City government Lyon third-largest city second-largest urban area of France located country's east-central part confluence of rivers Rhône Saône, about 470 km (292 mi) south from Paris 320 km (199 mi) north from Marseille 56 km (35 mi) northeast from Saint-Étienne Inhabitants of city called LyonnaisLyon had population of 513,275 2015capital of Metropolis of Lyon region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon metropolitan area had population of 2,265,375 2014 second-largest urban area Francecity known its cuisine gastronomy historical architectural landmarks part of registered UNESCO World Heritage site Lyon was historically important area production weaving of silk Lyon played significant role history of cinema where Auguste Louis Lumière invented cinematograph also known its light festival Fête des Lumières which begins every 8 December lasts four days earning Lyon title of Capital of LightsEconomically Lyon major centre banking well chemical pharmaceutical biotech industries city contains significant software industry with particular focus video games recent years has fostered growing local start-up sector Lyon hosts international headquarters of Interpol International Agency Research Cancer Euronews was ranked 19th globally second France innovation 2014ranked second France 39th globally Mercer's 2015 liveability rankingsHistory. The Government of France has run budget deficit each year since early 1970s of 2016 French government debt levels reached 2.2 trillion euros equivalent of 96.4% of French GDPlate 2012 credit rating agencies warned that growing French Government debt levels risked France's AAA credit rating raising possibility of future downgrade subsequent higher borrowing costs French authoritiesEconomy, Main article Geography of Paris, Saint-Exupéry International Airport (formerly Satolas Airport) designed Guillaume Gilbert. Marseille Provence Airport fifth busiest FranceThe city served international airport Marseille Provence Airport located Marignane airport fifth busiest French airport known 4th most important European traffic growth 2012extensive network of motorways connects Marseille north west (A7) Aix-en-Provence north (A51) Toulon (A50) French Riviera (A8) eastGare de Marseille Saint-Charles Marseille's main railway station operates direct regional services Aix-en-Provence Briançon Toulon Avignon Nice Montpellier Toulouse Bordeaux Nantes etc Gare Saint-Charles also one of main terminal stations TGV south of France making Marseille reachable three hours from Paris (a distance of over 750 km) just over one half hours from Lyon There also direct TGV lines Lille Brussels Nantes Geneva Strasbourg Frankfurt well Eurostar services London addition night train (Intercités de Nuit) from Luxembourg Strasbourg stops here its way Nice whereas night train from Paris Nice serves Gare de Marseille-Blancarde (fr)There new long distance bus station adjacent new modern extension Gare Saint-Charles with destinations mostly other Bouches-du-Rhône towns including buses Aix-en-Provence Cassis La Ciotat Aubagne city also served with 11 other regional trains stations east north of cityMarseille has large ferry terminal Gare Maritime with services Corsica Sardinia Algeria TunisiaPublic transport, Main articles History of France § Revolutionary France (1789–1799) French Revolution. Government Joan of Arc plate armor holding sword facing left with gilded background, Le Grand Rex tower Église Saint-Bonaventure 14th- 15th-century Gothic church! During Hundred Years' War Paris was occupied England-friendly Burgundian forces from 1418 before being occupied outright English when Henry V of England entered French capital 1420 spite of 1429 effort Joan of Arc liberate city, would remain under English occupation until 1436In late 16th-century French Wars of Religion Paris was stronghold of Catholic League organisers of 24 August 1572 St Bartholomew's Day massacre which thousands of French Protestants were killedconflicts ended when pretender throne Henry IV after converting Catholicism gain entry capital entered city 1594 claimed crown of France This king made several improvements capital during his reign he completed construction of Paris's first uncovered sidewalk-lined bridge Pont Neuf built Louvre extension connecting Tuileries Palace created first Paris residential square Place Royale now Place des Vosges king would end his life capital assassinated narrow street near Les Halles marketplace 1610During 17th century Cardinal Richelieu chief minister of Louis XIII was determined make Paris most beautiful city Europe He built five new bridges new chapel College of Sorbonne palace himself Palais Cardinal which he bequeathed Louis XIII After Richelieu's death 1642 was renamed Palais-RoyalDue Parisian uprisings during Fronde civil war Louis XIV moved his court new palace Versailles 1682 Although no longer capital of France arts sciences city flourished with Comédie-Française Academy of Painting French Academy of Sciences demonstrate that city was safe from attack king had city walls demolished replaced with tree-lined boulevards that would become Grands Boulevards of today Other marks of his reign were Collège des Quatre-Nations Place Vendôme Place des Victoires Les Invalides18th 19th centuries. Musée des Confluences new museum of sciences anthropology which opened its doors 20 December 2014La Sucrière contemporary art centre, Parisian hills hydrology Champagne wine flute, See also Taxation France 4th arrondissement Plateau de la Croix-Rousse Serin; La Part-Dieu city's central business district Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière large 19th-century basilica top of Fourvière Hill, 5th arrondissement Vieux Lyon (Saint-Paul Saint-Jean Saint-Georges) Saint-Just Saint-Irénée, Fourvière Point du Jour Ménival Battières Champvert (south). Catholic University of Lyon, Origins 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, 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).
Église Saint-Paul Romanesque (12th 13th century) Gothic (15th–16th century) church View of Petit Nice Marseille's corniche (7th arrondissement) with Frioul archipelago Château d'If 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, Main articles Gaul Celts Roman Gaul, Jewish (52,000) Saint-Exupéry International Airport (formerly Satolas Airport) designed Guillaume Gilbert. The French Republic divided into 18 regions (located Europe overseas) five overseas collectivities one overseas territory one special collectivity – New Caledonia one uninhabited island directly under authority of Minister of Overseas France – ClippertonRegions! The basic principles that French Republic must respect found 1789 Declaration of Rights of Man of CitizenFrench law divided into two principal areas private law public law Private law includes particular civil law criminal law Public law includes particular administrative law constitutional law However practical terms French law comprises three principal areas of law civil law criminal law administrative law Criminal laws can only address future not past (criminal ex post facto laws prohibited) While administrative law often subcategory of civil law many countries completely separated France each body of law headed specific supreme court ordinary courts (which handle criminal civil litigation) headed Court of Cassation administrative courts headed Council of StateTo be applicable every law must be officially published Journal officiel de la République françaiseFrance does not recognise religious law motivation enactment of prohibitions France has long had neither blasphemy laws nor sodomy laws (the latter being abolished 1791) However offences against public decency (contraires aux bonnes mœurs) or disturbing public order (trouble à l'ordre public) have been used repress public expressions of homosexuality or street prostitution Since 1999 civil unions homosexual couples permitted since May 2013 same-sex marriage LGBT adoption legal France Laws prohibiting discriminatory speech press old 1881 Some consider however that hate speech laws France too broad or severe damage freedom of speech France has laws against racism antisemitism Since 1990 Gayssot Act prohibits Holocaust denialFreedom of religion constitutionally guaranteed 1789 Declaration of Rights of Man of Citizen 1905 French law Separation of Churches State basis laïcité (state secularism) state does not formally recognize any religion except Alsace-Moselle Nonetheless does recognize religious associations Parliament has listed many religious movements dangerous cults since 1995 has banned wearing conspicuous religious symbols schools since 2004 2010 banned wearing of face-covering Islamic veils public human rights groups such Amnesty International Human Rights Watch described law discriminatory towards Muslims However supported most of populationForeign relations, In first trimester of 2018 unemployment rate city of Paris was 7.1 percent provisional unemployment rate whole Paris Region was higher 8.0 percent considerably higher some suburbs notably Department of Seine-Saint-Denis east (11.8 percent) Val-d'Oise north (8.2 percent)Incomes, Centre- E-Artsup Main article Administration of Paris. Wesford Graduate Business School Main article History of France Stade de France Mont Blanc highest summit Western Europe marks border with ItalyThe vast majority of France's territory population situated Western Europe called Metropolitan France distinguish from country's various overseas polities bordered North Sea north English Channel northwest Atlantic Ocean west Mediterranean sea southeast land borders consist of Belgium Luxembourg northeast Germany Switzerland east Italy Monaco southeast Andorra Spain south southwest With exception of northeast most of France's land borders roughly delineated natural boundaries geographic features south southeast Pyrenees Alps Jura respectively east Rhine river Due its shape France often referred l'Hexagone (The Hexagon) Metropolitan France includes various coastal islands of which largest Corsica Metropolitan France situated mostly between latitudes 41° 51° N longitudes 6° W 10° E western edge of Europe thus lies within northern temperate zone Its continental part covers about 1000 km from north south from east westFrance has several overseas regions across world which organised along different.
Carlos H Letelier MD DMD DDS