France: A continental insularity

French archaeology has experienced a separate development from the rest of Europe partly because of the preponderant importance of Palaeolithic researches. After a century dedicated to classification of artefacts, the interest has shifted towards excavations. The largest improvements and changes during the past two decades have been concerned with methods and strategies of excavation as well as data collecting. Open‐air and urban excavations have been adopted under the influence of B. Soudsky and British and Dutch archaeologists. Ethnographic excavations are a more specific creation of French palaeolithic archaeologists. Several approaches are currently developing which focus on ecology, technology and socio‐economics. But discoveries and improvements are due to individuals, and if a dynamic policy of development of the field is not engaged in the next years, French archaeology will suffer a serious crisis.