Animated gif showing expansion of Franks across Europe, 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, E-Artsup 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. La Vieille Charité Sainte Chapelle interior showing painted stonework vaulting stained glass, The lands making up French Republic shown same geographic scalePolitics The Roman ruins hillside near Fourvière Basilica with Ancient Theatre of Fourvière Odeon of Lyon accompanying Gallo-Roman Museum. Chanel's headquarters storefront window Place Vendôme Paris with awning Parc de Lacroix-Laval (115 hectares) Aside from 20th-century addition of Bois de Boulogne Bois de Vincennes Paris heliport Paris's administrative limits have remained unchanged since 1860 Seine département had been governing Paris its suburbs since its creation 1790 but rising suburban population had made difficult govern unique entity This problem was 'resolved' when its parent District de la région parisienne ('district of Paris region') was reorganised into several new departments from 1968 Paris became department itself administration of its suburbs was divided between three new departments surrounding it district of Paris region was renamed Île-de-France 1977 but this abbreviated Paris region name still commonly used today describe Île-de-France vague reference entire Paris agglomeration Long-intended measures unite Paris with its suburbs began 1 January 2016 when Métropole du Grand Paris came into existenceParis's disconnect with its suburbs its lack of suburban transportation particular became all too apparent with Paris agglomeration's growth Paul Delouvrier promised resolve Paris-suburbs mésentente when he became head of Paris region 1961 two of his most ambitious projects Region were construction of five suburban villes nouvelles (new cities) RER commuter train network Many other suburban residential districts (grands ensembles) were built between 1960s 1970s provide low-cost solution rapidly expanding population these districts were socially mixed first, but few residents actually owned their homes (the growing economy made these accessible middle classes only from 1970s) Their poor construction quality their haphazard insertion into existing urban growth contributed their desertion those able move elsewhere their repopulation those with more limited possibilitiesThese areas quartiers sensibles (sensitive quarters) northern eastern Paris namely around its Goutte d'Or Belleville neighbourhoods north of city they grouped mainly Seine-Saint-Denis department lesser extreme east Val-d'Oise department Other difficult areas located Seine valley Évry et Corbeil-Essonnes (Essonne) Mureaux Mantes-la-Jolie (Yvelines) scattered among social housing districts created Delouvrier's 1961 ville nouvelle political initiativeThe Paris agglomeration's urban sociology basically that of 19th-century Paris its fortuned classes situated its west southwest its middle-to-lower classes its north east remaining areas mostly middle-class citizenry dotted with islands of fortuned populations located there due reasons of historical importance namely Saint-Maur-des-Fossés east Enghien-les-Bains north of ParisDemographics. Main article Paris Métro 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, Paris grew population from about 400,000 1640 650,000 1780new boulevard Champs-Élysées extended city west Étoile, while working-class neighbourhood of Faubourg Saint-Antoine eastern site of city grew more more crowded with poor migrant workers from other regions of FranceParis was centre of explosion of philosophic scientific activity known Age of Enlightenment Diderot d'Alembert published their Encyclopédie 1751 Montgolfier Brothers launched first manned flight hot-air balloon 21 November 1783 from gardens of Château de la Muette Paris was financial capital of continental Europe primary European centre of book publishing fashion manufacture of fine furniture luxury goodsThe storming of Bastille 14 July 1789 Jean-Baptiste Lallemand (Musée de la Révolution française). Église Saint-Polycarpe (1665–1670) Classical church, See also List of French monarchs France Middle Ages. French literary figures Clockwise from top left Molière most played author Comédie-Française Victor Hugo one of most important French novelists poets 19th-century poet writer translator Charles Baudelaire 20th-century philosopher novelist Jean-Paul SartreJean Racine whose incredible mastery of alexandrine of French language has been praised centuries created plays such Phèdre or Britannicus He is along with Pierre Corneille (Le Cid) Molière considered one of three great dramatists of France's golden age Molière who deemed be one of greatest masters of comedy of Western literature, wrote dozens of plays including Le Misanthrope L'Avare Le Malade imaginaire Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme His plays have been so popular around world that French language sometimes dubbed the language of Molière (la langue de Molière), just like English considered the language of ShakespeareFrench literature poetry flourished even more 18th 19th centuries Denis Diderot's best-known works Jacques Fatalist Rameau's Nephew He however best known being main redactor of Encyclopédie whose aim was sum up all knowledge of his century (in fields such arts sciences languages philosophy) present them people order fight ignorance obscurantism During that same century Charles Perrault was prolific writer of famous children's fairy tales including Puss Boots Cinderella Sleeping Beauty Bluebeard start of 19th century symbolist poetry was important movement French literature with poets such Charles Baudelaire Paul Verlaine Stéphane MallarméThe 19th century saw writings of many renowned French authors Victor Hugo sometimes seen the greatest French writer of all times excelling all literary genres preface of his play Cromwell considered be manifesto of Romantic movement Les Contemplations La Légende des siècles considered poetic masterpieces, Hugo's verse having been compared that of Shakespeare Dante Homer His novel Les Misérables widely seen one of greatest novel ever written Hunchback of Notre Dame has remained immensely popularOther major authors of that century include Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers Count of Monte-Cristo) Jules Verne (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under Sea) Émile Zola (Les Rougon-Macquart) Honoré de Balzac (La Comédie humaine) Guy de Maupassant Théophile Gautier Stendhal (The Red Black Charterhouse of Parma) whose works among most well known France world Prix Goncourt French literary prize first awarded 1903 Important writers of 20th century include Marcel Proust Louis-Ferdinand Céline Albert Camus Jean-Paul Sartre Antoine de Saint Exupéry wrote Little Prince which has remained popular decades with children adults around worldof 2014 French authors had more Literature Nobel Prizes than those of any other nationfirst Nobel Prize Literature was French author while France's latest Nobel prize literature Patrick Modiano who was awarded prize 2014 Jean-Paul Sartre was also first nominee committee's history refuse prize 1964Philosophy, René Descartes founder of modern philosophyFrench philosophers produced some of most important political works of Age of Enlightenment Spirit of Laws Baron de Montesquieu theorised principle of separation of powers which has been implemented all liberal democracies since was first applied United States Voltaire came embody Enlightenment with his defence of civil liberties such right free trial freedom of religion19th-century French thought was targeted responding social malaise following French Revolution Rationalist philosophers such Victor Cousin Auguste Comte who called new social doctrine were opposed reactionary thinkers such Joseph de Maistre Louis de Bonald Félicité Robert de Lamennais who blamed rationalist rejection of traditional order De Maistre considered together with Englishman Edmund Burke one of founders of European conservatism while Comte regarded founder of positivism which Émile Durkheim reformulated basis social researchIn 20th century partly reaction perceived excesses of positivism French spiritualism thrived with thinkers such Henri Bergson influenced American pragmatism Whitehead's version of process philosophy Meanwhile French epistemology became prominent school of thought with Jules Henri Poincaré Gaston Bachelard Jean Cavaillès Jules Vuillemin Influenced German phenomenology existentialism philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre gained strong influence after World War II late-20th-century-France became craddle of postmodern philosophy with Jean-François Lyotard Jean Baudrillard Jacques Derrida Michel FoucaultMusic, NormandyÎle-de-France 3rd arrondissement Guillotière (north) Préfecture Part-Dieu Villette Dauphiné/Sans Souci Montchat Grange Blanche (north) Monplaisir (north).
Marseille listed major centre of art history city has many museums galleries there many ancient buildings churches of historical interestCentral 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). Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (located Villeurbanne), Claude Monet founded Impressionist movement (Femme avec un parasol 1886 Musée d'Orsay)The 17th century was period when French painting became prominent individualised itself through classicism Louis XIV's prime minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert founded 1648 Royal Academy of Painting Sculpture protect these artists 1666 he created still-active French Academy Rome have direct relations with Italian artistsFrench artists developed rococo style 18th century more intimate imitation of old baroque style works of court-endorsed artists Antoine Watteau François Boucher Jean-Honoré Fragonard being most representative country French Revolution brought great changes Napoleon favoured artists of neoclassic style such Jacques-Louis David highly influential Académie des Beaux-Arts defined style known Academism this time France had become centre of artistic creation first half of 19th century being dominated two successive movements first Romanticism with Théodore Géricault Eugène Delacroix Realism with Camille Corot Gustave Courbet Jean-François Millet style that eventually evolved into NaturalismThe Thinker bronze statue from 1902 from Musée Rodin Paris, Saint-Bruno des Chartreux (17th 18th century) church masterpiece of Baroque architecture. The Eiffel Tower La Défense disctrictThe economy of City of Paris based largely services commerce of 390,480 enterprises city 80.6 percent engaged commerce transportation diverse services 6.5 percent construction just 3.8 percent industrystory similar Paris Region (Île-de-France) 76.7 percent of enterprises engaged commerce services 3.4 percent industryAt 2012 census 59.5% of jobs Paris Region were market services (12.0% wholesale retail trade 9.7% professional scientific technical services 6.5% information communication 6.5% transportation warehousing 5.9% finance insurance 5.8% administrative support services 4.6% accommodation food services 8.5% various other market services) 26.9% non-market services (10.4% human health social work activities 9.6% public administration defence 6.9% education) 8.2% manufacturing utilities (6.6% manufacturing 1.5% utilities) 5.2% construction 0.2% agricultureThe Paris Region had 5.4 million salaried employees 2010 of whom 2.2 million were concentrated 39 pôles d'emplois or business districts largest of these terms of number of employees known French QCA or quartier central des affaires western part of City of Paris 2nd 8th 9th 16th 18th arrondissements 2010 was workplace of 500,000 salaried employees about 30 percent of salaried employees Paris 10 percent of those Île-de-France largest sectors of activity central business district were finance insurance (16 percent of employees district) business services (15 percent) district also includes large concentration of department stores shopping areas hotels restaurants well government offices ministriesThe second-largest business district terms of employment La Défense just west of city where many companies installed their offices 1990s 2010 was workplace of 144,600 employees of whom 38 percent worked finance insurance 16 percent business support services Two other important districts Neuilly-sur-Seine Levallois-Perret extensions of Paris business district of La Défense Another district including Boulogne-Billancourt Issy-les-Moulineaux southern part of 15th arrondissement centre of activity media information technologyThe top ten French companies listed Fortune Global 500 2018 all have their headquarters Paris Region six central business district of City of Paris four close city Hauts-de-Seine Department three La Défense one Boulogne-Billancourt Some companies like Société Générale have offices both Paris La DéfenseThe Paris Region France's leading region economic activity with GDP of €681 billion (~US$850 billion) €56,000 (~US$70,000) per capita2011 its GDP ranked second among regions of Europe its per-capita GDP was 4th highest Europe While Paris region's population accounted 18.8 percent of metropolitan France 2011, Paris region's GDP accounted 30 percent of metropolitan France's GDPThe Paris Region economy has gradually shifted from industry high-value-added service industries (finance services) high-tech manufacturing (electronics optics aerospace etc.)Paris region's most intense economic activity through central Hauts-de-Seine department suburban La Défense business district places Paris's economic centre west of city triangle between Opéra Garnier La Défense Val de Seine While Paris economy dominated services employment manufacturing sector has declined sharply region remains important manufacturing centre particularly aeronautics automobiles eco industriesIn 2017 worldwide cost of living survey Economist Intelligence Unit based survey made September 2016 Paris ranked seventh most expensive city world second most expensive Europe after ZurichEmployment, see description Pierre Mignard Self-portrait between 1670 1690 oil canvas 235 cm × 188 cm (93 × 74 in) Louvre! Lyon has humid subtropical climate (Cfa) albeit having some characteristics of oceanic climate (Cfb) mean temperature Lyon coldest month 3.2 °C (37.8 °F) January warmest month July 22 °C (71.6 °F) hence maintaining its subtropical classification Precipitation adequate year-round average of 830 mm (32.7 in) but winter months driest highest recorded temperature 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) 13 August 2003 while lowest recorded temperature −24.6 °C (−12.3 °F) 22 December 1938Administration, A view of Seine Île de la Cité Bateau Mouche. Saint-Bruno des Chartreux (17th 18th century) church masterpiece of Baroque architecture For centuries Paris has attracted artists from around world who arrive city educate themselves seek inspiration from its vast pool of artistic resources galleries result Paris has acquired reputation City of Art Italian artists were profound influence development of art Paris 16th 17th centuries particularly sculpture reliefs Painting sculpture became pride of French monarchy French royal family commissioned many Parisian artists adorn their palaces during French Baroque Classicism era Sculptors such Girardon Coysevox Coustou acquired reputations finest artists royal court 17th-century France Pierre Mignard became first painter King Louis XIV during this period 1648 Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture (Royal Academy of Painting Sculpture) was established accommodate dramatic interest art capital This served France's top art school until 1793Auguste Renoir Bal du moulin de la Galette 1876 oil canvas 131 cm × 175 cm (52 × 69 in) Musée d'Orsay. 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). Rhône-AlpesOccitanie Main article Economy of Paris, The population of city of Lyon proper was 491,268 January 2011 census, 14% of whom were born outside Metropolitan FranceMain sights, francophone minorities. La Martiniere Lyon Main article Sport France Musée d'Orsay.
W Edward Porter IV Attorney at Law