E-Artsup Tourists from around world make Louvre most-visited art museum worldGreater Paris comprising Paris its three surrounding departments received 23.6 million visitors 2017 measured hotel arrivals These included 12 million foreign visitors 11.5 million French visitors Of foreign visitors greatest number came from United States (2 million) Great Britain (1.1 million) Germany (802.6 thousand) China (774.4 thousand)In 2016 measured MasterCard Global Cities Destination Index Paris was third-busiest airline destination world with 18.03 million visitors behind Bangkok (21.47 million) London (19.88 million) According Paris Convention Visitors Bureau 393,008 workers Greater Paris or 12.4% of total workforce engaged tourism-related sectors such hotels catering transport leisureMonuments attractions, Main article Lugdunum The Rhône Saône converge south of historic city centre forming peninsula – Presqu'île – bounded two large hills west north large plain eastward Place Bellecour located Presqu'île between two rivers third-largest public square France broad pedestrian-only Rue de la République leads north from Place BellecourThe northern hill La Croix-Rousse known the hill that works because traditionally home many small silk workshops industry which city has long been renownedThe western hill Fourvière known the hill that prays because location basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière several convents residence of Archbishop district Vieux Lyon also hosts Tour métallique (a highly visible TV tower replicating last stage of Eiffel Tower) one of city's funicular railways Fourvière along with portions of Presqu'île much of La Croix-Rousse designated UNESCO World Heritage siteEast of Rhône from Presqu'île large flat area upon which sits much of modern Lyon contains most of city's population Situated this area urban centre of La Part-Dieu which clusters landmark structures Tour Part-Dieu Tour Oxygène Tour Swiss Life well city's primary railway station Gare de Lyon-Part-DieuNorth of this district sixth arrondissement which home one of Europe's largest urban parks Parc de la Tête d'or well Lycée du Parc Interpol's world headquartersPanorama of city of Lyon. Paris was its artistic prime 19th century early 20th century when had colony of artists established city art schools associated with some of finest painters of times Édouard Manet Claude Monet Berthe Morisot Paul Gauguin Pierre-Auguste Renoir others French Revolution political social change France had profound influence art capital Paris was central development of Romanticism art with painters such Gericault Impressionism Art Nouveau Symbolism Fauvism Cubism Art Deco movements all evolved Paris late 19th century many artists French provinces worldwide flocked Paris exhibit their works numerous salons expositions make name themselves Artists such Pablo Picasso Henri Matisse Vincent van Gogh Paul Cézanne Jean Metzinger Albert Gleizes Henri Rousseau Marc Chagall Amedeo Modigliani many others became associated with Paris Picasso living Le Bateau-Lavoir Montmartre painted his famous La Famille de Saltimbanques Les Demoiselles d'Avignon between 1905 1907 Montmartre Montparnasse became centres artistic productionThe most prestigious names of French foreign sculptors who made their reputation Paris modern era Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (Statue of Liberty - Liberty Enlightening World) Auguste Rodin Camille Claudel Antoine Bourdelle Paul Landowski (statue of Christ Redeemer Rio de Janeiro) Aristide Maillol Golden Age of School of Paris ended between two world warsPhotography, Musée des Automates museum of automated puppets Vieux Lyon open since 1991Parks gardens, Panorama of inner city of Lyon taken from basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière's roof. France part of monetary union Eurozone (dark blue) of European Single MarketA member of Group of Seven (formerly Group of Eight) leading industrialised countries of 2014 ranked world's ninth largest EU's second largest economy purchasing power parity With 31 of 500 biggest companies world 2015 France ranks fourth Fortune Global 500 ahead of Germany UK France joined 11 other EU members launch euro 1999 with euro coins banknotes completely replacing French franc (₣) 2002France has mixed economy that combines extensive private enterprise with substantial state enterprise government intervention government retains considerable influence over key segments of infrastructure sectors with majority ownership of railway electricity aircraft nuclear power telecommunications.[not citation given] has been relaxing its control over these sectors since early 1990s.[not citation given] government slowly corporatising state sector selling off holdings France Télécom Air France well insurance banking defence industries.[not citation given] France has important aerospace industry led European consortium Airbus has its own national spaceport Centre Spatial GuyanaisComposition of French economy (GDP) 2016 expenditure type. 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, Camille Pissarro Boulevard Montmartre 1897 Hermitage Museum French composers played important role during music of 19th early 20th century which considered be Romantic music era Romantic music emphasised surrender nature fascination with past supernatural exploration of unusual strange surprising sounds focus national identity This period was also golden age operas French composers from Romantic era included Hector Berlioz (best known his Symphonie fantastique) Georges Bizet (best known Carmen which has become one of most popular frequently performed operas) Gabriel Fauré (best known his Pavane Requiem nocturnes) Charles Gounod (best known his Ave Maria his opera Faust) Jacques Offenbach (best known his 100 operettas of 1850s–1870s his uncompleted opera Tales of Hoffmann) Édouard Lalo (best known his Symphonie espagnole violin orchestra his Cello Concerto D minor) Jules Massenet (best known his operas of which he wrote more than thirty most frequently staged Manon (1884) Werther (1892)) Camille Saint-Saëns (he has many frequently-performed works including Carnival of Animals Danse macabre Samson Delilah (Opera) Introduction Rondo Capriccioso his Symphony No 3)Claude Debussy 1900. Main article History of France Université Jean Moulin (Lyon 3) France part of monetary union Eurozone (dark blue) of European Single MarketA member of Group of Seven (formerly Group of Eight) leading industrialised countries of 2014 ranked world's ninth largest EU's second largest economy purchasing power parity With 31 of 500 biggest companies world 2015 France ranks fourth Fortune Global 500 ahead of Germany UK France joined 11 other EU members launch euro 1999 with euro coins banknotes completely replacing French franc (₣) 2002France has mixed economy that combines extensive private enterprise with substantial state enterprise government intervention government retains considerable influence over key segments of infrastructure sectors with majority ownership of railway electricity aircraft nuclear power telecommunications.[not citation given] has been relaxing its control over these sectors since early 1990s.[not citation given] government slowly corporatising state sector selling off holdings France Télécom Air France well insurance banking defence industries.[not citation given] France has important aerospace industry led European consortium Airbus has its own national spaceport Centre Spatial GuyanaisComposition of French economy (GDP) 2016 expenditure type; Administrative language Overview Lyon during Fête des Lumières, Ombrosa Hôtel-Dieu de Lyon (17th 18th century) historical hospital with baroque chapel France derives most of its electricity from nuclear power highest percentage world Photo of Cattenom Nuclear Power PlantÉlectricité de France (EDF) main electricity generation distribution company France also one of world's largest producers of electricity 2003 produced 22% of European Union's electricity,[citation needed] primarily from nuclear power France smallest emitter of carbon dioxide among G8 due its heavy investment nuclear powerof 2016 72% of electricity produced France generated 58 nuclear power plantsthis context renewable energies having difficulty taking off France also uses hydroelectric dams produce electricity such Eguzon dam Étang de Soulcem Lac de VouglansTransport.
France especially Paris has some of world's largest renowned museums including Louvre which most visited art museum world (5.7 million) Musée d'Orsay (2.1 million) mostly devoted Impressionism Centre Georges Pompidou (1.2 million) dedicated contemporary art Disneyland Paris Europe's most popular theme park with 15 million combined visitors resort's Disneyland Park Walt Disney Studios Park 2009French Riviera. No religion (39.6%) Cathedral of St John medieval church with architectural elements of 13th 14th 15th centuries also principal religious structure city seat of Archbishop of Lyon; Place des Vosges As far French intelligence units concerned Directorate-General External Security (Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure) considered be component of Armed Forces under authority of Ministry of Defence other Central Directorate Interior Intelligence (Direction centrale du renseignement intérieur) division of National Police Force (Direction générale de la Police Nationale) therefore reports directly Ministry of Interior There has been no national conscription since 1997France has special military corps French Foreign Legion founded 1830 which consists of foreign nationals from over 140 countries who willing serve French Armed Forces become French citizens after end of their service period only other countries having similar units Spain (the Spanish Foreign Legion called Tercio was founded 1920) Luxembourg (foreigners can serve National Army provided they speak Luxembourgish)France permanent member of Security Council of UN recognised nuclear state since 1960 France has signed ratified Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) acceded Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty France's annual military expenditure 2011 was US$62.5 billion or 2.3% of its GDP making fifth biggest military spender world after United States China Russia United KingdomFrench nuclear deterrence (formerly known Force de Frappe) relies complete independence current French nuclear force consists of four Triomphant class submarines equipped with submarine-launched ballistic missiles addition submarine fleet estimated that France has about 60 ASMP medium-range air-to-ground missiles with nuclear warheads, of which around 50 deployed Air Force using Mirage 2000N long-range nuclear strike aircraft while around 10 deployed French Navy's Super Étendard Modernisé (SEM) attack aircraft which operate from nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle new Rafale F3 aircraft will gradually replace all Mirage 2000N SEM nuclear strike role with improved ASMP-A missile with nuclear warheadFrance has major military industries with one of largest aerospace industries world Its industries have produced such equipment Rafale fighter Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier Exocet missile Leclerc tank among others Despite withdrawing from Eurofighter project France actively investing European joint projects such Eurocopter Tiger multipurpose frigates UCAV demonstrator nEUROn Airbus A400M France major arms seller, with most of its arsenal's designs available export market with notable exception of nuclear-powered devicesThe Bastille Day military parade held Paris each 14 July France's national day called Bastille Day English-speaking countries (referred France Fête nationale) oldest largest regular military parade Europe Other smaller parades organised across countryGovernment finance. 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!
McNutt Timothy E