true opinion or not is open to debate . Sexual euphemisms with no link to France, such as French kissing, or French letter for a condom, are used in British English slang . </P> <P> French classical music has always been popular in Britain . British popular music is in turn popular in France . English literature, in particular the works of Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare, has been immensely popular in France . French artist Eugène Delacroix based many of his paintings on scenes from Shakespeare's plays . In turn, French writers such as Molière, Voltaire and Victor Hugo have been translated numerous times into English . In general, most of the more popular books in either language are translated into the other . </P> <P> The first foreign language most commonly taught in schools in Britain is French, and the first foreign language most commonly taught in schools in France is English . Those are also the languages perceived as "most useful to learn" in both countries . Queen Elizabeth II of the UK is fluent in French French is a substantial minority language and immigrant language in the United Kingdom, with over 100,000 French - born people in the UK . According to a 2006 European Commission report, 23% of UK residents are able to carry on a conversation in French and 39% of French residents are able to carry on a conversation in English . French is also an official language in both Jersey and Guernsey . Both use French to some degree, mostly in an administrative or ceremonial capacity . Jersey Legal French is the standardized variety used in Jersey . However, Norman (in its local forms, Guernésiais and Jèrriais) is the historical vernacular of the islands . </P> <P> Both languages have influenced each other throughout the years . According to different sources, nearly 30% of all English words have a French origin, and today many French expressions have entered the English language as well . The term Franglais, a portmanteau combining the French words "français" and "anglais", refers to the combination of French and English (mostly in the UK) or the use of English words and nouns of Anglo - Saxon roots in French (in France). </P>

England and france fought bitterly over control of france during