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“What does France represent to you?” This research analyzes the complexity of students’ relationships to the nation. Through a mixed-methods approach, it demonstrates that beyond the traditional left-right divide, a structuring axis emerges opposing openness to otherness and identity withdrawal. Multiple correspondence analysis unveils novel configurations: “conservative withdrawal” on the center-left and “cultural openness” in the center, transcending classical political cleavages. Thematic analysis of spontaneous representations models six configurations that enrich theories of national socialization, revealing a spectrum of affective experiences ranging from pride to shame, from gratitude to disappointment, and underscores the existence of paradoxical “national emotions.”