View source for French playing cards

'''French playing cards''' (jeu de cartes) are [[Playing card|playing cards]] that use the French [[Suit (cards)|suits]]:

* ''Trèfles'' (clovers or clubs♣)
* ''Carreaux'' (tiles or diamonds♦)
* ''Cœurs'' (hearts♥)
* ''Piques'' (pikes or spades♠).


== Description ==

Each suit contains three face cards:

* The ''Valet'' (Knave or Jack)
* The ''Dame'' (Lady or Queen)
* The ''Roi'' (King)

Aside from these aspects, decks can include a wide variety of regional and national patterns which often have different deck sizes.

== History ==

In comparison to Spanish, Italian, German, and Swiss playing cards, French cards are the most widespread due to the geopolitical, commercial, and cultural influence of France and the United Kingdom in the past two centuries.

Another reason for their expansion was the simplicity of the suit insignia which simplifies mass production and the popularity of Whist, Contract Bridge, and the recent Poker boom.

== See also ==

* [[Card game]]
* [[Cartomancy]]
* [[Playing card]]
* [[Tarot card game]]
* [[Trump]]

== External links ==

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_playing_cards French playing cards] @ Wikipedia

[[Category:Card games]]
[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Playing cards]]