Map of 25 largest urban units population 5th arrondissement Vieux Lyon (Saint-Paul Saint-Jean Saint-Georges) Saint-Just Saint-Irénée, Fourvière Point du Jour Ménival Battières Champvert (south). 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. The Palais Longchamp with its monumental fountain The many Renaissance hôtels particuliers of Old Lyon quarter such Hôtel de Bullioud were also built Philibert Delorme17th 18th centuries. Main article Education Paris, A TGV Duplex crossing Cize–Bolozon viaduct train can reach maximum speed of 360 kilometres per hour (220 mph)The railway network of France which of 2008 stretches 29,473 kilometres (18,314 mi) second most extensive Western Europe after that of Germany operated SNCF high-speed trains include Thalys Eurostar TGV which travels 320 km/h (199 mph) commercial useEurostar along with Eurotunnel Shuttle connects with United Kingdom through Channel Tunnel Rail connections exist all other neighbouring countries Europe except Andorra Intra-urban connections also well developed with both underground services (Paris Lyon Lille Marseille Toulouse Rennes) tramway services (Nantes Strasbourg Bordeaux Grenoble Montpellier...) complementing bus servicesThere approximately 1,027,183 kilometres (638,262 mi) of serviceable roadway France ranking most extensive network of European continentParis region enveloped with most dense network of roads highways that connect with virtually all parts of country French roads also handle substantial international traffic connecting with cities neighbouring Belgium Luxembourg Germany Switzerland Italy Spain Andorra Monaco There no annual registration fee or road tax however usage of mostly privately owned motorways through tolls except vicinity of large communes new car market dominated domestic brands such Renault (27% of cars sold France 2003) Peugeot (20.1%) Citroën (13.5%) Over 70% of new cars sold 2004 had diesel engines far more than contained petrol or LPG engines France possesses Millau Viaduct world's tallest bridge, has built many important bridges such Pont de NormandieAir France one of biggest airlines worldThere 464 airports France Charles de Gaulle Airport located vicinity of Paris largest busiest airport country handling vast majority of popular commercial traffic connecting Paris with virtually all major cities across world Air France national carrier airline although numerous private airline companies provide domestic international travel services There ten major ports France largest of which Marseille, which also largest bordering Mediterranean Sea 12,261 kilometres (7,619 mi) of waterways traverse France including Canal du Midi which connects Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean through Garonne riverScience technology, Emmanuel Macron (cropped).jpg Édouard Philippe (cropped).jpg One of Lascaux paintings horse – approximately 18,000 BC. Main articles French language Languages of France Organisation internationale de la Francophonie Bourgogne- Centre- École des Beaux-Arts The west of France has strictly oceanic climate (Cfb) – extends from Flanders Basque Country coastal strip several tens of kilometres wide narrower north south but wider Brittany which almost entirely this climate zoneThe climate of Southwest also oceanic but warmerThe climate of Northwest oceanic but cooler windierAway from coast climate oceanic throughout but its characteristics change somewhat Paris sedimentary basin and more so basins protected mountain chains show stronger seasonal temperature variability less rainfall during autumn winter Therefore most of territory has semi-oceanic climate forms transition zone between strictly oceanic climate near coasts other climate zonesThe semi-continental climate (Dfa) of north centre-east (Alsace plains of Saône middle part of Rhône Dauphiné Auvergne Savoy)The Mediterranean lower Rhône valley experience Mediterranean climate (Csa Csb) due effect of mountain chains isolating them from rest of country resulting Mistral Tramontane windsThe mountain (or alpine) climates (Dfc ET) confined Alps Pyrenees summits of Massif Central Jura VosgesIn overseas regions there three broad types of climate. By 1901 population of Paris had grown 2,715,000 beginning of century artists from around world including Pablo Picasso Modigliani Henri Matisse made Paris their home was birthplace of Fauvism Cubism abstract art, authors such Marcel Proust were exploring new approaches literatureDuring First World War Paris sometimes found itself front line 600 1,000 Paris taxis played small but highly important symbolic role transporting 6,000 soldiers front line First Battle of Marne city was also bombed Zeppelins shelled German long-range guns years after war known Les Années Folles Paris continued be mecca writers musicians artists from around world including Ernest Hemingway Igor Stravinsky James Joyce Josephine Baker Sidney Bechet surrealist Salvador DalíIn years after peace conference city was also home growing numbers of students activists from French colonies other Asian African countries who later became leaders of their countries such Ho Chi Minh Zhou Enlai Léopold Sédar SenghorGeneral Charles de Gaulle Champs-Élysées celebrating liberation of Paris (26 August 1944), Historically economy of Marseille was dominated its role port of French Empire linking North African colonies of Algeria Morocco Tunisia with Metropolitan France Old Port was replaced main port trade Port de la Joliette during Second Empire now contains restaurants offices bars hotels functions mostly private marina majority of port docks which experienced decline 1970s after oil crisis have been recently redeveloped with funds from European Union Fishing remains important Marseille food economy of Marseille fed local catch daily fish market still held Quai des Belges of Old PortThe economy of Marseille its region still linked its commercial port first French port fifth European port cargo tonnage which lies north of Old Port eastern Fos-sur-Mer Some 45,000 jobs linked port activities represents 4 billion euros added value regional economy 100 million tons of freight pass annually through port 60% of which petroleum making number one France Mediterranean number three Europe However early 2000s growth container traffic was being stifled constant strikes social upheavalport among 20th firsts Europe container traffic with 1,062,408 TEU new infrastructures have already raised capacity 2M TEU Petroleum refining shipbuilding principal industries but chemicals soap glass sugar building materials plastics textiles olive oil processed foods also important products.[citation needed] Marseille connected with Rhône via canal thus has access extensive waterway network of France Petroleum shipped northward Paris basin pipeline city also serves France's leading centre of oil refiningCompanies services high technologies, 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.
Lyon pilot city of Council of Europe European Commission Intercultural cities programFrance (French [fʁɑ̃s]) officially French Republic (French République française French pronunciation [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]) country whose territory consists of metropolitan France Western Europe several overseas regions territories.[XIII] metropolitan area of France extends from Mediterranean Sea English Channel North Sea from Rhine Atlantic Ocean overseas territories include French Guiana South America several islands Atlantic Pacific Indian oceans country's 18 integral regions (five of which situated overseas) span combined area of 643,801 square kilometres (248,573 sq mi) total population of 67.3 million (as of October 2018) France sovereign state unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital Paris country's largest city main cultural commercial centre Other major urban areas include Lyon Marseille Toulouse Bordeaux Lille NiceDuring Iron Age what now metropolitan France was inhabited Gauls Celtic people Rome annexed area 51 BC holding until arrival of Germanic Franks 476 who formed Kingdom of France France emerged major European power Late Middle Ages following its victory Hundred Years' War (1337 1453) During Renaissance French culture flourished global colonial empire was established which 20th century would become second largest world16th century was dominated religious civil wars between Catholics Protestants (Huguenots) France became Europe's dominant cultural political military power 17th century under Louis XIV late 18th century French Revolution overthrew absolute monarchy established one of modern history's earliest republics saw drafting of Declaration of Rights of Man of Citizen which expresses nation's ideals this dayIn 19th century Napoleon took power established First French Empire His subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped course of continental Europe Following collapse of Empire France endured tumultuous succession of governments culminating with establishment of French Third Republic 1870 France was major participant World War I from which emerged victorious was one of Allies World War II but came under occupation Axis powers 1940 Following liberation 1944 Fourth Republic was established later dissolved course of Algerian War Fifth Republic led Charles de Gaulle was formed 1958 remains today Algeria nearly all other colonies became independent 1960s typically retained close economic military connections with FranceFrance has long been global centre of art science philosophy hosts world's fourth-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites leading tourist destination receiving around 83 million foreign visitors annually France developed country with world's seventh-largest economy nominal GDP, tenth-largest purchasing power parityterms of aggregate household wealth ranks fourth world France performs well international rankings of education health care life expectancy human development France considered great power global affairs, being one of five permanent members of United Nations Security Council with power veto official nuclear-weapon state leading member state of European Union Eurozone, member of Group of 7 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Organisation Economic Co-operation Development (OECD) World Trade Organization (WTO) La FrancophonieEtymology. Judaism (0.8%), Urbanism architecture Main article Foreign relations of France, Main article Art Paris 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! Further information Energy France, Anti-terrorism demonstration Place de la République after Charlie Hebdo shooting 11 January 2015, La Vieille Charité Sainte Marie de La Tourette monastery (1960) designed Le Corbusier. Later came precursors of modern classical music Érik Satie was key member of early-20th-century Parisian avant-garde best known his Gymnopédies Francis Poulenc's best known works his piano suite Trois mouvements perpétuels (1919) ballet Les biches (1923) Concert champêtre (1928) harpsichord orchestra opera Dialogues des Carmélites (1957) Gloria (1959) soprano choir orchestra Maurice Ravel Claude Debussy most prominent figures associated with Impressionist music Debussy was among most influential composers of late 19th early 20th centuries his use of non-traditional scales chromaticism influenced many composers who followed Debussy's music noted its sensory content frequent usage of atonality two composers invented new musical forms new sounds Ravel's piano compositions such Jeux d'eau Miroirs Le tombeau de Couperin Gaspard de la nuit demand considerable virtuosity His mastery of orchestration evident Rapsodie espagnole Daphnis et Chloé his arrangement of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures Exhibition his orchestral work Boléro (1928) More recently middle of 20th century Maurice Ohana Pierre Schaeffer Pierre Boulez contributed evolutions of contemporary classical musichead shot of Serge Gainsbourg.
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