Francophone minorities, Sculpture of Marianne common national personification of French RepublicAccording BBC poll 2010 based 29,977 responses 28 countries France globally seen positive influence world's affairs 49% have positive view of country's influence whereas 19% have negative viewNation Brand Index of 2008 suggested that France has second best international reputation only behind Germanyglobal opinion poll BBC saw France ranked fourth most positively viewed nation world (behind Germany Canada United Kingdom) 2014According poll 2011 French were found have highest level of religious tolerance be country where highest proportion of population defines its identity primarily term of nationality not religionof 2011 75% of French had favourable view of United States making France one of most pro-American countries worldof 2017 favourable view of United States had dropped 46%January 2010 magazine International Living ranked France best country live in ahead of 193 other countries fifth year runningThe French Revolution continues permeate country's collective memory tricolour flag of France, anthem La Marseillaise motto Liberté égalité fraternité defined Title 1 of Constitution national symbols all emerged during cultural ferment of early revolution along with Marianne common national personification addition Bastille Day national holiday commemorates storming of Bastille 14 July 1789A common traditional symbol of French people Gallic rooster Its origins date back Antiquity since Latin word Gallus meant both rooster inhabitant of Gaul Then this figure gradually became most widely shared representation of French used French monarchs then Revolution under successive republican regimes representation of national identity used some stamps coinsCuisine, ESME-Sudria Marseille has hot Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) with mild humid winters warm hot mostly dry summers December January February coldest months averaging temperatures of around 12 °C (54 °F) during day 4 °C (39 °F) night July August hottest months averaging temperatures of around 28–30 °C (82–86 °F) during day 19 °C (66 °F) night Marignane airport (35 km (22 mi) from Marseille) but city near sea average high temperature 27 °C (81 °F) JulyMarseille officially sunniest major city France with over 2,900 hours of sunshine while average sunshine France around 1,950 hours also driest major city with only 512 mm (20 in) of precipitation annually especially thanks Mistral cold dry wind originating Rhône Valley that occurs mostly winter spring which generally brings clear skies sunny weather region Less frequent Sirocco hot sand-bearing wind coming from Sahara Desert Snowfalls infrequent over 50% of years do not experience single snowfallThe hottest temperature was 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) 26 July 1983 during great heat wave lowest temperature was −14.3 °C (6.3 °F) 13 February 1929 during strong cold waveClimate data Marseille (Longchamp observatory) 43°18'21.2N 5°23'37.1E (1981–2003 averages record highs lows 1868–2003). Gare de Lyon Saint-Exupéry (1994) Santiago Calatrava Tour de France pelleton 9 July 2005 begin of ascend Cote de Bad Herrenalb.
Starting 1903 Tour de France oldest most prestigious of Grands Tours world's most famous cycling racePopular sports played France include football judo tennis, rugby pétanque France has hosted events such 1938 1998 FIFA World Cups, 2007 Rugby World Cup, will host 2023 Rugby World Cup country also hosted 1960 European Nations' Cup UEFA Euro 1984 UEFA Euro 2016 Stade de France Saint-Denis France's largest stadium was venue 1998 FIFA World Cup 2007 Rugby World Cup finals Since 1903 France hosts annual Tour de France most famous road bicycle race world France famous its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race Several major tennis tournaments take place France including Paris Masters French Open one of four Grand Slam tournaments French martial arts include Savate FencingPierre de Coubertin father of modern Olympic Games, Parc de Miribel-Jonage (2200 hectares), The Roman Catholic Basilique du Sacré-Cœur Châteaux OccitanieProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Since Middle Ages residents of region have spoken several dialects of Franco-Provençal Lyonnais dialect was replaced French language importance of city grew However some frenchified Franco-Provençal words can also be heard French of Lyonnais who call their little boys girls gones fenottes exampleThe Lumière brothers pioneered cinema town 1895 Institut Lumière built Auguste Lumiere's house fascinating piece of architecture its own right holds many of their first inventions other early cinematic photographic artefacts8 December each year marked Festival of Lights (la Fête des lumières) celebration of thanks Virgin Mary who purportedly saved city from deadly plague Middle Ages During event local population places candles (lumignons) their windows city of Lyon organises impressive large-scale light shows onto sides of important Lyonnais monuments such mediaeval Cathédrale St-JeanThe church of Saint Francis of Sales famous its large unaltered Cavaillé-Coll pipe organ attracting audiences from around worldThe Opéra Nouvel (New Opera House) home of Opéra National de Lyon original opera house was re-designed distinguished French architect Jean Nouvel between 1985 1993 named after himLyon also French capital of trompe l'œil walls very ancient tradition Many be seen around city This old tradition now finding contemporary expression example art of Guillaume BottazziThe Brothers of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic congregation that operates schools Europe North America was founded Lyon 1821The African Museum of Lyon one of oldest museums situated LyonThe Museum of Resistance Deportation looks various individuals prominent Resistance movement World War II building strongly linked Klaus Barbie Lyon sees itself centre of French resistance many members were shot Place Bellecour town centre exhibition largely series of mini-biographies of those involvedThe unusual project Lyon Dubai City reproduction of some districts of Lyon Dubai major point tourism LyonLyon pilot city of Council of Europe European Commission Intercultural cities programmeUNESCO World Heritage Site. Autumn Paris Anti-terrorism demonstration Place de la République after Charlie Hebdo shooting 11 January 2015. 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. The Louvre was most visited art museum world 2017 with 8.1 million visitors Its treasures include Mona Lisa (La Joconde) Venus de Milo statue Liberty Leading People many other notable works second-most visited museum city with 3.3 million visitors was Centre Georges Pompidou also known Beaubourg which houses Musée National d'Art Moderne third most visited Paris museum building constructed Universal Exhibition of 1900 Orsay railway station was Musée d'Orsay which had 3.2 million visitors 2017 Orsay displays French art of 19th century including major collections of Impressionists Post-Impressionists Musée de l'Orangerie near both Louvre Orsay also exhibits Impressionists Post-Impressionists including most of Claude Monet's large Water Lilies murals Musée national du Moyen Âge or Cluny Museum presents Medieval art including famous tapestry cycle of Lady Unicorn Guimet Museum or Musée national des arts asiatiques has one of largest collections of Asian art Europe There also notable museums devoted individual artists including Picasso Museum Rodin Museum Musée national Eugène DelacroixMusée du quai Branly.
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