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French cuisine renowned being one of finest world According regions traditional recipes different North of country prefers use butter preferred fat cooking whereas olive oil more commonly used South Moreover each region of France has iconic traditional specialities Cassoulet Southwest Choucroute Alsace Quiche Lorraine region Beef bourguignon Bourgogne provençal Tapenade etc France's most renowned products wines, including Champagne Bordeaux Bourgogne Beaujolais well large variety of different cheeses such Camembert Roquefort Brie There more than 400 different varietiesA meal often consists of three courses hors d'œuvre or entrée (introductory course sometimes soup) plat principal (main course) fromage (cheese course) and/or dessert sometimes with salad offered before cheese or dessert Hors d'œuvres include terrine de saumon au basilic lobster bisque foie gras French onion soup or croque monsieur plat principal could include pot au feu or steak frites dessert could be mille-feuille pastry macaron éclair crème brûlée mousse au chocolat crêpes or Café liégeoisSome French cheeses with fruits. Population density French Republic 1999 censusWith estimated total population of 67.15 million people of October 2017, with 65 million metropolitan France France 20th most populous country world third-most populous Europe France also second most populous country European Union after GermanyFrance outlier among developed countries general European countries particular having fairly high rate of natural population growth birth rates alone France was responsible almost all natural population growth European Union 2006 with natural growth rate (excess of births over deaths) rising 300,000 with immigration population grew with almost 400,000 people, although late 2010s fell 200,000 This was highest rate since end of baby boom 1973 coincides with rise of total fertility rate from nadir of 1.7 1994 2.0 2010 of January 2017 fertility rate was 1.93From 2006 2011 population growth was average +0.6% per year Immigrants also major contributors this trend 2010 27% of newborns metropolitan France had least one foreign-born parent 24% had least one parent born outside of Europe (parents born overseas territories considered born France)Ethnic groups, Université Lumière (Lyon 2) As of 2009 World Trade Organization (WTO) reported France was world's sixth largest exporter fourth largest importer of manufactured goodsof 2016 World Factbook ranked France seventh largest exporter2008 France was third largest recipient of foreign direct investment among OECD countries $118 billion ranking behind Luxembourg (where foreign direct investment was essentially monetary transfers banks located there) United States ($316 billion) but above United Kingdom ($96.9 billion) Germany ($25 billion) or Japan ($24 billion) same year French companies invested $220 billion outside France ranking France second largest outward direct investor OECD behind United States ($311 billion) ahead of UK ($111 billion) Japan ($128 billion) Germany ($157 billion)Financial services banking insurance sector important part of economy Paris stock exchange (French La Bourse de Paris) old institution created Louis XV 17242000 stock exchanges of Paris Amsterdam Bruxelles merged into Euronext2007 Euronext merged with New York stock exchange form NYSE Euronext world's largest stock exchange Euronext Paris French branch of NYSE Euronext group Europe's 2nd largest stock exchange market behind London Stock ExchangeFrance member of Eurozone (around 330 million consumers) which part of European Single Market (more than 500 million consumers) Several domestic commercial policies determined agreements among European Union (EU) members EU legislation France introduced common European currency Euro 2002French companies have maintained key positions insurance banking industries AXA world's largest insurance company leading French banks BNP Paribas Crédit Agricole ranking world's first sixth largest banks 2010 (by assets) while Société Générale group was ranked world's eighth largest 2009Agriculture. The Opéra Bastille, The lawns of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont sunny day, Tour de France pelleton 9 July 2005 begin of ascend Cote de Bad Herrenalb.

Emmanuel Macron (cropped).jpg Édouard Philippe (cropped).jpg European Synchrotron Radiation Facility GrenobleFrance was fourth country achieve nuclear capability has third largest nuclear weapons arsenal world also leader civilian nuclear technology France was third nation after former USSR United States launch its own space satellite remains biggest contributor European Space Agency (ESA)European Airbus formed from French group Aérospatiale along with DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA) designs develops civil military aircraft well communications systems missiles space rockets helicopters satellites related systems France also hosts major international research instruments such European Synchrotron Radiation Facility or Institut Laue–Langevin remains major member of CERN also owns Minatec Europe's leading nanotechnology research centerSNCF French national railroad company has developed TGV high speed train which holds series of world speed records TGV has been fastest wheeled train commercial use since reaching speed of 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) 3 April 2007 Western Europe now serviced network of TGV linesAs of 2018 69 French people have been awarded Nobel Prize 12 have received Fields MedalDemographics. Marseille served European Capital of Culture 2013 along with Košice Marseille-Provence 2013 (MP2013) featured more than 900 cultural events held throughout Marseille surrounding communities These cultural events generated more than 11 million visitsEuropean Capital of Culture was also occasion unveil more than 600 million euros new cultural infrastructure Marseille its environs including iconic MuCEM designed Rudy RicciottiTarot de Marseille, Marseille has hot Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa) with mild humid winters warm hot mostly dry summers December January February coldest months averaging temperatures of around 12 °C (54 °F) during day 4 °C (39 °F) night July August hottest months averaging temperatures of around 28–30 °C (82–86 °F) during day 19 °C (66 °F) night Marignane airport (35 km (22 mi) from Marseille) but city near sea average high temperature 27 °C (81 °F) JulyMarseille officially sunniest major city France with over 2,900 hours of sunshine while average sunshine France around 1,950 hours also driest major city with only 512 mm (20 in) of precipitation annually especially thanks Mistral cold dry wind originating Rhône Valley that occurs mostly winter spring which generally brings clear skies sunny weather region Less frequent Sirocco hot sand-bearing wind coming from Sahara Desert Snowfalls infrequent over 50% of years do not experience single snowfallThe hottest temperature was 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) 26 July 1983 during great heat wave lowest temperature was −14.3 °C (6.3 °F) 13 February 1929 during strong cold waveClimate data Marseille (Longchamp observatory) 43°18'21.2N 5°23'37.1E (1981–2003 averages record highs lows 1868–2003), The Élysée Palace residence of French President 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. EM Lyon (École de Management de Lyon) Since 9 April 1956 Paris exclusively reciprocally twinned only with, In late 12th century school of polyphony was established Notre-Dame Among Trouvères of northern France group of Parisian aristocrats became known their poetry songs Troubadours from south of France were also popular During reign of François I Renaissance era lute became popular French court French royal family courtiers disported themselves masques ballets allegorical dances recitals opera comedy national musical printing house was established Baroque-era noted composers included Jean-Baptiste Lully Jean-Philippe Rameau François CouperinConservatoire de Musique de Paris was founded 17951870 Paris had become important centre symphony ballet operatic musicRomantic-era composers (in Paris) include Hector Berlioz (La Symphonie fantastique) Charles Gounod (Faust) Camille Saint-Saëns (Samson et Delilah) Léo Delibes (Lakmé) Jules Massenet (Thaïs) among others Georges Bizet's Carmen premiered 3 March 1875 Carmen has since become one of most popular frequently-performed operas classical canon Among Impressionist composers who created new works piano orchestra opera chamber music other musical forms stand particular Claude Debussy (Suite bergamasque its well-known third movement Clair de lune La Mer Pelléas et Mélisande) Erik Satie (Gymnopédies Je te veux Gnossiennes Parade) Maurice Ravel (Miroirs Boléro La valse L'heure espagnole) Several foreign-born composers such Frédéric Chopin (Poland) Franz Liszt (Hungary) Jacques Offenbach (Germany) Niccolò Paganini (Italy) Igor Stravinsky (Russia) established themselves or made significant contributions both with their works their influence ParisCharles Aznavour. Hector Berlioz 1863 Main articles Arrondissements of Marseille Cantons of Marseille. 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), Main articles Music Paris History of music Paris, View of Petit Nice Marseille's corniche (7th arrondissement) with Frioul archipelago Château d'If background. École pour l'informatique et les nouvelles technologies Temple du Change (17th 18th century) former stock exchange of Lyon Protestant temple since 18th century. Joan of Arc plate armor holding sword facing left with gilded background France highly urbanized country with its largest cities (in terms of metropolitan area population 2013) being Paris (12,405,426 inh.) Lyon (2,237,676) Marseille (1,734,277) Toulouse (1,291,517) Bordeaux (1,178,335) Lille (1,175,828) Nice (1,004,826) Nantes (908,815) Strasbourg (773,447) Rennes (700,675) (Note There significant differences between metropolitan population figures just cited those following table which only include core population) Rural flight was perennial political issue throughout most of 20th centuryFunctional urban areas.