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See also French cuisine, Origins CorsicaFrench GuianaGuadeloupeMartiniqueMayotteRéunionBelgiumLuxembourgGermanySwitzerlandItalyUnited KingdomAndorraBrazilSurinameSpainChannelBay of, Tour métallique de Fourvière (1894). 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. The origins of French art were very much influenced Flemish art Italian art time of Renaissance Jean Fouquet most famous medieval French painter said have been first travel Italy experience Early Renaissance first hand Renaissance painting School of Fontainebleau was directly inspired Italian painters such Primaticcio Rosso Fiorentino who both worked France Two of most famous French artists of time of Baroque era Nicolas Poussin Claude Lorrain lived Italypainting Claude Monet of woman with parasol facing left field from Musée d'Orsay, IAE (Institut d'Administration des Entreprises de Lyon), African Museum of Lyon. Republican Guards parading Bastille Day FranceNormandy Origins French territorial evolution from 985 1947The Carolingian dynasty ruled France until 987 when Hugh Capet Duke of France Count of Paris was crowned King of Franks His descendants—the Capetians House of Valois House of Bourbon—progressively unified country through wars dynastic inheritance into Kingdom of France which was fully declared 1190 Philip II Augustus French nobility played prominent role most Crusades order restore Christian access Holy Land French knights made up bulk of steady flow of reinforcements throughout two-hundred-year span of Crusades such fashion that Arabs uniformly referred crusaders Franj caring little whether they really came from FranceFrench Crusaders also imported French language into Levant making French base of lingua franca (litt Frankish language) of Crusader states French knights also made up majority both Hospital Temple orders latter particular held numerous properties throughout France 13th century were principal bankers French crown until Philip IV annihilated order 1307 Albigensian Crusade was launched 1209 eliminate heretical Cathars southwestern area of modern-day France end Cathars were exterminated autonomous County of Toulouse was annexed into crown lands of France Later kings expanded their domain cover over half of modern continental France including most of north centre west of France Meanwhile royal authority became more more assertive centred hierarchically conceived society distinguishing nobility clergy commonersCharles IV Fair died without heir 1328 Under rules of Salic law crown of France could not pass woman nor could line of kingship pass through female line Accordingly crown passed Philip of Valois cousin of Charles rather than through female line Charles' nephew Edward who would soon become Edward III of England During reign of Philip of Valois French monarchy reached height of its medieval power Philip's seat throne was contested Edward III of England 1337 eve of first wave of Black Death, England France went war what would become known Hundred Years' Warexact boundaries changed greatly with time but French landholdings of English Kings remained extensive decades With charismatic leaders such Joan of Arc La Hire strong French counterattacks won back English continental territories Like rest of Europe France was struck Black Death half of 17 million population of France diedEarly modern period (15th century–1789). Immigration There some international private schools Lyon area including Metro tramway network. Marseille was originally founded circa 600 BC Greek colony of Massalia populated settlers from Phocaea (modern Foça Turkey) became preeminent Greek polis Hellenized region of southern Gaul city-state sided with Roman Republic against Carthage during Second Punic War (218-201 BC) retaining its independence commercial empire throughout western Mediterranean even Rome expanded into Western Europe North Africa However city lost its independence following Roman Siege of Massilia 49 BC during Caesar's Civil War which Massalia sided with exiled faction war with Julius CaesarMarseille continued prosper Roman city becoming early center of Christianity during Western Roman Empire city maintained its position premier maritime trading hub even after its capture Visigoths 5th century AD although city went into decline following sack of 739 AD forces of Charles Martel became part of County of Provence during 10th century although its renewed prosperity was curtailed Black Death of 14th century sack of city Crown of Aragon 1423 city's fortunes rebounded with ambitious building projects of René of Anjou Count of Provence who strengthened city's fortifications during mid-15th century During 16th century city hosted naval fleet with combined forces of Franco-Ottoman alliance which threatened ports navies of Genoa Holy Roman EmpireMarseille lost significant portion of its population during Great Plague of Marseille 1720 but population had recovered mid century 1792 city became focal point of French Revolution was birthplace of France's national anthem La Marseillaise Industrial Revolution establishment of French Empire during 19th century allowed further expansion of city although was occupied German Wehrmacht November 1942 subsequently heavily damaged during World War II city has since become major center immigrant communities from former French colonies such French AlgeriaEconomy. École des Beaux-Arts, Cité Scolaire Internationale de Lyon or Lycée de Gerland, École Centrale de Lyon The entrance Old Port flanked Fort Saint-Jean Fort Saint-Nicolas. Fernand Braudel remarked Historians of Lyon not sufficiently aware of bi-polarity between Paris Lyon which constant structure French development...from late Middle Ages Industrial Revolution late 15th century fairs introduced Italian merchants made Lyon economic counting house of France Even Bourse (treasury) built 1749 resembled public bazaar where accounts were settled open air When international banking moved Genoa then Amsterdam Lyon remained banking centre of FranceDuring Renaissance city's development was driven silk trade which strengthened its ties Italy Italian influence Lyon's architecture still visible among historic buildings later 1400s 1500s Lyon was also key centre of literary activity book publishing both of French writers (such Maurice Scève Antoine Heroet Louise Labé) of Italians exile (such Luigi Alamanni Gian Giorgio Trissino)Lyon under siege 1793, To west of Saône fifth arrondissement covers old city (Vieux Lyon) Fourvière hill plateau beyond 9th immediately north stretches from Gorge de Loup through Vaise neighbouring suburbs of Écully Champagne-au-Mont-d'Or Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or Collonges-au-Mont-d'OrBetween two rivers Presqu'île second first fourth arrondissements second includes most of city centre including Bellecour Perrache railway station reaches far confluence of two rivers first directly north of second covers part of city centre (including Hôtel de Ville) slopes of La Croix-Rousse north of Boulevard fourth arrondissement which covers Plateau of La Croix-Rousse up its boundary with commune of Caluire-et-CuireTo east of Rhône third sixth seventh eighth arrondissementsMayors, Ring roads of Paris Islam (5.6%).

Paris has been international capital of high fashion since 19th century particularly domain of haute couture clothing hand-made order private clients home of some of largest fashion houses world including Dior Chanel of many well-known fashion designers including Karl Lagerfeld Jean-Paul Gaultier Christophe Josse Christian Lacroix Paris Fashion Week held January July Carrousel du Louvre other city locations among top four events of international fashion calendar along with fashion weeks Milan London New York Paris also home of world's largest cosmetics company L'Oréal three of five top global makers of luxury fashion accessories Louis Vuitton Hermés Cartier Most of major fashion designers have their showrooms along Avenue Montaigne between Champs-Élysées SeineHolidays festivals. Ambox current red.svg According 2012 INSEE figures 68 percent of employees City of Paris work commerce transportation services 24.4 percent public administration health social services 4.4 percent industry 0.1 percent agricultureThe majority of Paris's salaried employees fill 370,000 businesses services jobs concentrated north-western 8th 16th 17th arrondissements Paris's financial service companies concentrated central-western 8th 9th arrondissement banking insurance district Paris's department store district 1st 6th 8th 9th arrondissements employ ten percent of mostly female Paris workers with 100,000 of these registered retail trade Fourteen percent of Parisians work hotels restaurants other services individuals Nineteen percent of Paris employees work State either administration or education majority of Paris's healthcare social workers work hospitals social housing concentrated peripheral 13th 14th 18th 19th 20th arrondissements Outside Paris western Hauts-de-Seine department La Défense district specialising finance insurance scientific research district employs 144,600, north-eastern Seine-Saint-Denis audiovisual sector has 200 media firms 10 major film studiosParis's manufacturing mostly focused its suburbs city itself has only around 75,000 manufacturing workers most of which textile clothing leather goods shoe trades Paris region manufacturing specialises transportation mainly automobiles aircraft trains but this sharp decline Paris proper manufacturing jobs dropped 64 percent between 1990 2010 Paris region lost 48 percent during same period Most of this due companies relocating outside Paris region Paris region's 800 aerospace companies employed 100,000 Four hundred automobile industry companies employ another 100,000 workers many of these centred Yvelines department around Renault PSA-Citroen plants (this department alone employs 33,000), but industry whole suffered major loss with 2014 closing of major Aulnay-sous-Bois Citroen assembly plantThe southern Essonne department specialises science technology, south-eastern Val-de-Marne with its wholesale Rungis food market specialises food processing beveragesParis region's manufacturing decline quickly being replaced eco-industries these employ about 100,000 workers2011 while only 56,927 construction workers worked Paris itself, its metropolitan area employed 246,639, activity centred largely around Seine-Saint-Denis (41,378) Hauts-de-Seine (37,303) departments new business-park centres appearing thereUnemployment, secondary or non-official language, Major religious communities Marseille include! The Parisii sub-tribe of Celtic Senones inhabited Paris area from around middle of 3rd century BC One of area's major north–south trade routes crossed Seine île de la Cité this meeting place of land water trade routes gradually became important trading centreParisii traded with many river towns (some far away Iberian Peninsula) minted their own coins that purposeGold coins minted Parisii (1st century BC), native language See also French cuisine Main article Geography of France. Main article Climate of Paris, Paris has typical Western European oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) which affected North Atlantic Current overall climate throughout year mild moderately wet Summer days usually warm pleasant with average temperatures between 15 25 °C (59 77 °F) fair amount of sunshine Each year however there few days when temperature rises above 32 °C (90 °F) Longer periods of more intense heat sometimes occur such heat wave of 2003 when temperatures exceeded 30 °C (86 °F) weeks reached 40 °C (104 °F) some days seldom cooled down night Spring autumn have average mild days fresh nights but changing unstable Surprisingly warm or cool weather occurs frequently both seasonswinter sunshine scarce days cool nights cold but generally above freezing with low temperatures around 3 °C (37 °F) Light night frosts however quite common but temperature will dip below −5 °C (23 °F) only few days year Snow falls every year but rarely stays ground city sometimes sees light snow or flurries with or without accumulationParis has average annual precipitation of 641 mm (25.2 in) experiences light rainfall distributed evenly throughout year However city known intermittent abrupt heavy showers highest recorded temperature 40.4 °C (104.7 °F) 28 July 1947 lowest −23.9 °C (−11.0 °F) 10 December 1879Climate data Paris (Parc Montsouris) 1981–2010 averages extremes 1872–present.