History

France, a big European country with a vast population, has a wealthy and intriguing past, including people such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, and memorable moments such as the French Revolution. In what is now France, the earliest traces of human life originates from about 1.8 million years ago. Throughout the Iron Age, the Gauls, a Celtic group, populated France. In 51 BC, Rome conquered the region, defending it until the appearance in 476 of Germanic Franks, who created the Kingdom of Francia. French culture boomed during the Renaissance, creating a worldwide colonial empire. With the reign of Louis XIV (1642-1715), recognized as the Sun King, French royal power was at its greatest. After Louis XIV, royal power collapsed relatively quickly and France endured the French Revolution, which began in 1789, taking power from Louis XVI and establishing a republic in just a century. France was now battling conflicts and exporting throughout Europe its revolutionary events. A general called Napoleon quickly overtook the French Revolution, and the resulting Napoleonic Wars saw France first dominate Europe militarily, and after that be defeated. The monarchy was reinstated, but chaos continued, preceded in the nineteenth century by a second republic, second empire, and third republic. Two German invasions in 1914 and 1940, World War I and World War II, and a return to a democratic republic after their liberation marked the early 20th century.

Geography

France’s geography is very broad with mainland France in Western Europe and many overseas territories such as French Guiana in South America, Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean, Mayotte in the Southern Indian Ocean and Reunion in Southern Africa. Mainland France is mostly open plains and hills in the north and west and rugged mountains in the south with the Alps, Pyrenees and Vosges mountain ranges. Mont Blanc in the Alps is Europe’s highest mountain. The Mediterranean coast includes the French Riviera which is a popular tourist destination. It is a popular beach area due to its warm, dry summers and mild winters. The French Islands have a very similar tropical climate and landscape to all the other tropical islands.

Politics

France’s system of government is an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a branch of the judiciary. The President of the Republic and the Government uses constitutional powers. The government is made up of ministers and the Prime Minister. The President appoints the Prime Minister and is responsible to Parliament. The government, including the prime minister, can be removed by a majority vote from the National Assembly, Parliament’s lower house. France has 13 regions: Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes, Bretagne (Brittany), Bourgogne – Franche-Comté, Corse (Corsica), Centre – Val de Loire, Grand Est (Alsace, Champagne, Lorraine), Hauts de France ( Nord Pas-de-Calais – Picardie), Ile de France (Paris), Nouvelle Aquitaine (Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes, Limousin), Normandie, Occitanie (Midi-Pyrénées, Languedoc), Pays de la Loire, and Provence – Cote d’Azur. France’s capital is Paris.

Tourism

In 2018, France got about 90 million international tourists, one million more than the last year and a new world record. There are many reasons why France is the most famous country on earth, not just a coincidence. Some of the most famous attractions in France and on the Earth are the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre Museum, The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, The Palace of Versailles, and The Arc de Triomphe. For international travellers, Paris is an enormous attraction, more than 30 million of them visit a year, more so than any other town on the earth. There is also the romantic depiction of the town, the breathtaking architecture, the Louvre museum, the famous Eiffel Tower and the pure joy of sitting in a café and eating a croissant while watching the hustle and bustle of an ancient French city. Don’t skip France’s Disneyland, a place for international tourists all by itself. The theme park, just east to the French capital, is Europe’s biggest travel destination with around 15 million tourists each year.

Culture

France has a lot of culture. In fact, the word culture itself comes from the french word “culture” which has the same meaning. French is the official and the first language of France, but many region-based variants exist of the language. According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, French is the second most commonly studied foreign language in the world. The dominant religion in France is Roman Catholicism, but there are many other religions as well. Approximately 25% of French people do not identify as following a religion. France takes huge pride in their country and government and are usually insulted by any negative remarks regarding their nation. “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité” is the motto of the country. This means liberty, equality and fraternity. In French values, these three things are important. France is recognized as the birthplace of a handful of popular fashion companies, including Dior, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Most French people wear elegant, competent and trendy clothing. Throughout France, art is everywhere. Many of the most famous artists in history have found inspiration in Paris, including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro. One of the largest museums in the world, the Louvre Museum in Paris is home to several renowned pieces of art, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.