France 3

Background
France 3 is a french public television channel owned by France Télévisions launched in 1972 as the third channel of the ORTF (Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française). Namely, it was the very first french channel to launch in color, as the second channel had existed since 1964 when it made the switch to color broadcasts in 1967. In 1975, the ORTF was broken up into 7 public companies, 3 of them being television channels with TF1 replacing the first channel, Antenne 2 replacing the second and France Régions 3 (often abbreviated as FR3) replacing the third. Originally independent from the other two, it would then join Antenne 2 under a common president in 1989 before becoming part of the newly-formed France Télévision (without an s) in 1992, with both it and Antenne 2 renamed to France 3 and France 2.

Similarly to TF1 and France 2, France 3 is a national television channel. But, unlike the two, it also provides an extensive regional output across all regions of metropolitan France as well as in Corsica. Each region has its own France 3 station, which is identified on-air during regional idents, handovers from or to the national feed, commercial break bumpers and so on. Local France 3 stations also exist within some regions, as well as specific channels made for said regions such as NoA, part of France 3 Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Both national and regional programming are in French. However, some regional programming, including the news bulletins, can be broadcasted in the region's own language.

In the past, France 3 (as FR3) also used to provide local programming in overseas islands, through the FR3 DOM-TOM channels, taking over from their ORTF counterparts around the same time as FR3's launch. RFO (which FR3 owned most of) then took over those channels before being integrated into France Télévisions in 2004 and then renamed to La 1ère in 2010.

(December 31, 1972-1975)
Logo: The logo starts with a field of stars. The stars then change to the ORTF logo and the background becomes white. It then turns into the letters "c3". It then zooms in on one of them while circles appear from behind and stripes appear to the right. It then zooms in on the above space of the "3", showing the word "couleur". After that the logo gets a perspective. It then puts us into a white field full of "c3" logo's showing the word "couleur". Then the background turns with a few lines on the side. Then we see then the second "u" that moves to the first one, forming a "3". After that the "o" loses a stripe and becomes a "c". Then it zooms in again while circles appear from behind and the word "3e chaine couleur".

Variant: There is a closedown variant that plays the logo in reverse.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: Starts off with a rising upbeat 12-note chorded piano theme, sounding much like music that would underscore a training montage in an old sports film, accompanied by cymbals, hi-hats, and a bass section. This phrase then repeats, but in a higher key. A jazzy drumline kicks in, seguing into a B-section led by chimes (possibly in 17/8 time), as the rhythms in the bass and drums briefly become more complex. The 12-note piano theme from earlier then returns, now with the chimes playing along, followed by two final notes in yet another key.

Availability: Unknown.

1st Logo (January 6, 1975-1985)
Logo: On a black background, we see a cerulean eye-like shape, which becomes a hexagon and then a "3" that slightly zooms out while a world map highlighting all the French territories appears. The "3" then fades as the map becomes and fades out, and a drawing of the map of France zooms in while the words "Times New Roman" appear. Then trapezoids in multiple colors (clockwise top-to bottom: yellow,, purple, , and blue) appear around it, forming a hexagon. Then the drawing of France disappears, the text turns into the outline of the eye-like shape, all of the trapezoids slowly turn blue, and "Times New Roman" sppears on the center of the hexagon.

Variant: There is a closedown variant in which the logo plays in reverse.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A calm synth theme.

Availability: Unknown.

2nd Logo (1985-1986)
Logo: We see a rendition of the previous logo, while the different provinces fly behind it. Then we zoom out of the logo to see the provinces put on a map of France. It then zooms in slightly below the structure. Then the FR3 logo appears from below while a light writes in the words "Times New Roman" ("GOOD NIGHT" in French).

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A different rendition of the previous logo's music and some whooshing sounds.

Availability: Used in this FR3's Closedown

3rd Logo (1986-1989)
Logo: On a gradient background, see the new FR3 logo (a  abstract "3 and the text "FR3 with the "3" in the same style). The logo rotates a little and zooms in on the abstract "3" while the rest of it disappears, and the "3" zooms in and splits from the screen. After it we see sea-related video clips followed by scenes from a concert and various clips of reporters and journalists getting ready to communicate and recording various events. When the montage ends, the "3" logo closes again and zooms out to its original place.

Variant: There is a closedown variant where we see people turning off the lights and going home, the studio closing, and even a scene of Goofy getting in bed from the Goofy short "How to Sleep".

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: An ethereal, calm synth theme in the scenes with the "3" and a beatbox theme during the montage.

Availability: Unknown.

4th Logo (1989-1991)
Logo: We first see the FR3 logo on top, separated by a bar with the slogan "Times New Roman" ("Life's perspectives") below. The line opens to reveal two screens with blinking eyes in them as both texts move outwards and fade out, while other screens with the same image also open up, until there are twelve of them. It then zooms in on one of them while the logo and slogan both fade in below the eyes.

Variant: There is a closedown variant where the logo gets played in reverse.

Technique: 2D animation and live action.

Music/Sounds: A mysterious-sounding synth theme.

Availability: Unknown.

5th Logo (1992)
Logo: We first see the logo in full view. Then we see mountainous landscapes, barren wastelands and cities. Then we zoom in on the streets where we see several people walking. Then a scene of a walking couple is shown, the woman stares and smiles at the screen and the FR3 logo and the text "la télé pour de vrai" ("television for real") both appear below.

Technique: Live-action.

Music/Sounds: A synth and piano theme, with an announcer saying "Toutes les télévisions au bout du monde. FR3 au plus, pas au bout de la rue. FR3, la télé pour de vrai." ("All televisions from the world. FR3 is more, not the end of the road. FR3, television for real.").

Availability: Unknown.

1st Logo (September 7, 1992-January 6, 2002)
Logo: Several frames are filled stripe wise with videoclips that range from fairly innocent natural landscapes, people participating in game shows or doing fairly mundane things and cute animals to natural disasters and people attacking each other.

Variant:
 * Depending on the variant, different imagery will be visible.
 * For the break bumpers, a shorter version was used, with the bottom stripe saying "publicité" (licité in italics).
 * In later years, France 3 experimented with the stripes for the break bumpers, changing the stripe widths or filling more or less stripes with footage.

Technique: Live-action and 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: A flute and synth theme for the 1992 version.

Availability: Unknown.

2nd Logo (1998-2007)
Logo: The logo is similar to the last one, but it shows less violent scenes.

Technique: Same as the previous logo.

Music/Sounds: A beatbox theme.

Availability: Unknown.

3rd Logo (January 6, 2002-September 1st 2003)
Logo: Unknown

Variant: Unknown

Technique: Unknown

Music/Sounds: Unknown

Availability: Unknown

4th Logo (September 1st 2003-April 7, 2008)
Logo: On a background, multiple trapezoids fly in each other and then form the France 3 logo.

Variant: There is a variant where the background is white instead of. Including some regional variants that only with white variant.

Technique: Unknown. It was done by Gédéon.

Music/Sounds: A beatbox theme.

Availability: Unknown. The white variant is seen on various programs like France Truc.

4th Logo (April 7, 2008-2010)
Logo: We see squares of different colors flipped over. It then zooms in and ends with a square in the center forming the logo against a background.

Technique: Computer animation.

Music/Sounds: Unknown.

Availability: Extinct.

5th Logo (2011-2020)
Logo: We see the names of the regions in multiple rectangles. Through this lens we get to see an image. It then cuts at the end to the region in which it aired.

Technique: Live-action edited into rectangles.

Music/Sounds: Unknown.

Availability: Unknown.

6th Logo (Les Marmottes) (2016-December 5, 2021?)
Logo: A group of marmots do a humorous activity, such as play some musical instruments, parody movies, or compete in sports. At the end there is the France 3 logo appears with an female announcer saying the channel's name.

Variants:
 * In one variant, the marmots are in a concert.
 * Many other variants as well, Unknown.

Trivia:
 * The initially planned mascots were hamsters, but marmots were used in their place because their skeletal structure allows them to move in an anthropomorphic way more realistically.
 * The Olympics-based set of idents won a Silver Entertainment Clio award in 2021.

Technique: Entirely animated in CGI done by Dream On Studios, Mikros Image, and MPC.

Music/Sounds: Whatever musical instruments the marmots are playing or sound effects of their antics.

Availability: Extinct.

Legacy: A very beloved series of idents in and even outside of France, with over 70 million views across social platforms. Their cute mascots and humorous nature will be missed.

7th Logo (2017-January 28, 2018)
Logo: Unknown.

Technique: Unknown.

Music/Sounds: Unknown.

Availability: Unknown.

8th Logo (Les Poules de Soi / Cot, Kot, and Cotte) (December 6, 2021-)
Logo: We see three silkie chickens named Cot, Kot, and Cotte get into a humorous situation as they strut and peck around. At the end of the logo, the France 3 logo appears to the side.

Variants: Unknown.

Trivia: It took seven months for the concept of these to be finalized. Suggestions for possible replacement animals for the marmots included moles and hippos. In the end, chickens were chosen due to the increasing popularity of backyard chicken keeping in France, with silkies specifically being selected due to their unique and silly appearance.

Technique: Entirely animated in CGI also done by Dream On Studios.

Music/Sounds: The chickens' clucks and other sound effects.

Music/Sounds Variant: The sizzle reel variant uses "Romeo" by Jungle.

Availability: Current.