Caves Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil part of UNESCO Prehistoric Sites Decorated Caves of Vézère ValleyGeological formations near Roussillon Vaucluse dating back Post-classical historyMetropolitan France has wide variety of topographical sets natural landscapes Large parts of current territory of France were raised during several tectonic episodes like Hercynian uplift Paleozoic Era during which Armorican Massif Massif Central Morvan Vosges Ardennes ranges island of Corsica were formed These massifs delineate several sedimentary basins such Aquitaine basin southwest Paris basin north latter including several areas of particularly fertile ground such silt beds of Beauce Brie Various routes of natural passage such Rhône valley allow easy communications Alpine Pyrenean Jura mountains much younger have less eroded forms 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft) above sea level Mont Blanc located Alps French Italian border highest point Western EuropeAlthough 60% of municipalities classified having seismic risks these risks remain moderate coastlines offer contrasting landscapes mountain ranges along French Riviera coastal cliffs such Côte d'Albâtre wide sandy plains Languedoc Corsica lies off Mediterranean coast France has extensive river system consisting of four major rivers Seine Loire Garonne Rhône their tributaries whose combined catchment includes over 62% of metropolitan territory Rhône divides Massif Central from Alps flows into Mediterranean Sea Camargue Other water courses drain towards Meuse Rhine along north-eastern borders France has 11 million square kilometres (4.2×106 sq mi) of marine waters within three oceans under its jurisdiction of which 97% overseasClimate, Calanques National Park Bouches-du-Rhône one of best known protected areas of FranceFrance was one of first countries create environment ministry 1971 Although one of most industrialised countries world France ranked only 17th carbon dioxide emissions behind less populous nations such Canada or Australia This because France decided invest nuclear power following 1973 oil crisis, which now accounts 75% of its electricity production results less pollutionThe forest of Rambouillet Yvelines illustrates France's flora diversityLike all European Union state members France agreed cut carbon emissions least 20% of 1990 levels year 2020, compared United States plan reduce emissions 4% of 1990 levelsof 2009 French carbon dioxide emissions per capita were lower than that of China'scountry was set impose carbon tax 2009 17 euros per tonne of carbon emitted, which would have raised 4 billion euros of revenue annually However plan was abandoned due fears of burdening French businessesForests account 28% of France's land area, some of most diverse Europe comprising more than 140 species of trees There nine national parks 46 natural parks France, with government planning convert 20% of its Exclusive Economic Zone into Marine Protected Area 2020regional nature park (French parc naturel régional or PNR) public establishment France between local authorities French national government covering inhabited rural area of outstanding beauty order protect scenery heritage well setting up sustainable economic development areaPNR sets goals guidelines managed human habitation sustainable economic development protection of natural environment based each park's unique landscape heritage parks foster ecological research programmes public education natural sciencesof 2014 there 49 PNRs FranceAccording 2016 Environmental Performance Index conducted Yale Columbia France was tenth-most environmentally-conscious country worldAdministrative divisions. Tour Oxygène The official population of city of Paris was 2,206,488 of January 1 2018 according INSEE official French statistical agency This decline of 37,345 (- 1,66 %) from 2014 This drop was attributed partly lower birth rate partly possible loss of housing city due short-term rentals tourismParis fifth largest municipality European Union following London Berlin Madrid Rome Eurostat statistical agency of EU places Paris (6.5 million people) second behind London (8 million) ahead of Berlin (3.5 million) based 2012 populations of what Eurostat calls urban audit core citiesParis Urban Area or unité urbaine statistical area created French statistical agency INSEE measure population of built-up areas around city slightly smaller than Paris Region According INSEE Paris Urban Area had population of 10,550,350 January 2012 census,[not citation given] most populous European Union third most populous Europe behind Istanbul MoscowParis Metropolitan Area second most populous European Union after London with population of 12,341,418 Jan 2012 censusCity proper urban area metropolitan area population from 1800 2010. Cathedral of St John medieval church with architectural elements of 13th 14th 15th centuries also principal religious structure city seat of Archbishop of Lyon, Magdalena Frackowiak Paris Fashion Week (Fall 2011) See also List of railway stations Paris; Main articles Landmarks Paris Historical quarters of Paris List of tourist attractions Paris, Hollywood-style Marseille sign Bouillabaisse most famous seafood dish of Marseille fish stew containing least three varieties of very fresh local fish typically red rascasse (Scorpaena scrofa) sea robin (fr grondin) European conger (fr congre)can include gilt-head bream (fr dorade) turbot monkfish (fr lotte or baudroie) mullet or silver hake (fr merlan) usually includes shellfish other seafood such sea urchins (fr oursins) mussels (fr moules) velvet crabs (fr étrilles) spider crab (fr araignées de mer) plus potatoes vegetables traditional version fish served platter separate from brothbroth served with rouille mayonnaise made with egg yolk olive oil red bell pepper saffron garlic spread pieces of toasted bread or croûtesMarseille bouillabaisse rarely made fewer than ten people more people who share meal more different fish that included better bouillabaisseAïoli sauce made from raw garlic lemon juice eggs olive oil served with boiled fish hard boiled eggs cooked vegetablesAnchoïade (fr) paste made from anchovies garlic olive oil spread bread or served with raw vegetablesBourride (fr) soup made with white fish (monkfish European sea bass whiting etc.) aïoliFougasse flat Provençal bread similar Italian focaccia traditionally baked wood oven sometimes filled with olives cheese or anchovies.[citation needed], Bastille Day military parade Marseille 2012. Examples of France's military Clockwise from top left nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft French Chasseurs Alpins patrolling valleys of Kapisa province Afghanistan Leclerc tankThe French Armed Forces (Forces armées françaises) military paramilitary forces of France under President of Republic supreme commander They consist of French Army (Armée de Terre) French Navy (Marine Nationale formerly called Armée de Mer) French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) French Strategic Nuclear Force (Force Nucléaire Stratégique nicknamed Force de Frappe or Strike Force) Military Police called National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) which also fulfils civil police duties rural areas of France Together they among largest armed forces world largest EUWhile Gendarmerie integral part of French armed forces (gendarmes career soldiers) therefore under purview of Ministry of Armed Forces operationally attached Ministry of Interior far its civil police duties concernedWhen acting general purpose police force Gendarmerie encompasses counter terrorist units of Parachute Intervention Squadron of National Gendarmerie (Escadron Parachutiste d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale) National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale) Search Sections of National Gendarmerie (Sections de Recherche de la Gendarmerie Nationale) responsible criminal enquiries Mobile Brigades of National Gendarmerie (Brigades mobiles de la Gendarmerie Nationale or short Gendarmerie mobile) which have task maintain public orderThe following special units also part of Gendarmerie Republican Guard (Garde républicaine) which protects public buildings hosting major French institutions Maritime Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie maritime) serving Coast Guard Provost Service (Prévôté) acting Military Police branch of GendarmerieBastille Day Paris. Main articles Demographics of France French people; Bastille Day military parade Marseille 2012 Agence France-Presse Headquarters Paris francophone minorities. Val de LoirePays de la Loire, French President François Mitterrand West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl 1987France founding member of United Nations serves one of permanent members of UN Security Council with veto rights2015 France was described being the best networked state world because country that is member of more multi-lateral organisations than any other countryFrance member of G8 World Trade Organization (WTO), Secretariat of Pacific Community (SPC) Indian Ocean Commission (COI)associate member of Association of Caribbean States (ACS) leading member of International Francophone Organisation (OIF) of 84 fully or partly French-speaking countriesAs significant hub international relations France hosts second largest assembly of diplomatic missions world headquarters of international organisations including OECD UNESCO Interpol International Bureau of Weights Measures la FrancophoniePostwar French foreign policy has been largely shaped membership of European Union of which was founding member Since 1960s France has developed close ties with reunified Germany become most influential driving force of EU 1960s France sought exclude British from European unification process, seeking build its own standing continental Europe However since 1904 France has maintained Entente cordiale with United Kingdom there has been strengthening of links between countries especially militarilyEuropean Parliament opening Strasbourg with crowd many countries' flags flagpoles.
Marseille's main cultural attraction was since its creation end of 18th century until late 1970s Opéra Located near Old Port Canebière very heart of city its architectural style was comparable classical trend found other opera houses built same time Lyon Bordeaux 1919 fire almost completely destroyed house leaving only stone colonnade peristyle from original façadeclassical façade was restored opera house reconstructed predominantly Art Deco style result of major competition Currently Opéra de Marseille stages six or seven operas each yearSince 1972 Ballet national de Marseille has performed opera house its director from its foundation 1998 was Roland PetitPopular events festivals, See also Paris 18th century Paris during Second Empire Haussmann's renovation of Paris, 6th arrondissement Brotteaux Bellecombe Parc de la Tête d'or Cité Internationale. The Transports en commun lyonnais (TCL) Lyon's public transit system consisting of metro tramways buses serves 62 communes of Lyon metropolis network has four lines ( B C D ) 42 stations runs with frequency of up train every 2 minutes There five Lyon tram lines ( T1 T2 T3 T4 T5) since April 2009 T1 from Debourg south IUT-Feyssine north Tram T2 from Perrache railway station south-west Saint-Priest south-east Tram T3 from Part-Dieu Meyzieu Tram T4 from 'Hôptial Feyzin Venissieux' Gaston Berger Tram T5 from Grange Blanche south-east Eurexpo south-wast Lyon bus network consists of Lyon trolleybus system motorbuses coaches areas outside centre There also two funicular lines from Vieux Lyon Saint-Just Fourvière ticketing system relatively simple city has only one public transport operator SYTRALThe public transit system has been complemented since 2005 Vélo'v bicycle network providing low-cost service where bicycles can be hired returned any of 340 stations throughout city Borrowing bicycle less than 30 minutes free Free rental time can be extended another 30 minutes any station Lyon was first city France introduce this bicycle renting system 2011 Auto'lib car rental service was introduced works much same way Velo'v but carsThe average amount of time people spend commuting with public transit Lyon weekday 45 minutes average amount of time people wait stop or station public transit 11 min while 17% of riders wait over 20 minutes average every day average distance people usually ride single trip with public transit 4.7 km while 4% travel over 12 km single directionInternational relations, The lion symbol of city display Maison des Avocats, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (located Villeurbanne).
Dr James Sarant DMD