Lefigaro Design System Deep Dive

1. Brand Overview

Le Figaro isn’t just another news site — it’s one of France’s oldest and most respected newspapers. That heritage bleeds into its digital design language. Everything feels editorial-first. Typography takes center stage. There’s no explosion of colors or flashy gradients. Instead, the site leans into timeless typographic choices and a clean, structured grid to keep the reader’s focus on the words.

The vibe is “serious, authoritative, and composed.” It’s for people who value journalistic integrity and have no patience for gimmicks. If you’re designing for Le Figaro, you’re designing for an audience that expects clarity, restraint, and a sense of tradition. That means no over-designed buttons, no neon highlights — just a confident layout anchored by strong headings and precise spacing.

Interestingly, the extracted design data shows a near absence of defined color palette tokens. This matches the experience of visiting the site: the typography and content flow dominate, and any color usage is minimal and functional (likely for links and highlights). It’s almost a monochrome philosophy, which makes the rare pops of color — such as link accents or imagery — stand out even more.

Typography is pure “print heritage.” The primary heading font is Times — a serif classic that screams editorial authority. The site uses distinct weights for hierarchy, but doesn’t overcomplicate the scale. Spacing is on an 8px grid, reinforcing a steady rhythm across layouts. There’s no border-radius system, no shadows — it’s flat, sharp, and confident.

This is a design system that says: “You’re here to read. We’ll make it easy, and we won’t distract you.” And honestly, they nail that.

2. Color System

Here’s the thing: the extracted data shows no explicit color palette. That’s unusual for a brand of this scale, but it tells us a lot. Le Figaro’s design system is probably built around typography, whitespace, and imagery, with color serving a secondary role.

2.1 Primary Colors

No primary color token is defined in the data. That’s a choice — or at least a reflection of the site’s minimal color usage. If there is a “primary” in practice, it’s likely a deep blue (historically associated with the brand) or black for text. But since the data is empty, we stick to what’s given: color is not central to the system.

This works for an editorial brand because color can bias perception. A monochrome palette keeps the focus on the content and photography.

2.2 Complete Palette

No colors were extracted, so our table is empty — and that’s the point.

2.3 Color Relationships

Since there are no palette values, contrast and WCAG analysis can’t be run here. The site likely relies on high-contrast black text on white backgrounds, which is naturally accessible.

2.4 Usage Guide

From a design perspective:

• Use minimal color — let typography and layout create hierarchy.
• Avoid introducing new colors that could dilute the brand’s editorial tone.
• If you must use color (e.g., links, charts), ensure it maintains high contrast on white backgrounds.

3. Typography

Typography is the backbone of Le Figaro’s digital brand. It’s what gives the site its authority and keeps it aligned with its print heritage.

3.1 Font Families

• Primary font: Times
• Fallbacks: none specified in data (likely default serif stack in CSS)
• Source: Not from Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts — this is a system font approach.
• Variable fonts: None.

This is a deliberate choice: using a system serif means fast load times and a familiar feel across devices.

3.2 Type Scale

Extracted values:

Odd to see two “heading-1” entries — likely different contexts (main headline vs subtitle or a variant). The jump from 16px to 32px is huge, which creates strong hierarchy.

3.3 Hierarchy

The 32px bold Times is the voice of authority. The 16px regular Times might be a kicker or subheading. The lack of complex scales means you can’t get lost — there’s a clear “big” and “normal” type treatment. This makes sense for a news site aiming for clarity and speed.

4. Spacing & Layout

This is where the structure shows.

4.1 Spacing Scale

• Scale type: 8px grid.
• Common values:
  • 8px (0.50rem) — used 2 times in extracted data.
  • 16px (1.00rem) — used 4 times.
  • 21.44px (1.34rem) — used 2 times.

The 21.44px value is interesting — it’s not a clean multiple of 8px. Likely comes from line-height or font metrics, not intentional spacing tokens.

4.2 Layout

No breakpoints extracted — we can’t define container widths here. But the consistent multiples of 8px suggest a grid that’s easy to scale across devices.

5. Visual Elements

Border Radius System

• Values: none extracted.
  Meaning: square corners everywhere. This matches the flat editorial style.

Shadows

• Values: none extracted.
  Flat design. Depth is probably indicated via spacing and typography.

Borders

• Values: none extracted.
  Any separation is likely done via whitespace or thin lines — but no tokens here.

6. Components

Data shows no explicit button, link, or form styles. That’s telling — the components are probably styled minimally and rely on default HTML semantics with typography overrides.

6.1 Buttons

No extracted button styles. Likely rare in the UI — common in subscription or login flows.

6.2 Links

No extracted link styles. In practice, they’re probably underlined or colored minimally.

6.3 Forms

No input styles in the data. Suggests minimal or native browser styling.

6.4 Cards

No card styles extracted. Most “cards” are probably just article teasers laid out in the grid.

7. Design Tokens (CSS Variables)

:root {
  /* Colors */
  /* No colors extracted */

  /* Typography */
  --font-heading-1-family: "Times";
  --font-heading-1-size-lg: 32px;
  --font-heading-1-weight-lg: 700;
  --font-heading-1-size-sm: 16px;
  --font-heading-1-weight-sm: 400;

  /* Spacing */
  --space-8px: 8px;
  --space-16px: 16px;
  --space-21_44px: 21.44px;

  /* Border Radius */
  /* No radius values extracted */

  /* Shadows */
  /* None */

  /* Borders */
  /* None */
}

8. AI Coding Assistant Prompt

# Lefigaro Design System Specification

You are a Lefigaro design expert. Build UIs matching their visual language exactly.

## Brand Context
Le Figaro is a heritage French news brand with a digital design rooted in editorial tradition. Typography and whitespace are the primary tools; color is minimal. The tone is serious, authoritative, and composed.

## Color Palette
- *(No colors extracted — use high-contrast black on white for text)*

Usage:
- Text: Black — primary content
- Background: White — page background
- Links: Single accent color (brand-specific, defined elsewhere in codebase)

## Typography
- Font families:
  - Headings: "Times"
  - Body: "Times"
- Sizes:
  - H1 Large: 32px, weight 700
  - H1 Small: 16px, weight 400
- No defined line heights — use browser defaults or match typography rhythm
Use cases:
- H1 Large: Page titles
- H1 Small: Subtitles, kicker lines

## Spacing & Grid
- Base: 8px
- Scale: 8px, 16px, 21.44px
Mapping:
- 8px: icon gaps, small element padding
- 16px: button padding, section gaps
- 21.44px: typography-driven spacing

## Border Radius
- None — square corners for all elements

## Shadows & Depth
- Flat design — avoid shadows; use spacing for separation

## Component Specifications

### Primary Button
```css
.btn-primary {
  font-family: Times;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 700;
  padding: 8px 16px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 0;
  background-color: black;
  color: white;
  transition: background-color 150ms ease;
}
.btn-primary:hover { background-color: #333; }
.btn-primary:focus { outline: 2px solid black; outline-offset: 2px; }
.btn-primary:disabled { opacity: 0.5; cursor: not-allowed; }
```

### Navigation Links
```css
.nav-link {
  font-family: Times;
  font-size: 16px;
  color: black;
  text-decoration: underline;
}
.nav-link:hover { color: #333; }
```

### Input Fields
```css
.input {
  font-family: Times;
  font-size: 16px;
  padding: 8px;
  border: 1px solid black;
  border-radius: 0;
}
.input:focus { border-color: #333; outline: none; }
```

## Layout & Responsive Rules
- Maintain multiples of 8px for all spacing
- No breakpoints extracted — follow content-first responsive principles

## Interaction Rules
- Transition timing: 150ms ease for state changes
- Focus indicators: 2px solid with high contrast

## DO List
- Use only black/white and approved accent colors
- Maintain 8px grid
- Keep corners square
- Use Times for all text
- Let typography drive hierarchy

## DON'T List
- Add shadows
- Round corners
- Introduce unapproved colors
- Overuse color — keep it minimal
- Break the spacing grid

## Code Examples

### Button Example
```css
.btn-primary {
  background: black;
  color: white;
  padding: 8px 16px;
  border-radius: 0;
}
```

### Card Example
```css
.card {
  background: white;
  padding: 16px;
  border: 1px solid #ddd;
}
```

### Form Input Example
```css
.input {
  padding: 8px;
  border: 1px solid black;
  border-radius: 0;
}
```

9. Summary

TL;DR — Le Figaro’s design system is typography-first, color-minimal, grid-consistent. Square corners, no shadows, and an 8px rhythm keep the layout clean and authoritative.

Brand Keywords

• heritage-editorial
• typography-driven
• color-minimalist
• flat-structured
• content-first