[icon] The oldest traces of human life what now France date from approximately 1.8 million years ago Humans were then confronted harsh variable climate marked several glacial erasEarly hominids led nomadic hunter-gatherer life France has large number of decorated caves from upper Palaeolithic era including one of most famous best preserved Lascaux (approximately 18,000 BC)At end of last glacial period (10,000 BC) climate became milder from approximately 7,000 BC this part of Western Europe entered Neolithic era its inhabitants became sedentaryAfter strong demographic agricultural development between 4th 3rd millennia metallurgy appeared end of 3rd millennium initially working gold copper bronze later iron France has numerous megalithic sites from Neolithic period including exceptionally dense Carnac stones site (approximately 3,300 BC)Antiquity (6th century BC–5th century AD), Université de Provence Aix-Marseille I The Paris Métro busiest subway network European UnionSince inauguration of its first line 1900 Paris's Métro (subway) network has grown become city's most widely used local transport system today carries about 5.23 million passengers daily through 16 lines 303 stations (385 stops) 220 km (136.7 mi) of rails Superimposed this 'regional express network' RER whose five lines (A B C D E) 257 stops 587 km (365 mi) of rails connect Paris more distant parts of urban areaOver €26.5 billion will be invested over next 15 years extend Métro network into suburbs, with notably Grand Paris Express projectIn addition Paris region served light rail network of nine lines tramway Line T1 runs from Asnières-Gennevilliers Noisy-le-Sec Line T2 runs from Pont de Bezons Porte de Versailles Line T3a runs from Pont du Garigliano Porte de Vincennes Line T3b runs from Porte de Vincennes Porte de la Chapelle Line T5 runs from Saint-Denis Garges-Sarcelles Line T6 runs from Châtillon Viroflay Line T7 runs from Villejuif Athis-Mons Line T8 runs from Saint-Denis Épinay-sur-Seine Villetaneuse all of which operated RATP Group, line T4 runs from Bondy RER Aulnay-sous-Bois which operated state rail carrier SNCF Five new light rail lines currently various stages of developmentAir. 2nd arrondissement Cordeliers Bellecour Ainay Perrache Confluence Sainte-Blandine As capital of France Paris seat of France's national government executive two chief officers each have their own official residences which also serve their offices President of French Republic resides Élysée Palace 8th arrondissement, while Prime Minister's seat Hôtel Matignon 7th arrondissement Government ministries located various parts of city many located 7th arrondissement near MatignonThe two houses of French Parliament located Left Bank upper house Senate meets Palais du Luxembourg 6th arrondissement while more important lower house Assemblée Nationale meets Palais Bourbon 7th arrondissement President of Senate second-highest public official France (the President of Republic being sole superior) resides Petit Luxembourg smaller palace annexe Palais du LuxembourgThe Palais-Royal residence of Conseil d'État, Lyon has long chronicled culinary arts tradition noted food critic Curnonsky referred city the gastronomic capital of world, claim repeated later writers such Bill Buford Renowned 3-star Michelin chefs such Marie Bourgeois Eugénie Brazier developed Lyonnaise cuisine into national phenomenon favoured French elite tradition which Paul Bocuse later turned into worldwide successThe bouchon traditional Lyonnais restaurant that serves local fare such sausages duck pâté or roast pork along with local wines Two of France's best known wine-growing regions located near city Beaujolais region north Côtes du Rhône region south Another Lyon tradition type of brunch food called mâchons made of local charcuterie usually accompanied Beaujolais red wine Mâchons were customary meal of canuts city's silk workers who ate late-morning meal after they finished their shifts factoriesOther traditional local dishes include coq au vin quenelle gras double salade lyonnaise (lettuce with bacon croûtons poached egg) sausage-based rosette lyonnaise andouillette Popular local confections include marron glacé coussin de Lyon Cervelle de canut (literally silk worker's brains) cheese spread/dip made of base of fromage blanc seasoned with chopped herbs shallots salt pepper olive oil vinegarSport. As far French intelligence units concerned Directorate-General External Security (Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure) considered be component of Armed Forces under authority of Ministry of Defence other Central Directorate Interior Intelligence (Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur) division of National Police Force (Direction générale de la Police Nationale) therefore reports directly Ministry of Interior There has been no national conscription since 1997France has special military corps French Foreign Legion founded 1830 which consists of foreign nationals from over 140 countries who willing serve French Armed Forces become French citizens after end of their service period only other countries having similar units Spain (the Spanish Foreign Legion called Tercio was founded 1920) Luxembourg (foreigners can serve National Army provided they speak Luxembourgish)France permanent member of Security Council of UN recognised nuclear state since 1960 France has signed ratified Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) acceded Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty France's annual military expenditure 2011 was US$62.5 billion or 2.3% of its GDP making fifth biggest military spender world after United States China Russia United KingdomFrench nuclear deterrence (formerly known Force de Frappe) relies complete independence current French nuclear force consists of four Triomphant class submarines equipped with submarine-launched ballistic missiles addition submarine fleet estimated that France has about 60 ASMP medium-range air-to-ground missiles with nuclear warheads, of which around 50 deployed Air Force using Mirage 2000N long-range nuclear strike aircraft while around 10 deployed French Navy's Super Étendard Modernisé (SEM) attack aircraft which operate from nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle new Rafale F3 aircraft will gradually replace all Mirage 2000N SEM nuclear strike role with improved ASMP-A missile with nuclear warheadFrance has major military industries with one of largest aerospace industries world Its industries have produced such equipment Rafale fighter Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier Exocet missile Leclerc tank among others Despite withdrawing from Eurofighter project France actively investing European joint projects such Eurocopter Tiger multipurpose frigates UCAV demonstrator nEUROn Airbus A400M France major arms seller, with most of its arsenal's designs available export market with notable exception of nuclear-powered devicesThe Bastille Day military parade held Paris each 14 July France's national day called Bastille Day English-speaking countries (referred France Fête nationale) oldest largest regular military parade Europe Other smaller parades organised across countryGovernment finance. ECE Lyon (École de Commerce Européenne de Lyon) Urbanism architecture Pays de Sailing major sport Marseille wind conditions allow regattas warm waters of Mediterranean.[citation needed] Throughout most seasons of year can be windy while sea remains smooth enough allow sailing Marseille has been host of 8 (2010) Match Race France events which part of World Match Racing Tour event draws world's best sailing teams Marseille identical supplied boats (J Boats J-80 racing yachts) raced two time water dogfight which tests sailors skippers limits of their physical abilities Points accrued count towards World Match Racing Tour place final event with overall winner taking title ISAF World Match Racing Tour Champion Match racing ideal sport spectators Marseille racing close proximity shore provides excellent views city was also considered possible venue 2007 America's CupMarseille also place other water sports such windsurfing powerboating Marseille has three golf courses city has dozens of gyms several public swimming pools Running also popular many of Marseille's parks such Le Pharo Le Jardin Pierre Puget annual footrace held between city neighbouring Cassis Marseille-Cassis Classique Internationale. 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, Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon contemporary art museum, Joan of Arc plate armor holding sword facing left with gilded background.
In 20th century Paris literary community was dominated figures such Colette André Gide François Mauriac André Malraux Albert Camus and after World War II Simone de Beauvoir Jean-Paul Sartre Between wars was home of many important expatriate writers including Ernest Hemingway Samuel Beckett and 1970s Milan Kundera winner of 2014 Nobel Prize Literature Patrick Modiano (who lives Paris) based most of his literary work depiction of city during World War II 1960s–1970sParis city of books bookstores 1970s 80 percent of French-language publishing houses were found Paris almost all Left Bank 5th 6th 7th arrondissements Since that time because of high prices some publishers have moved out less expensive areas also city of small bookstores There about 150 bookstores 5th arrondissement alone plus another 250 book stalls along Seine Small Paris bookstores protected against competition from discount booksellers French law books even e-books cannot be discounted more than five percent below their publisher's cover priceMusic, 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, Buddhist (3,000)Culture École Centrale de Lyon No religion (39.6%). Hollywood-style Marseille sign Palais du Pharo Main article Health France The lawns of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont sunny day The first book printed France Epistolae (Letters) Gasparinus de Bergamo (Gasparino da Barzizza) was published Paris 1470 press established Johann Heynlin Since then Paris has been centre of French publishing industry home of some of world's best-known writers poets setting many classic works of French literature Almost all books published Paris Middle Ages were Latin rather than French Paris did not become acknowledged capital of French literature until 17th century with authors such Boileau Corneille La Fontaine Molière Racine several coming from provinces foundation of Académie française 18th century literary life of Paris revolved around cafés salons was dominated Voltaire Jean-Jacques Rousseau Pierre de Marivaux BeaumarchaisDuring 19th century Paris was home subject some of France's greatest writers including Charles Baudelaire Stéphane Mallarmé Mérimée Alfred de Musset Marcel Proust Émile Zola Alexandre Dumas Gustave Flaubert Guy de Maupassant Honoré de Balzac Victor Hugo's Hunchback of Notre Dame inspired renovation of its setting Notre-Dame de Paris Another of Victor Hugo's works Les Misérables written while he was exile outside France during Second Empire described social change political turmoil Paris early 1830s One of most popular of all French writers Jules Verne worked Theatre Lyrique Paris stock exchange while he did research his stories National Library.[citation not found]. See description École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies. Jean Moulin University France has close association with Modern Olympic Games was French aristocrat Baron Pierre de Coubertin who suggested Games' revival end of 19th century After Athens was awarded first Games reference Olympics' Greek origins Paris hosted second Games 1900 Paris was first home of International Olympic Committee before moved Lausanne Since 1900 France has hosted Olympics 4 further occasions 1924 Summer Olympics again Paris three Winter Games (1924 Chamonix 1968 Grenoble 1992 Albertville)Similar Olympics France introduced Olympics deaf people (Deaflympics) 1924 with idea of French deaf car mechanic Eugène Rubens-Alcais who paved way organise inaugural edition of Summer Deaflympics ParisZinedine Zidane was named best European footballer of past 50 years 2004 UEFA pollBoth national football team national rugby union team nicknamed Les Bleus reference team's shirt colour well national French tricolour flag Football most popular sport France with over 1,800,000 registered players over 18,000 registered clubsfootball team among most successful world with two FIFA World Cup victories 1998 2018, one FIFA World Cup second place 2006, two UEFA European Championships 1984 2000The top national football club competition Ligue 1 France has produced some of greatest players world including three time FIFA World Player of Year Zinedine Zidane three time Ballon d'Or recipient Michel Platini record holder most goals scored World Cup Just Fontaine first football player receive Légion d'honneur Raymond Kopa record goalscorer French national team Thierry Henrysoccer match Stade de France 1998 FIFA World Cup. BiscayLigurian By end of 12th century Paris had become political economic religious cultural capital of FrancePalais de la Cité royal residence was located western end of Île de la Cité 1163 during reign of Louis VII Maurice de Sully bishop of Paris undertook construction of Notre Dame Cathedral its eastern extremityAfter marshland between river Seine its slower 'dead arm' its north was filled around 10th century, Paris's cultural centre began move Right Bank 1137 new city marketplace (today's Les Halles) replaced two smaller ones Île de la Cité Place de la Grève (Hotel de Ville)latter location housed headquarters of Paris's river trade corporation organisation that later became unofficially (although formally later years) Paris's first municipal governmentIn late 12th century Philip Augustus extended Louvre fortress defend city against river invasions from west gave city its first walls between 1190 1215 rebuilt its bridges either side of its central island paved its main thoroughfares1190 he transformed Paris's former cathedral school into student-teacher corporation that would become University of Paris would draw students from all of EuropeThe Palais de la Cité Sainte-Chapelle viewed from Left Bank from Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry (month of June) (1410). Cité Scolaire Internationale de Lyon or Lycée de Gerland, Main articles Kingdom of France Capetian dynasty Valois dynasty Bourbon dynasty, la LoireBrittany IFAG (Business Management School) animated gif showing expansion of Franks across Europe. Main article French art Further information Charlie Hebdo shooting November 2015 Paris attacks Louvre machete attack March 2017 Île-de-France attacks April 2017 Champs-Élysées attack. Masthead of Le Figaro newspaper Main articles History of France § Revolutionary France (1789–1799) French Revolution.
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