Portland Die Stamping

Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (located Villeurbanne), Main article Arrondissements of Lyon, 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. EPITA Université Claude Bernard (Lyon 1) This section needs be updated Please update this article reflect recent events or newly available information (June 2017). Église Saint-Paul Romanesque (12th 13th century) Gothic (15th–16th century) church, Main articles History of France § Revolutionary France (1789–1799) French Revolution, The Château de Chenonceau nowadays part of UNESCO World Heritage Site was built early 16th centuryThe French Renaissance saw spectacular cultural development first standardisation of French language which would become official language of France language of Europe's aristocracy also saw long set of wars known Italian Wars between France Spain Holy Roman Empire Refusing accept Spanish-Portuguese claims of supremacy New World King Francis I ordered his privateers sail against his Spanish rival King Charles V who ruled Holy Roman Emperor from 1519 until 1556 Emperor's realm extended from Spain parts of what now Italy Austria Germany Belgium Netherlands French explorers such Jacques Cartier or Samuel de Champlain claimed lands Americas France paving way expansion of First French colonial empire rise of Protestantism Europe led France civil war known French Wars of Religion where most notorious incident thousands of Huguenots were murdered St Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572Wars of Religion were ended Henry IV's Edict of Nantes which granted some freedom of religion HuguenotsUnder Louis XIII energetic Cardinal Richelieu promoted centralisation of state reinforced royal power disarming domestic power holders 1620s He systematically destroyed castles of defiant lords denounced use of private violence (dueling carrying weapons maintaining private army) end of 1620s Richelieu established the royal monopoly of force doctrine France Spain fought 24-year war (the Franco-Spanish War) until signing of Treaty of Pyrenees 1659 war cost France 300,000 casualties During Louis XIV's minority regency of Queen Anne Cardinal Mazarin period of trouble known Fronde occurred France This rebellion was driven great feudal lords sovereign courts reaction rise of royal absolute power FranceLouis XIV of France standing plate armor blue sash facing left holding baton. The lawns of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont sunny day, The Old Port or Vieux-Port main harbour marina of city guarded two massive forts (Fort Saint-Nicolas Fort Saint-Jean) one of main places eat city Dozens of cafés line waterfront Quai des Belges end of harbour site of daily fish market Much of northern quayside area was rebuilt architect Fernand Pouillon after its destruction Nazis 1943The Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) baroque building dating from 17th centuryThe Centre Bourse adjacent Rue St Ferreol district (including Rue de Rome Rue Paradis) main shopping area central MarseilleThe Porte d'Aix triumphal arch commemorating French victories Spanish ExpeditionThe Hôtel-Dieu former hospital Le Panier transformed into InterContinental hotel 2013La Vieille Charité Le Panier architecturally significant building designed Puget brothers central baroque chapel situated courtyard lined with arcaded galleries Originally built alms house now home archeological museum gallery of African Asian art well bookshops café also houses Marseille International Poetry CentreThe Cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure or La Major founded 4th century enlarged 11th century completely rebuilt second half of 19th century architects Léon Vaudoyer Henri-Jacques Espérandieu present day cathedral gigantic edifice Romano-Byzantine style romanesque transept choir altar survive from older medieval cathedral spared from complete destruction only result of public protests timeThe 12th-century parish church of Saint-Laurent adjoining 17th-century chapel of Sainte-Catherine quayside near CathedralThe Abbey of Saint-Victor one of oldest places of Christian worship Europe Its 5th-century crypt catacombs occupy site of Hellenic burial ground later used Christian martyrs venerated ever since Continuing medieval tradition, every year Candlemas Black Madonna from crypt carried procession along Rue Sainte blessing from archbishop followed mass distribution of navettes green votive candlesMuseums. Other landmarks laid out east west along historical axis of Paris which runs from Louvre through Tuileries Garden Luxor Column Place de la Concorde Arc de Triomphe Grande Arche of La DéfenseSeveral other much-visited landmarks located suburbs of city Basilica of St Denis Seine-Saint-Denis birthplace of Gothic style of architecture royal necropolis of French kings queensParis region hosts three other UNESCO Heritage sites Palace of Versailles west, Palace of Fontainebleau south, medieval fairs site of Provins east Paris region Disneyland Paris Marne-la-Vallée 32 kilometres (20 miles) east of centre of Paris received 9.66 million visitors 2017Hotels. Lyon home football club Olympique Lyonnais (OL) whose men's team plays Ligue 1 has won championship of that competition seven times all consecutively from 2002 2008) OL played until December 2015 43,000-seat Stade de Gerland which also hosted matches of 1998 FIFA World Cup Since 2016 team has played Parc Olympique Lyonnais 59,000-seat stadium located eastern suburb of Décines-Charpieu OL operates women's team Olympique Lyonnais Féminin which competes dominates Division 1 Féminine They streak of 11 top-flight championships (2007–present) additionally claim four titles won original incarnation of FC Lyon women's football club that merged into OL 2004 (the current FC Lyon was founded 2009) OL women have also won UEFA Women's Champions League five times including two most recent editions 2016 2017Lyon has rugby union team Lyon OU Top 14 which moved into Stade de Gerland full-time 2017–18 addition Lyon has rugby league side called Lyon Villeurbanne that plays French rugby league championship club's home Stade Georges Lyvet VilleurbanneLyon also home Lyon Hockey Club ice hockey team that competes France's national ice hockey league Patinoire Charlemagne seat of Club des Sports de Glace de Lyon club of Olympic ice dancing champions Marina Anissina Gwendal Peizerat world champions Isabelle Delobel Olivier Shoenfelder Villeurbanne also has basketball team ASVEL that plays Astroballe arenaStreet art. Hollywood-style Marseille sign President Édouard Philippe Main article Culture of France The Roman ruins hillside near Fourvière Basilica with Ancient Theatre of Fourvière Odeon of Lyon accompanying Gallo-Roman Museum. Main article Climate of Paris The sectors arrondissements of Marseille, François Mitterrand Chancellor Helmut Kohl 24 September 1987 press conference with microphones!

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, Buddhist (3,000)Culture Main article Culture of France; The Château d'If Place des Vosges administrative language, La Défense largest dedicated business district Europe Passage Jouffroy Paris hosted 1900 1924 Summer Olympics will host 2024 Summer Olympics Paralympic GamesThe city also hosted finals of 1938 FIFA World Cup (at Stade Olympique de Colombes) well 1998 FIFA World Cup 2007 Rugby World Cup Final (both Stade de France) Two UEFA Champions League Finals current century have also been played Stade de France 2000 2006 editions Paris has most recently been host UEFA Euro 2016 both Parc des Princes city proper also Stade de France with latter hosting opening match finalThe final stage of most famous bicycle racing world Tour de France always finishes Paris Since 1975 race has finished Champs-ElyséesTennis another popular sport Paris throughout France French Open held every year red clay of Roland Garros National Tennis Centre, one of four Grand Slam events of world professional tennis tour 17,000-seat Bercy Arena (officially named AccorHotels Arena formerly known Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy) venue annual Paris Masters ATP Tour tennis tournament has been frequent site of national international tournaments basketball boxing cycling handball ice hockey show jumping other sports Bercy Arena also hosted 2017 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship together with Cologne Germany final stages of FIBA EuroBasket 1999 were also played Palais Omnisports de Paris-BercyThe basketball team Levallois Metropolitans plays some of its games 4,000 capacity Stade Pierre de Coubertin Another top-level professional team Nanterre 92 plays NanterreInfrastructure. Le Figaro was founded 1826 many of France's most prominent authors have written its columns over decades still considered newspaper of recordBest-selling daily national newspapers France Le Parisien Aujourd'hui en France (with 460,000 sold daily) Le Monde Le Figaro with around 300,000 copies sold daily but also L'Équipe dedicated sports coverage past years free dailies made breakthrough with Metro 20 Minutes Direct Plus distributed more than 650,000 copies respectively However widest circulations reached regional daily Ouest France with more than 750,000 copies sold 50 other regional papers have also high salessector of weekly magazines stronger diversified with more than 400 specialised weekly magazines published countryThe most influential news magazines left-wing Le Nouvel Observateur centrist L'Express right-wing Le Point (more than 400.000 copies), but highest circulation weeklies reached TV magazines women's magazines among them Marie Claire ELLE which have foreign versions Influential weeklies also include investigative satirical papers Le Canard Enchaîné Charlie Hebdo well Paris Match Like most industrialised nations print media have been affected severe crisis past decade 2008 government launched major initiative help sector reform become financially independent, but 2009 had give 600,000 euros help print media cope with economic crisis addition existing subsidiesIn 1974 after years of centralised monopoly radio television governmental agency ORTF was split into several national institutions but three already-existing TV channels four national radio stations remained under state-control was only 1981 that government allowed free broadcasting territory ending state monopoly radio French television was partly liberalised next two decade with creation of several commercial channels mainly thanks cable satellite television 2005 national service Télévision Numérique Terrestre introduced digital television all over territory allowing creation of other channelsThe four existing national channels now owned state-owned consortium France Télévisions while public broadcasting group Radio France run five national radio stations Among these public media Radio France Internationale which broadcasts programmes French all over world Franco-German TV channel TV5 Monde 2006 government created global news channel France 24 Long-established TV channels TF1 (privatised 1987) France 2 France 3 have highest shares while radio stations RTL Europe 1 state-owned France Inter least listened toSociety. Armenian Apostolic (80,000) Église Saint-Polycarpe (1665–1670) Classical church 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.