Quotes from Charles de Gaulle

How can one conceive of a one-party system in a country that has over 200 varieties of cheeses

How can you govern a country with two hundred and forty six varieties of cheese?

Love is the strongest force the world possesses, and yet it is the Greatness of a road leading towards the unknown.

My dear and old country, here we are once again together faced with a heavy trial.

NON His greatest service to the UK on their application to join the EEC.

Now I shall return to my village and there will remain at the disposition of the nation.

Once upon a time there was an old country, wrapped up in habit and caution. ... We have to transform our old France into a new country and marry it to its time.

Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.

Since a politician never believes what he says, he is surprised when others believe him.

The graveyards are full of indispensable men.

The national task that had been incumbent upon me for 18 years is hereby confirmed.

The perfection preached in the Gospels never yet built up an empire. Every man of action has a strong dose of egotism, pride, hardness, and cunning. But all those things will be forgiven him, indeed, they will be regarded as high qualities, if he can make of them the means to achieve great ends.

The sword is the axis of the world, and grandeur is indivisible.

To govern is always to choose among disadvantages.

Treaties are like roses and young girls. They last while they last.

What do you take me for, an idiot

You start out giving your hat, then you give your coat, then your shirt, then your skin and finally your soul.

You start out giving your hat, then you give your coat, then your shirt, then your skin and finally your soul.

Deliberation is the work of many men. Action, of one alone.

At the root of our civilization, there is the freedom of each person of thought, of belief, of opinion, of work, of leisure.

"The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs."

The leader is always alone before bad fates.

Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it his own.

In politics it is necessary either to betray one's country or the electorate. I prefer to betray the electorate.