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, Ambox current red.svg After Revolution Republicans favoured Neoclassicism although neoclassicism was introduced France prior revolution with such building Parisian Pantheon or Capitole de Toulouse Built during first French Empire Arc de Triomphe Sainte Marie-Madeleine represent best example of Empire style architectureUnder Napoleon III new wave of urbanism architecture was given birth extravagant buildings such neo-baroque Palais Garnier were built urban planning of time was very organised rigorous example Haussmann's renovation of Paris architecture associated this era named Second Empire English term being taken from Second French Empire this time there was strong Gothic resurgence across Europe France associated architect was Eugène Viollet-le-Duc late 19th century Gustave Eiffel designed many bridges such Garabit viaduct remains one of most influential bridge designers of his time although he best remembered iconic Eiffel TowerIn 20th century French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier designed several buildings France More recently French architects have combined both modern old architectural styles Louvre Pyramid example of modern architecture added older building most difficult buildings integrate within French cities skyscrapers they visible from afar instance Paris since 1977 new buildings had be under 37 meters (121 feet) France's largest financial district La Defense where significant number of skyscrapers located Other massive buildings that challenge integrate into their environment large bridges example of way this has been done Millau Viaduct Some famous modern French architects include Jean Nouvel Dominique Perrault Christian de Portzamparc or Paul AndreuLiterature. A relief map of Metropolitan France showing cities with over 100,000 inhabitantsPanorama of Mont Blanc mountain range above gray clouds under blue sky.
Catholic University of Lyon The Maison Carrée was temple of Gallo-Roman city of Nemausus (present-day Nîmes) one of best-preserved vestiges of Roman EmpireIn 600 BC Ionian Greeks originating from Phocaea founded colony of Massalia (present-day Marseille) shores of Mediterranean Sea This makes France's oldest city same time some Gallic Celtic tribes penetrated parts of current territory of France this occupation spread rest of France between 5th 3rd century BCThe Roman-era Theatre of Autun (Latin Augustodunum) Saône-et-Loire one of main historical sites of BurgundyThe concept of Gaul emerged that time corresponds territories of Celtic settlement ranging between Rhine Atlantic Ocean Pyrenees Mediterranean borders of modern France roughly same those of ancient Gaul which was inhabited Celtic Gauls Gaul was then prosperous country of which southernmost part was heavily subject Greek Roman cultural economic influencesAround 125 BC south of Gaul was conquered Romans who called this region Provincia Nostra (Our Province) which over time evolved into name Provence French Julius Caesar conquered remainder of Gaul overcame revolt carried out Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix 52 BC Gaul was divided Augustus into Roman provinces Many cities were founded during Gallo-Roman period including Lugdunum (present-day Lyon) which considered capital of Gauls These cities were built traditional Roman style with forum theatre circus amphitheatre thermal baths Gauls mixed with Roman settlers eventually adopted Roman culture Roman speech (Latin from which French language evolved) Roman polytheism merged with Gallic paganism into same syncretismFrom 250s 280s AD Roman Gaul suffered serious crisis with its fortified borders being attacked several occasions barbarians Nevertheless situation improved first half of 4th century which was period of revival prosperity Roman Gaul312 Emperor Constantin I converted Christianity Subsequently Christians who had been persecuted until then increased rapidly across entire Roman Empire But from beginning of 5th century Barbarian Invasions resumed, Germanic tribes such Vandals Suebi Alans crossed Rhine settled Gaul Spain other parts of collapsing Roman EmpireEarly Middle Ages (5th century–10th century), Église Saint-Bonaventure 14th- 15th-century Gothic church. Most French people of Celtic (Gauls) origin with admixture of Italic (Romans) Germanic (Franks) groups Different regions reflect this diverse heritage with notable Breton elements western France Aquitanian southwest Scandinavian northwest Alemannic northeast Ligurian influence southeast Large-scale immigration over last century half has led more multicultural society 2004 Institut Montaigne estimated that within Metropolitan France 51 million people were White (85% of population) 6 million were Northwest African (10%) 2 million were Black (3.3%) 1 million were Asian (1.7%)A law originating from 1789 revolution reaffirmed 1958 French Constitution makes illegal French state collect data ethnicity ancestry 2008 TeO (Trajectories origins) poll conducted jointly INED French National Institute of Statistics estimated that 5 million people were of Italian ancestry (the largest immigrant community) followed 3 million 6 million people of Northwest African ancestry 2.5 million people of Sub-Saharan African origin 200,000 people of Turkish ancestry There over 500,000 ethnic Armenians France There also sizeable minorities of other European ethnic groups namely Spanish Portuguese Polish GreekFrance has significant Gypsy (Gitan) population numbering between 20,000 400,000 Many foreign Romani people expelled back Bulgaria Romania frequentlyIt currently estimated that 40% of French population descended least partially from different waves of immigration country has received since early 20th century between 1921 1935 alone about 1.1 million net immigrants came Francenext largest wave came 1960s when around 1.6 million pieds noirs returned France following independence of its Northwest African possessions Algeria Morocco They were joined numerous former colonial subjects from North West Africa well numerous European immigrants from Spain PortugalFrance remains major destination immigrants accepting about 200,000 legal immigrants annually also Western Europe's leading recipient of asylum seekers with estimated 50,000 applications 2005 (a 15% decrease from 2004)European Union allows free movement between member states although France established controls curb Eastern European migration immigration remains contentious political issueIn 2008 INSEE estimated that total number of foreign-born immigrants was around 5 million (8% of population) while their French-born descendants numbered 6.5 million or 11% of population Thus nearly fifth of country's population were either first or second-generation immigrants of which more than 5 million were of European origin 4 million of Maghrebi ancestry2008 France granted citizenship 137,000 persons mostly people from Morocco Algeria TurkeyIn 2014 National Institute of Statistics (INSEE its acronym French) published study which reported doubling of number of Spanish immigrants Portuguese Italians France between 2009 2012 According French Institute this increase resulting from financial crisis that hit several European countries that period has pushed up number of Europeans installed France Statistics Spanish immigrants France show growth of 107 percent between 2009 2012 i.e this period went from 5300 11,000 people Of total of 229,000 foreigners who were France 2012 nearly 8% were Portuguese 5% British 5% Spanish 4% Italians 4% Germans 3% Romanians 3% BelgiansMajor cities, The Palais Longchamp with its monumental fountain Main articles History of France § Napoleonic France (1799–1815) History of France § Long 19th century 1815–1914 First French Empire Second French Empire French colonial empire. The Château de Chenonceau nowadays part of UNESCO World Heritage Site was built early 16th centuryThe French Renaissance saw spectacular cultural development first standardisation of French language which would become official language of France language of Europe's aristocracy also saw long set of wars known Italian Wars between France Spain Holy Roman Empire Refusing accept Spanish-Portuguese claims of supremacy New World King Francis I ordered his privateers sail against his Spanish rival King Charles V who ruled Holy Roman Emperor from 1519 until 1556 Emperor's realm extended from Spain parts of what now Italy Austria Germany Belgium Netherlands French explorers such Jacques Cartier or Samuel de Champlain claimed lands Americas France paving way expansion of First French colonial empire rise of Protestantism Europe led France civil war known French Wars of Religion where most notorious incident thousands of Huguenots were murdered St Bartholomew's Day massacre of 1572Wars of Religion were ended Henry IV's Edict of Nantes which granted some freedom of religion HuguenotsUnder Louis XIII energetic Cardinal Richelieu promoted centralisation of state reinforced royal power disarming domestic power holders 1620s He systematically destroyed castles of defiant lords denounced use of private violence (dueling carrying weapons maintaining private army) end of 1620s Richelieu established the royal monopoly of force doctrine France Spain fought 24-year war (the Franco-Spanish War) until signing of Treaty of Pyrenees 1659 war cost France 300,000 casualties During Louis XIV's minority regency of Queen Anne Cardinal Mazarin period of trouble known Fronde occurred France This rebellion was driven great feudal lords sovereign courts reaction rise of royal absolute power FranceLouis XIV of France standing plate armor blue sash facing left holding baton. Île-de- Climate ECAM Lyon (École Catholique d'Arts et Métiers de Lyon) 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). Théâtre des Célestins (1877) designed Gaspard André, The French television series Plus belle la vie set imaginary quarter Le Mistral of Marseille filmed Panier quarter of MarseilleThe Netflix series Marseille set city 2010sMain sights, BrittanyNouvelle-Aquitaine Main articles History of France § Revolutionary France (1789–1799) French Revolution.
Vinnies Steak House Tavern