France question?

Question

What language did people speak in France in 1500s? 1. Did they speak french? 2. Other languages? Will chose best answer!!

Answer 1

They spoke many different languages, one of them was old French. French did not become the official and only language until end of 19th century, when schooling became mandatory and the children were forced to speak only French and punished when they spoke their local language. You can split them in three families :

Languages of Oï (in the north)

Languages of Oc (occitan and dialescts in the south)

Celtic languages (Brittany)

Plus Latin which was the lingua franca of that time

If you are talking about the French modern borders, you can add German languages in the north east, Catalan and Corsican, Arpitan dialects in the east, Basque in the south west...