French culture is one of the most influential cultures in Europe, so it is natural that it influenced Lithuania.
French was especially popular among the Lithuanian high society in the 19th century, but there are many more cultural links between Lithuania and France. The history of Lithuania and Vilnius has been marked by personalities such as the first French Emperor, General Napoleon Bonaparte, the writer Stendhal, and King Henry III of France. French professors worked at Vilnius University, and travellers from France have written about Lithuania.
