With 6 millions tourists year castles of Loire Valley (French châteaux) Loire Valley itself third leading tourist destination France this World Heritage Site noteworthy its architectural heritage its historic towns but particular its castles such Châteaux d'Amboise de Chambord d'Ussé de Villandry Chenonceau Montsoreau Château de Chantilly Versailles Vaux-le-Vicomte all three located near Paris also visitor attractionsUNESCO World Heritage Sites protected areas. FranceGrand Est The Paris Métro busiest subway network European UnionSince inauguration of its first line 1900 Paris's Métro (subway) network has grown become city's most widely used local transport system today carries about 5.23 million passengers daily through 16 lines 303 stations (385 stops) 220 km (136.7 mi) of rails Superimposed this 'regional express network' RER whose five lines (A B C D E) 257 stops 587 km (365 mi) of rails connect Paris more distant parts of urban areaOver €26.5 billion will be invested over next 15 years extend Métro network into suburbs, with notably Grand Paris Express projectIn addition Paris region served light rail network of nine lines tramway Line T1 runs from Asnières-Gennevilliers Noisy-le-Sec Line T2 runs from Pont de Bezons Porte de Versailles Line T3a runs from Pont du Garigliano Porte de Vincennes Line T3b runs from Porte de Vincennes Porte de la Chapelle Line T5 runs from Saint-Denis Garges-Sarcelles Line T6 runs from Châtillon Viroflay Line T7 runs from Villejuif Athis-Mons Line T8 runs from Saint-Denis Épinay-sur-Seine Villetaneuse all of which operated RATP Group, line T4 runs from Bondy RER Aulnay-sous-Bois which operated state rail carrier SNCF Five new light rail lines currently various stages of developmentAir, Health care emergency medical service city of Paris its suburbs provided Assistance publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) public hospital system that employs more than 90,000 people (including practitioners support personnel administrators) 44 hospitalslargest hospital system Europe provides health care teaching research prevention education emergency medical service 52 branches of medicine hospitals receive more than 5.8 million annual patient visitsOne of most notable hospitals Hôtel-Dieu founded 651 oldest hospital city Other hospitals include Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital (one of largest Europe) Hôpital Cochin Hôpital Bichat Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou Bicêtre Hospital Beaujon Hospital Curie Institute Lariboisière Hospital Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital Hôpital Saint-Louis Hôpital de la Charité American Hospital of ParisMedia. View of Petit Nice Marseille's corniche (7th arrondissement) with Frioul archipelago Château d'If background, Immigration According 2012 INSEE figures 68 percent of employees City of Paris work commerce transportation services 24.4 percent public administration health social services 4.4 percent industry 0.1 percent agricultureThe majority of Paris's salaried employees fill 370,000 businesses services jobs concentrated north-western 8th 16th 17th arrondissements Paris's financial service companies concentrated central-western 8th 9th arrondissement banking insurance district Paris's department store district 1st 6th 8th 9th arrondissements employ ten percent of mostly female Paris workers with 100,000 of these registered retail trade Fourteen percent of Parisians work hotels restaurants other services individuals Nineteen percent of Paris employees work State either administration or education majority of Paris's healthcare social workers work hospitals social housing concentrated peripheral 13th 14th 18th 19th 20th arrondissements Outside Paris western Hauts-de-Seine department La Défense district specialising finance insurance scientific research district employs 144,600, north-eastern Seine-Saint-Denis audiovisual sector has 200 media firms 10 major film studiosParis's manufacturing mostly focused its suburbs city itself has only around 75,000 manufacturing workers most of which textile clothing leather goods shoe trades Paris region manufacturing specialises transportation mainly automobiles aircraft trains but this sharp decline Paris proper manufacturing jobs dropped 64 percent between 1990 2010 Paris region lost 48 percent during same period Most of this due companies relocating outside Paris region Paris region's 800 aerospace companies employed 100,000 Four hundred automobile industry companies employ another 100,000 workers many of these centred Yvelines department around Renault PSA-Citroen plants (this department alone employs 33,000), but industry whole suffered major loss with 2014 closing of major Aulnay-sous-Bois Citroen assembly plantThe southern Essonne department specialises science technology, south-eastern Val-de-Marne with its wholesale Rungis food market specialises food processing beveragesParis region's manufacturing decline quickly being replaced eco-industries these employ about 100,000 workers2011 while only 56,927 construction workers worked Paris itself, its metropolitan area employed 246,639, activity centred largely around Seine-Saint-Denis (41,378) Hauts-de-Seine (37,303) departments new business-park centres appearing thereUnemployment, During Restoration bridges squares of Paris were returned their pre-Revolution names but July Revolution of 1830 Paris (commemorated July Column Place de la Bastille) brought constitutional monarch Louis Philippe I power first railway line Paris opened 1837 beginning new period of massive migration from provinces city Louis-Philippe was overthrown popular uprising streets of Paris 1848 His successor Napoleon III newly appointed prefect of Seine Georges-Eugène Haussmann launched gigantic public works project build wide new boulevards new opera house central market new aqueducts sewers parks including Bois de Boulogne Bois de Vincennes1860 Napoleon III also annexed surrounding towns created eight new arrondissements expanding Paris its current limitsIn 1860s Paris streets monuments were illuminated 56,000 gas lamps giving name The City of LightDuring Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) Paris was besieged Prussian army After months of blockade hunger then bombardment Prussians city was forced surrender 28 January 1871 28 March revolutionary government called Paris Commune seized power Paris Commune held power two months until was harshly suppressed French army during Bloody Week end of May 1871The Eiffel Tower under construction November 1888 startled Parisians – world – with its modernityLate 19th century Paris hosted two major international expositions 1889 Universal Exposition was held mark centennial of French Revolution featured new Eiffel Tower 1900 Universal Exposition which gave Paris Pont Alexandre III Grand Palais Petit Palais first Paris Métro line Paris became laboratory of Naturalism (Émile Zola) Symbolism (Charles Baudelaire Paul Verlaine) of Impressionism art (Courbet Manet Monet Renoir)20th 21st centuries. Main article Demographics of Paris French cuisine also regarded key element of quality of life attractiveness of FranceFrench publication Michelin guide awards Michelin stars excellence select few establishmentsacquisition or loss of star can have dramatic effects success of restaurant 2006 Michelin Guide had awarded 620 stars French restaurants that time more than any other country although guide also inspects more restaurants France than any other country (by 2010 Japan was awarded many Michelin stars France despite having half number of Michelin inspectors working there)In addition its wine tradition France also major producer of beer rum three main French brewing regions Alsace (60% of national production) Nord-Pas-de-Calais Lorraine meal often consists of three courses hors d'œuvre or entrée (introductory course sometimes soup) plat principal (main course) fromage (cheese course) or dessert sometimes with salad offered before cheese or dessert France produces rum via distilleries located islands such Reunion Island southern Indian OceanSports. A central hub of national rail network Paris's six major railway stations (Gare du Nord Gare de l'Est Gare de Lyon Gare d'Austerlitz Gare Montparnasse Gare Saint-Lazare) minor one (Gare de Bercy) connected three networks TGV serving four high-speed rail lines normal speed Corail trains suburban rails (Transilien)Métro RER tramway, Main articles Gaul Celts Roman Gaul Palme d'Or award presentation case Napoleon Emperor of French his Grande Armée built vast Empire across Europe His conquests spread French revolutionary ideals across much of Europe such popular sovereignty legal equality republicanism administrative reorganization while his legal reforms had major impact worldwide Nationalism especially Germany emerged reaction against himNapoleon Bonaparte seized control of Republic 1799 becoming First Consul later Emperor of French Empire (1804–1814 1815) continuation of wars sparked European monarchies against French Republic changing sets of European Coalitions declared wars Napoleon's Empire His armies conquered most of continental Europe with swift victories such battles of Jena-Auerstadt or Austerlitz Members of Bonaparte family were appointed monarchs some of newly established kingdoms These victories led worldwide expansion of French revolutionary ideals reforms such Metric system Napoleonic Code Declaration of Rights of Man After catastrophic Russian campaign ensuing uprising of European monarchies against his rule Napoleon was defeated Bourbon monarchy restored About million Frenchmen died during Napoleonic Wars After his brief return from exile Napoleon was finally defeated 1815 Battle of Waterloo monarchy was re-established (1815–1830) with new constitutional limitationsThe discredited Bourbon dynasty was overthrown July Revolution of 1830 which established constitutional July Monarchy that year French troops conquered Algeria establishing first colonial presence Africa since Napoleon's abortive invasion of Egypt 1798 According historian Ben Kiernan French conquest pacification of Algeria from 1830 until early twentieth century slaughtered 825,000 Algerian people French losses from 1831–51 were 92,329 dead hospital only 3,336 killed actionIn 1848 general unrest led February Revolution end of July Monarchy abolition of slavery male universal suffrage both briefly enacted during French Revolution were re-enacted 1848 1852 president of French Republic Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte Napoleon I's nephew was proclaimed emperor of second Empire Napoleon III He multiplied French interventions abroad especially Crimea Mexico Italy which resulted annexation of duchy of Savoy county of Nice then part of Kingdom of Sardinia Napoleon III was unseated following defeat Franco-Prussian War of 1870 his regime was replaced Third Republicanimated gif of French colonial territory world map. There 440 km (270 mi) of cycle paths routes Paris These include piste cyclable (bike lanes separated from other traffic physical barriers such kerb) bande cyclable (a bicycle lane denoted painted path road) Some 29 km (18 mi) of specially marked bus lanes free be used cyclists with protective barrier protecting against encroachments from vehicles Cyclists have also been given right ride both directions certain one-way streets Paris offers bike sharing system called Vélib' with more than 20,000 public bicycles distributed 1,800 parking stations, which can be rented short medium distances including one way tripsElectricity, Main article French architecture, Palais des congrès de Lyon (1998) designed Renzo Piano group of buildings various functions. Since 9 April 1956 Paris exclusively reciprocally twinned only with, See also List of French monarchs France Middle Ages, The population of Paris had dropped 100,000 during Revolution but between 1799 1815 surged with 160,000 new residents reaching 660,000 Napoleon Bonaparte replaced elected government of Paris with prefect reporting only him He began erecting monuments military glory including Arc de Triomphe improved neglected infrastructure of city with new fountains Canal de l'Ourcq Père Lachaise Cemetery city's first metal bridge Pont des ArtsRichelieu reading room National Library of France! Nuclear power plant Cattenom France four large cooling towers expelling white water vapor against blue sky, The city boasts wide variety of sports facilities teams most popular team city's football club Olympique de Marseille which was finalist of UEFA Champions League 1991 before winning competition 1993 club also became finalists of UEFA Europa League 1999 2004 2018 club had history of success under then-owner Bernard Tapie club's home Stade Vélodrome which can seat around 67,000 people also functions other local sports well national rugby team Stade Velodrome hosted number of games during 1998 FIFA World Cup 2007 Rugby World Cup UEFA Euro 2016 local rugby teams Marseille XIII Marseille Vitrolles Rugby.[citation needed] Marseille famous its important pétanque activity even renowned pétanque capitale2012 Marseille hosted Pétanque World Championship city hosts every year Mondial la Marseillaise de pétanque main pétanque competitionMatch Race France 2008, 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.
Centre- 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! 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, francophone minorities Climate Most of low-lying areas of metropolitan France located oceanic climate zone Cfb Cfc Köppen classification Corsica small part of territory bordering mediterranean basin lies Csa Csb zones French metropolitan territory relatively large climate not uniform giving rise following climate nuances. Ecole Centrale de Marseille part of Centrale Graduate School masthead of Le Figaro newspaper The population of Paris today lower than its historical peak of 2.9 million 1921 principal reasons were significant decline household size dramatic migration of residents suburbs between 1962 1975 Factors migration included de-industrialisation high rent gentrification of many inner quarters transformation of living space into offices greater affluence among working families city's population loss came end 21st century population estimate of July 2004 showed population increase first time since 1954 population reached 2,234,000 2009According Eurostat EU statistical agency 2012 Commune of Paris was most densely populated city European Union with 21,616 people per square kilometre within city limits (the NUTS-3 statistical area) ahead of Inner London West which had 10,374 people per square kilometre According same census three departments bordering Paris Hauts-de-Seine Seine-Saint-Denis Val-de-Marne had population densities of over 10,000 people per square kilometre ranking among 10 most densely populated areas of EUMigration. Marseille city that has its own unique culture proud of its differences from rest of France Today regional centre culture entertainment with important opera house historical maritime museums five art galleries numerous cinemas clubs bars restaurantsMarseille has large number of theatres including La Criée Le Gymnase Théâtre Toursky There also extensive arts centre La Friche former match factory behind Sainst-Charles station Alcazar until 1960s well known music hall variety theatre has recently been completely remodelled behind its original façade now houses central municipal library Other music venues Marseille include Le Silo (also theatre) GRIMMarseille has also been important arts has been birthplace home of many French writers poets including Victor Gélu (fr) Valère Bernard (fr) Pierre Bertas, Edmond Rostand André Roussin small port of l'Estaque far end of Bay of Marseille became favourite haunt artists including Auguste Renoir Paul Cézanne (who frequently visited from his home Aix) Georges Braque Raoul DufyEuropean Capital of Culture, In 1572 Lyon was scene of mass violence Catholics against Protestant Huguenots St Bartholomew's Day Massacre Two centuries later Lyon was again convulsed violence when during French Revolution citizenry rose up against National Convention supported Girondins city was besieged Revolutionary armies over two months before surrendering October 1793 Many buildings were destroyed especially around Place Bellecour while Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois Joseph Fouché administered execution of more than 2,000 people Convention ordered that its name be changed Liberated City plaque was erected that proclaimed Lyons made war Liberty Lyons no longer existsdecade later Napoleon ordered reconstruction of all buildings demolished during this periodThe city became important industrial town during 19th century 1831 1834 canuts (silk workers) of Lyon staged two major uprisings better working conditions pay 1862 first of Lyon's extensive network of funicular railways began operationDuring World War II Lyon was centre occupying Nazi forces including Klaus Barbie infamous Butcher of Lyon But city was also stronghold of French Resistance – many secret passages known traboules enabled people escape Gestapo raids 3 September 1944 Lyon was liberated 1st Free French Division Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur city now home resistance museumGeography, Bastille Day military parade Marseille 2012; An extensive bus network serves city suburbs of Marseille with 104 lines 633 buses three lines of tramway, opened 2007 go from CMA CGM Tower towards Les CaillolsAs many other French cities bike-sharing service nicknamed Le vélo free trips of less than half hour was introduced city council 2007A free ferry service operates between two opposite quays of Old Port From 2011 ferry shuttle services operate between Old Port Pointe Rouge spring 2013 will also run l'Estaque There also ferry services boat trips available from Old Port Frioul Calanques CassisSport.
Gorman Robin Ann DDS