Asian Civilisations Museum

Painting sculpture For centuries Paris has attracted artists from around world who arrive city educate themselves seek inspiration from its vast pool of artistic resources galleries result Paris has acquired reputation City of Art Italian artists were profound influence development of art Paris 16th 17th centuries particularly sculpture reliefs Painting sculpture became pride of French monarchy French royal family commissioned many Parisian artists adorn their palaces during French Baroque Classicism era Sculptors such Girardon Coysevox Coustou acquired reputations finest artists royal court 17th-century France Pierre Mignard became first painter King Louis XIV during this period 1648 Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (Royal Academy of Painting Sculpture) was established accommodate dramatic interest art capital This served France's top art school until 1793Auguste Renoir Bal du moulin de la Galette 1876 oil canvas 131 cm × 175 cm (52 × 69 in) Musée d'Orsay. French literary figures Clockwise from top left Molière most played author Comédie-Française Victor Hugo one of most important French novelists poets 19th-century poet writer translator Charles Baudelaire 20th-century philosopher novelist Jean-Paul SartreJean Racine whose incredible mastery of alexandrine of French language has been praised centuries created plays such Phèdre or Britannicus He is along with Pierre Corneille (Le Cid) Molière considered one of three great dramatists of France's golden age Molière who deemed be one of greatest masters of comedy of Western literature, wrote dozens of plays including Le Misanthrope L'Avare Le Malade imaginaire Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme His plays have been so popular around world that French language sometimes dubbed the language of Molière (la langue de Molière), just like English considered the language of ShakespeareFrench literature poetry flourished even more 18th 19th centuries Denis Diderot's best-known works Jacques Fatalist Rameau's Nephew He however best known being main redactor of Encyclopédie whose aim was sum up all knowledge of his century (in fields such arts sciences languages philosophy) present them people order fight ignorance obscurantism During that same century Charles Perrault was prolific writer of famous children's fairy tales including Puss Boots Cinderella Sleeping Beauty Bluebeard start of 19th century symbolist poetry was important movement French literature with poets such Charles Baudelaire Paul Verlaine Stéphane MallarméThe 19th century saw writings of many renowned French authors Victor Hugo sometimes seen the greatest French writer of all times excelling all literary genres preface of his play Cromwell considered be manifesto of Romantic movement Les Contemplations La Légende des siècles considered poetic masterpieces, Hugo's verse having been compared that of Shakespeare Dante Homer His novel Les Misérables widely seen one of greatest novel ever written Hunchback of Notre Dame has remained immensely popularOther major authors of that century include Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers Count of Monte-Cristo) Jules Verne (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under Sea) Émile Zola (Les Rougon-Macquart) Honoré de Balzac (La Comédie humaine) Guy de Maupassant Théophile Gautier Stendhal (The Red Black Charterhouse of Parma) whose works among most well known France world Prix Goncourt French literary prize first awarded 1903 Important writers of 20th century include Marcel Proust Louis-Ferdinand Céline Albert Camus Jean-Paul Sartre Antoine de Saint Exupéry wrote Little Prince which has remained popular decades with children adults around worldof 2014 French authors had more Literature Nobel Prizes than those of any other nationfirst Nobel Prize Literature was French author while France's latest Nobel prize literature Patrick Modiano who was awarded prize 2014 Jean-Paul Sartre was also first nominee committee's history refuse prize 1964Philosophy. Autochrome of 114 Infantery regiment París 14 July 1917 with French flag unfurled laying stacked arms Geographically Lyon's two main rivers Saône Rhône divide arrondissements into three groups. See also List of railway stations Paris Most French people of Celtic (Gauls) origin with admixture of Italic (Romans) Germanic (Franks) groups Different regions reflect this diverse heritage with notable Breton elements western France Aquitanian southwest Scandinavian northwest Alemannic northeast Ligurian influence southeast Large-scale immigration over last century half has led more multicultural society 2004 Institut Montaigne estimated that within Metropolitan France 51 million people were White (85% of population) 6 million were Northwest African (10%) 2 million were Black (3.3%) 1 million were Asian (1.7%)A law originating from 1789 revolution reaffirmed 1958 French Constitution makes illegal French state collect data ethnicity ancestry 2008 TeO (Trajectories origins) poll conducted jointly INED French National Institute of Statistics estimated that 5 million people were of Italian ancestry (the largest immigrant community) followed 3 million 6 million people of Northwest African ancestry 2.5 million people of Sub-Saharan African origin 200,000 people of Turkish ancestry There over 500,000 ethnic Armenians France There also sizeable minorities of other European ethnic groups namely Spanish Portuguese Polish GreekFrance has significant Gypsy (Gitan) population numbering between 20,000 400,000 Many foreign Romani people expelled back Bulgaria Romania frequentlyIt currently estimated that 40% of French population descended least partially from different waves of immigration country has received since early 20th century between 1921 1935 alone about 1.1 million net immigrants came Francenext largest wave came 1960s when around 1.6 million pieds noirs returned France following independence of its Northwest African possessions Algeria Morocco They were joined numerous former colonial subjects from North West Africa well numerous European immigrants from Spain PortugalFrance remains major destination immigrants accepting about 200,000 legal immigrants annually also Western Europe's leading recipient of asylum seekers with estimated 50,000 applications 2005 (a 15% decrease from 2004)European Union allows free movement between member states although France established controls curb Eastern European migration immigration remains contentious political issueIn 2008 INSEE estimated that total number of foreign-born immigrants was around 5 million (8% of population) while their French-born descendants numbered 6.5 million or 11% of population Thus nearly fifth of country's population were either first or second-generation immigrants of which more than 5 million were of European origin 4 million of Maghrebi ancestry2008 France granted citizenship 137,000 persons mostly people from Morocco Algeria TurkeyIn 2014 National Institute of Statistics (INSEE its acronym French) published study which reported doubling of number of Spanish immigrants Portuguese Italians France between 2009 2012 According French Institute this increase resulting from financial crisis that hit several European countries that period has pushed up number of Europeans installed France Statistics Spanish immigrants France show growth of 107 percent between 2009 2012 i.e this period went from 5300 11,000 people Of total of 229,000 foreigners who were France 2012 nearly 8% were Portuguese 5% British 5% Spanish 4% Italians 4% Germans 3% Romanians 3% BelgiansMajor cities. Main article French fashion Geographically Lyon's two main rivers Saône Rhône divide arrondissements into three groups, Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon contemporary art museum Main article Law of France. Paris its close suburbs home numerous newspapers magazines publications including Le Monde Le Figaro Libération Le Nouvel Observateur Le Canard enchaîné La Croix Pariscope Le Parisien (in Saint-Ouen) Les Échos Paris Match (Neuilly-sur-Seine) Réseaux & Télécoms Reuters France L'Officiel des Spectacles France's two most prestigious newspapers Le Monde Le Figaro centrepieces of Parisian publishing industry Agence France-Presse France's oldest one of world's oldest continually operating news agencies AFP colloquially abbreviated maintains its headquarters Paris has since 1835 France 24 television news channel owned operated French government based Paris Another news agency France Diplomatie owned operated Ministry of Foreign European Affairs pertains solely diplomatic news occurrencesThe most-viewed network France TF1 nearby Boulogne-Billancourt France 2 France 3 Canal+ France 5 M6 (Neuilly-sur-Seine) Arte D8 W9 NT1 NRJ 12 La Chaîne parlementaire France 4 BFM TV Gulli other stations located around capital Radio France France's public radio broadcaster its various channels headquartered Paris's 16th arrondissement Radio France Internationale another public broadcaster also based city Paris also holds headquarters of La Poste France's national postal carrierInternational relations. Alpes- Main article Lutetia, Ring roads of Paris, A relief map of Metropolitan France showing cities with over 100,000 inhabitantsPanorama of Mont Blanc mountain range above gray clouds under blue sky. French wines usually made accompany French cuisine.

The French Republic unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic with strong democratic traditionsConstitution of Fifth Republic was approved referendum 28 September 1958greatly strengthened authority of executive relation parliament executive branch itself has two leaders President of Republic currently Emmanuel Macron who head of state elected directly universal adult suffrage 5-year term (formerly 7 years), Government led president-appointed Prime MinisterThe National Assembly lower house of French ParliamentThe French Parliament bicameral legislature comprising National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) SenateNational Assembly deputies represent local constituencies directly elected 5-year termsAssembly has power dismiss government thus majority Assembly determines choice of government Senators chosen electoral college 6-year terms (originally 9-year terms) one half of seats submitted election every 3 years starting September 2008The Senate's legislative powers limited event of disagreement between two chambers National Assembly has final sayGovernment has strong influence shaping agenda of ParliamentUntil World War II Radicals were strong political force France embodied Republican Radical Radical-Socialist Party which was most important party of Third Republic Since World War II they were marginalized while French politics became characterised two politically opposed groupings one left-wing centred French Section of Workers' International its successor Socialist Party (since 1969) other right-wing centred Gaullist Party whose name changed over time Rally of French People (1947) Union of Democrats Republic (1958) Rally Republic (1976) Union Popular Movement (2007) Republicans (since 2015) 2017 presidential legislative elections radical centrist party En Marche! became dominant force overtaking both Socialists RepublicansLaw, Armenian Apostolic (80,000) During Hundred Years' War Paris was occupied England-friendly Burgundian forces from 1418 before being occupied outright English when Henry V of England entered French capital 1420 spite of 1429 effort Joan of Arc liberate city, would remain under English occupation until 1436In late 16th-century French Wars of Religion Paris was stronghold of Catholic League organisers of 24 August 1572 St Bartholomew's Day massacre which thousands of French Protestants were killedconflicts ended when pretender throne Henry IV after converting Catholicism gain entry capital entered city 1594 claimed crown of France This king made several improvements capital during his reign he completed construction of Paris's first uncovered sidewalk-lined bridge Pont Neuf built Louvre extension connecting Tuileries Palace created first Paris residential square Place Royale now Place des Vosges king would end his life capital assassinated narrow street near Les Halles marketplace 1610During 17th century Cardinal Richelieu chief minister of Louis XIII was determined make Paris most beautiful city Europe He built five new bridges new chapel College of Sorbonne palace himself Palais Cardinal which he bequeathed Louis XIII After Richelieu's death 1642 was renamed Palais-RoyalDue Parisian uprisings during Fronde civil war Louis XIV moved his court new palace Versailles 1682 Although no longer capital of France arts sciences city flourished with Comédie-Française Academy of Painting French Academy of Sciences demonstrate that city was safe from attack king had city walls demolished replaced with tree-lined boulevards that would become Grands Boulevards of today Other marks of his reign were Collège des Quatre-Nations Place Vendôme Place des Victoires Les Invalides18th 19th centuries. In addition 18 regions 101 departments French Republic has five overseas collectivities (French Polynesia Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre Miquelon Wallis Futuna) one sui generis collectivity (New Caledonia) one overseas territory (French Southern Antarctic Lands) one island possession Pacific Ocean (Clipperton Island)Overseas collectivities territories form part of French Republic but do not form part of European Union or its fiscal area (with exception of St Bartelemy which seceded from Guadeloupe 2007) Pacific Collectivities (COMs) of French Polynesia Wallis Futuna New Caledonia continue use CFP franc whose value strictly linked that of euro contrast five overseas regions used French franc now use eurodiagram of overseas territories of France showing map shapes. Olympia famous music hall Marseille television Lyon third-largest city second-largest urban area of France located country's east-central part confluence of rivers Rhône Saône, about 470 km (292 mi) south from Paris 320 km (199 mi) north from Marseille 56 km (35 mi) northeast from Saint-Étienne Inhabitants of city called LyonnaisLyon had population of 513,275 2015capital of Metropolis of Lyon region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon metropolitan area had population of 2,265,375 2014 second-largest urban area Francecity known its cuisine gastronomy historical architectural landmarks part of registered UNESCO World Heritage site Lyon was historically important area production weaving of silk Lyon played significant role history of cinema where Auguste Louis Lumière invented cinematograph also known its light festival Fête des Lumières which begins every 8 December lasts four days earning Lyon title of Capital of LightsEconomically Lyon major centre banking well chemical pharmaceutical biotech industries city contains significant software industry with particular focus video games recent years has fostered growing local start-up sector Lyon hosts international headquarters of Interpol International Agency Research Cancer Euronews was ranked 19th globally second France innovation 2014ranked second France 39th globally Mercer's 2015 liveability rankingsHistory. Main article French art Universities tertiary education. Paris hosted 1900 1924 Summer Olympics will host 2024 Summer Olympics Paralympic GamesThe city also hosted finals of 1938 FIFA World Cup (at Stade Olympique de Colombes) well 1998 FIFA World Cup 2007 Rugby World Cup Final (both Stade de France) Two UEFA Champions League Finals current century have also been played Stade de France 2000 2006 editions Paris has most recently been host UEFA Euro 2016 both Parc des Princes city proper also Stade de France with latter hosting opening match finalThe final stage of most famous bicycle racing world Tour de France always finishes Paris Since 1975 race has finished Champs-ElyséesTennis another popular sport Paris throughout France French Open held every year red clay of Roland Garros National Tennis Centre, one of four Grand Slam events of world professional tennis tour 17,000-seat Bercy Arena (officially named AccorHotels Arena formerly known Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy) venue annual Paris Masters ATP Tour tennis tournament has been frequent site of national international tournaments basketball boxing cycling handball ice hockey show jumping other sports Bercy Arena also hosted 2017 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship together with Cologne Germany final stages of FIBA EuroBasket 1999 were also played Palais Omnisports de Paris-BercyThe basketball team Levallois Metropolitans plays some of its games 4,000 capacity Stade Pierre de Coubertin Another top-level professional team Nanterre 92 plays NanterreInfrastructure.