 Neither Alsatian nor the Frankish dialects have any form of official status, as is customary for regional languages in France, although both are now recognized as languages of France and can be chosen as subjects in lycées.Although Alsace has been part of France multiple times in the past, the region had no direct connection with the French state for several centuries.From the end of the Roman Empire (5th century) to the French annexation (17th century), Alsace was politically part of the German world.