"Vive la France" means "Long live France." It is the official national anthem of France. The music was written by Francis Gignoux and the poem was set to a new melody composed by Georges Bizet. The song was first sung at the opening of the Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris in 1878. Since then, it has become the theme song for French national celebrations, such as the Tour de France and the French Open tennis tournament. It also serves as an anthem for French citizens living abroad who want to show their support for France. A popular version of the song with lyrics in English can be found on the Internet. This article uses the original French lyrics. The original French lyrics contain references to many events that have happened during the history of France. These references give the song a very patriotic feel even though it was not intended to be political.