France has long been known for its luxury brands which exude that elusive ‘je ne sais quoi’, but plenty of everyday objects shout that they too are designed and produced in France. Here are twenty of our favourites...

Conceived in secrecy during WWII German occupation, the H-Van was as revolutionary technically as its unmistakable lines suggested. Like the company’s Traction Avant and DS, it featured an in-line 4-cylinder 1911cc engine and 3-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels. That allowed the rear cargo area to have a low, flat floor, maximising carrying capacity. Even the handbrake operated on the front wheels, while powerful main braking was achieved by hydraulically operated drums on all four road wheels. Rack-and-pinion steering was another advanced feature. In its own way the utilitarian-looking bodywork was also similarly innovative, the trademark corrugations braced by strengthening ribs to achieve impressive rigidity despite the use of light-weight sheet steel panels, a touch thought to have been inspired by Junkers JU 52 transport aircraft.

The much-loved soft caramel chewy bar was born in 1954 when, according to popular legend, a machine at the Delespaul-Havez factory at Marcq-en-Barœul (59) suddenly skipped a cog and started producing extra long (6.2cm) bonbons. Company records, on the other hand, merely show marketing studies found that children simply prefer longer bars. Either way, the result – whose name combined ‘caramel’ and ‘barre’ – has remained in production ever since. Around one billion bars are produced annually, the original recipe having been joined by new flavours to broaden the appeal.

Today it’s hard to believe that prior to the Révolution France did not possess a national flag. Instead there would be displayed an assortment of flags, banners, pennants and other colours of military commanders, etc., a situation which created problems on the battlefield and at sea. This symptom of lack of French national identity would not be overcome until the creation of the République, and the addition of white by General La Fayette to the red and blue of Paris. The resulting flag being well received, it was adopted by official decree on 15 February 1794.

The pipe might have faded from view, but a comfy pair of slippers remains an agreeable item for relaxation at home. But why Charentaises, exactly? Perhaps it’s their snug woolly lining. It’s said that the wool originally came from flocks of sheep raised by aristocratic families who had fled to Charente for self-preservation during the bloody turmoil of the Révolution. Another twist in the tale concerns Rochefort’s Naval Arsenal founded on the banks of the River Charente in 1665, creating employment for a sizable local labour force sewing felt into military uniforms. That in turn produced large quantities of off-cuts, which were recycled to make slippers. Over the years refinements have included adding a leather semelle to the foot bed in 1850 and lightweight soles in waterproof rubber in 1933. Suddenly leaving the fireside and venturing outdoors (at least briefly) became a practical possibility. Whatever the origins, the Rondinaud company has been making and selling classic Charentaises for over a century in La Rochefoucauld and Olivier Rodinaud hopes to keep the tradition alive.

Until 1965 every school pupil in France was required to write using the time-honoured combination of pen and ink. The development of the fountain pen overcame the need for constant dipping into ink, and the scratchiness of the classic plume, but something more convenient yet affordable was needed. In fact, the ballpoint pen had been patented back in 1888 for use on rough surfaces, but was unsuited to general handwriting. In 1938, though, Hungarian newspaper editor László Bíró patented a design using newsprint-type inks, which flowed well and dried quickly. It was a breakthrough, so Bíró and his associates established Bíró Pens of Argentina to manufacture and market their pens, whose largely leakproof qualities endeared them to WWII RAF crews on high altitude missions. Supreme among the many ball-pen variants which have since appeared, the Bic Cristal is an inexpensive and ultimately disposable design classic, which now sells in excess of 12 million per day. Each one is apparently capable of writing for 2-3km, with the feel of a wooden pencil and a transparent form to show the ink level at a glance.

Read the history behind our other favourite French icons in our latest issue - just flick to page 22