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Musée d'Orsay The city's main thoroughfare (the wide boulevard called Canebière) stretches eastward from Old Port Réformés quarter Two large forts flank entrance Old Port—Fort Saint-Nicolas south side Fort Saint-Jean north Farther out Bay of Marseille Frioul archipelago which comprises four islands one of which If location of Château d'If made famous Dumas novel Count of Monte Cristo main commercial centre of city intersects with Canebière Rue St Ferréol Centre Bourse (one of city's main shopping malls) centre of Marseille has several pedestrianised zones most notably Rue St Ferréol Cours Julien near Music Conservatory Cours Honoré-d'Estienne-d'Orves off Old Port area around Hôtel de Ville south east of central Marseille 6th arrondissement Prefecture monumental fountain of Place Castellane important bus metro interchange south west hills of 7th 8th arrondissements dominated basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde Marseille's main railway station—Gare de Marseille Saint-Charles—is north of Centre Bourse 1st arrondissement linked Boulevard d'Athènes CanebièreClimate; France has been centre of Western cultural development centuries Many French artists have been among most renowned of their time France still recognised world its rich cultural traditionThe successive political regimes have always promoted artistic creation creation of Ministry of Culture 1959 helped preserve cultural heritage of country make available public Ministry of Culture has been very active since its creation granting subsidies artists promoting French culture world supporting festivals cultural events protecting historical monuments French government also succeeded maintaining cultural exception defend audiovisual products made countryFrance receives highest number of tourists per year largely thanks numerous cultural establishments historical buildings implanted all over territory counts 1,200 museums welcoming more than 50 million people annuallymost important cultural sites run government instance through public agency Centre des monuments nationaux which responsible approximately 85 national historical monumentsThe 43,180 buildings protected historical monuments include mainly residences (many castles) religious buildings (cathedrals basilicas churches) but also statutes memorials gardens UNESCO inscribed 41 sites France World Heritage ListArt. Joan of Arc plate armor holding sword facing left with gilded background The 19th-century Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde enormous Romano-Byzantine basilica built architect Espérandieu hills south of Old Port terrace offers spectacular panoramic views of Marseille its surroundingsThe Stade Vélodrome home stadium of city's main football team Olympique de MarseilleThe Unité d'Habitation influential iconic modernist building designed Swiss architect Le Corbusier 1952 third floor gastronomic restaurant Le Ventre de l'Architecte roof contemporary gallery MaMo opened 2013The Docks de Marseille 19th-century warehouse transformed into officesThe Pharo Gardens park with views of Mediterranean Old PortThe Corniche picturesque waterfront road between Old Port Bay of MarseilleThe beaches Prado Pointe Rouge Les Goudes Callelongue Le ProphèteThe Calanques wild mountainous coastal area of outstanding natural beauty accessible from Callelongue Sormiou Morgiou Luminy Cassis Calanques National Park became France's tenth national park 2012The islands of Frioul archipelago Bay of Marseille accessible ferry from Old Port prison of Château d'If was one of settings Count of Monte Cristo novel Alexandre Dumasneighbouring islands of Ratonneau Pomègues joined man-made breakwater site of former garrison quarantine hospital these islands also of interest their marine wildlifeEducation research. Chanel's headquarters Place Vendôme ParisFashion has been important industry cultural export of France since 17th century modern haute couture originated Paris 1860s Today Paris along with London Milan New York City considered one of world's fashion capitals city home or headquarters many of premier fashion houses expression Haute couture is France legally protected name guaranteeing certain quality standardsThe association of France with fashion style (French la mode) dates largely reign of Louis XIV when luxury goods industries France came increasingly under royal control French royal court became arguably arbiter of taste style Europe But France renewed its dominance of high fashion (French couture or haute couture) industry years 1860–1960 through establishing of great couturier houses such Chanel Dior Givenchy French perfume industry world leader its sector centered town of GrasseIn 1960s elitist Haute couture came under criticism from France's youth culture 1966 designer Yves Saint Laurent broke with established Haute Couture norms launching prêt-à-porter (ready wear) line expanding French fashion into mass manufacturing With greater focus marketing manufacturing new trends were established Sonia Rykiel Thierry Mugler Claude Montana Jean-Paul Gaultier Christian Lacroix 1970s 1980s 1990s saw conglomeration of many French couture houses under luxury giants multinationals such LVMHMedia, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon 1) Republican Guards parading Bastille Day. Since 2000 Birdy Kids group of graffiti artists from city has decorated several random buildings walls along Lyon ring road 2012 artist collective has been chosen represent city its cultural ambassadorsEconomy. Ambox current red.svg Ambox current red.svg Transport Théâtre des Célestins (1877) designed Gaspard André One of Lascaux paintings horse – approximately 18,000 BC! In Antarctic Adélie LandFrance has land borders with Brazil Suriname via French Guiana with Kingdom of Netherlands through French portion of Saint MartinMetropolitan France covers 551,500 square kilometres (212,935 sq mi), largest among European Union members France's total land area with its overseas departments territories (excluding Adélie Land) 643,801 km2 (248,573 sq mi) 0.45% of total land area Earth France possesses wide variety of landscapes from coastal plains north west mountain ranges of Alps southeast Massif Central south central Pyrenees southwestDue its numerous overseas departments territories scattered across planet France possesses second-largest Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) world covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,000 mi2) just behind EEZ of United States (11,351,000 km2 or 4,383,000 mi2) but ahead of EEZ of Australia (8,148,250 km2 / 4,111,312 mi2) Its EEZ covers approximately 8% of total surface of all EEZs of worldGeology topography hydrography. Marseille second-largest city of France main city of historical province of Provence today capital of department of Bouches-du-Rhône region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur located France's south coast covering area of 241 km2 (93 sq mi) had population of 852,516 2012 Its metropolitan area which covers 3,173 km2 (1,225 sq mi) third-largest France after Paris Lyon with population of 1,831,500 of 2010Known ancient Greeks Romans Massalia (Greek Μασσαλία Massalía), Marseille was important European trading centre remains main commercial port of French Republic Marseille now France's largest city Mediterranean coast largest port commerce freight cruise ships city was European Capital of Culture 2013 European Capital of Sport 2017 hosted matches 1998 World Cup Euro 2016 home Aix-Marseille UniversityGeography.

The Château d'If Judaism (0.8%) On 14 June 1940 German army marched into Paris which had been declared open city16–17 July 1942 following German orders French police gendarmes arrested 12,884 Jews including 4,115 children confined them during five days Vel d'Hiv (Vélodrome d'Hiver) from which they were transported train extermination camp Auschwitz None of children came back25 August 1944 city was liberated French 2nd Armoured Division 4th Infantry Division of United States Army General Charles de Gaulle led huge emotional crowd down Champs Élysées towards Notre Dame de Paris made rousing speech from Hôtel de VilleIn 1950s 1960s Paris became one front of Algerian War independence August 1961 pro-independence FLN targeted killed 11 Paris policemen leading imposition of curfew Muslims of Algeria (who that time were French citizens) 17 October 1961 unauthorised but peaceful protest demonstration of Algerians against curfew led violent confrontations between police demonstrators which least 40 people were killed including some thrown into Seine anti-independence Organisation armée secrète (OAS) their part carried out series of bombings Paris throughout 1961 1962In May 1968 protesting students occupied Sorbonne put up barricades Latin Quarter Thousands of Parisian blue-collar workers joined students movement grew into two-week general strike Supporters of government won June elections large majority May 1968 events France resulted break-up of University of Paris into 13 independent campuses1975 National Assembly changed status of Paris that of other French cities and 25 March 1977 Jacques Chirac became first elected mayor of Paris since 1793Tour Maine-Montparnasse tallest building city 57 storeys 210 metres (689 feet) high was built between 1969 1973 was highly controversial remains only building centre of city over 32 storeys highpopulation of Paris dropped from 2,850,000 1954 2,152,000 1990 middle-class families moved suburbssuburban railway network RER (Réseau Express Régional) was built complement Métro Périphérique expressway encircling city was completed 1973Most of postwar's Presidents of Fifth Republic wanted leave their own monuments Paris President Georges Pompidou started Centre Georges Pompidou (1977) Valéry Giscard d'Estaing began Musée d'Orsay (1986) President François Mitterrand power 14 years built Opéra Bastille (1985–1989) new site of Bibliothèque nationale de France (1996) Arche de la Défense (1985–1989) Louvre Pyramid with its underground courtyard (1983–1989) Jacques Chirac (2006) Musée du quai BranlyIn early 21st century population of Paris began increase slowly again more young people moved into city reached 2.25 million 2011 March 2001 Bertrand Delanoë became first Socialist Mayor of Paris 2007 effort reduce car traffic city he introduced Vélib' system which rents bicycles use of local residents visitors Bertrand Delanoë also transformed section of highway along Left Bank of Seine into urban promenade park Promenade des Berges de la Seine which he inaugurated June 2013In 2007 President Nicolas Sarkozy launched Grand Paris project integrate Paris more closely with towns region around it After many modifications new area named Metropolis of Grand Paris with population of 6.7 million was created 1 January 20162011 City of Paris national government approved plans Grand Paris Express totalling 205 kilometres (127 miles) of automated metro lines connect Paris innermost three departments around Paris airports high-speed rail (TGV) stations estimated cost of €35 billionsystem scheduled be completed 2030On 5 April 2014 Anne Hidalgo Socialist was elected first female Mayor of ParisTerrorist attacks. With Clovis's conversion Catholicism 498 Frankish monarchy elective secular until then became hereditary of divine rightThe Franks embraced Christian Gallo-Roman culture ancient Gaul was eventually renamed Francia (Land of Franks) Germanic Franks adopted Romanic languages except northern Gaul where Roman settlements were less dense where Germanic languages emerged Clovis made Paris his capital established Merovingian dynasty but his kingdom would not survive his death Franks treated land purely private possession divided among their heirs so four kingdoms emerged from Clovis's Paris Orléans Soissons Rheims last Merovingian kings lost power their mayors of palace (head of household) One mayor of palace Charles Martel defeated Islamic invasion of Gaul Battle of Tours (732) earned respect power within Frankish kingdoms His son Pepin Short seized crown of Francia from weakened Merovingians founded Carolingian dynasty Pepin's son Charlemagne reunited Frankish kingdoms built vast empire across Western Central EuropeProclaimed Holy Roman Emperor Pope Leo III thus establishing earnest French Government's longtime historical association with Catholic Church, Charlemagne tried revive Western Roman Empire its cultural grandeur Charlemagne's son Louis I (Emperor 814–840) kept empire united however this Carolingian Empire would not survive his death 843 under Treaty of Verdun empire was divided between Louis' three sons with East Francia going Louis German Middle Francia Lothair I West Francia Charles Bald West Francia approximated area occupied by was precursor modern FranceDuring 9th 10th centuries continually threatened Viking invasions France became very decentralised state nobility's titles lands became hereditary authority of king became more religious than secular thus was less effective constantly challenged powerful noblemen Thus was established feudalism France Over time some of king's vassals would grow so powerful that they often posed threat king example after Battle of Hastings 1066 William Conqueror added King of England his titles becoming both vassal (as Duke of Normandy) equal of (as king of England) king of France creating recurring tensionsLate Middle Ages (10th century–15th century).