France was named after a Germanic tribe, the “Franks”, who settled in Northern France, and whose kings came to preeminence after the fall of the Roman Empire. The Franks held a large territory in nowadays Belgium, Northern France and down to Paris. At the time the word “Frank” also meant ‘free’. In reference to the Franks, a region a few kilometers north of Paris was also named “France”. That name is still existing in place names like “Roisssy-en-France”. That land was part of the royal domain of the first French kings, who came to extend their domination upon the other French regions.
