Network of highways around Lyon, ComtéCentre-Val de Loire Châteaux Immigration The lands making up French Republic shown same geographic scalePolitics. 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. City Hall towering over Place des Terreaux Republican Guards parading Bastille Day Provence- Tour du Crédit Lyonnais Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon (Fine Arts Museum) main museum of city one of largest art galleries France Housed Palais Saint Pierre former 17th-century convent displays major collection of paintings artists (including Tintoretto Paolo Veronese Nicolas Poussin Rubens Rembrandt Zurbaran Canaletto Delacroix Monet Gauguin Van Gogh Cézanne Matisse Picasso Francis Bacon...) collections of sculptures drawings printings decorative arts Roman Greek antiquities second largest collection of Egyptian antiquities France after that of Louvre medal cabinet of 50.000 medals coinsThe Gallo-Roman Museum displaying many valuable objects artworks found site of Roman Lyon (Lugdunum) such Circus Games Mosaic Coligny calendar Taurobolic Altar. Jean-Paul Sartre See also List of French monarchs France Middle Ages, French poilus sustained highest number of casualties among Allies World War IThe Cabanes du Breuil Dordogne built between 1880 1920 show that some rural parts of France remained traditional areas until recentlyFrance was member of Triple Entente when World War I broke out small part of Northern France was occupied but France its allies emerged victorious against Central Powers tremendous human material cost World War I left 1.4 million French soldiers dead 4% of its population Between 27 30% of soldiers conscripted from 1912–1915 were killedinterbellum years were marked intense international tensions variety of social reforms introduced Popular Front government (annual leave eight-hour workdays women government)In 1940 France was invaded occupied Nazi Germany Metropolitan France was divided into German occupation zone north Vichy France newly established authoritarian regime collaborating with Germany south while Free France government-in-exile led Charles de Gaulle was set up London From 1942 1944 about 160,000 French citizens including around 75,000 Jews, were deported death camps concentration camps Germany occupied Poland6 June 1944 Allies invaded Normandy August they invaded Provence Over following year Allies French Resistance emerged victorious over Axis powers French sovereignty was restored with establishment of Provisional Government of French Republic (GPRF) This interim government established de Gaulle aimed continue wage war against Germany purge collaborators from office also made several important reforms (suffrage extended women creation of social security system) GPRF laid groundwork new constitutional order that resulted Fourth Republic which saw spectacular economic growth (les Trente Glorieuses) France was one of founding members of NATO (1949)Charles de Gaulle seated uniform looking left with folded arms.
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. The Stade Vélodrome home of Olympique de Marseille, There several popular festivals different neighborhoods with concerts animations outdoor bars like Fête du Panier June 21 June there dozens of free concerts city part of France's Fête de la Musique featuring music from all over world Being free events many Marseille residents attendMarseille hosts Gay Pride event early July 2013 Marseille hosted Europride international LGBT event 10 July–20 beginning of July there International Documentary Festival end of September electronic music festival Marsatac takes place October Fiesta des Suds offers many concerts of world musicHip hop music, According Article 2 of Constitution official language of France French, Romance language derived from Latin Since 1635 Académie française has been France's official authority French language although its recommendations carry no legal weight There also regional languages spoken France such Occitan Breton Catalan Flemish (Dutch dialect) Alsatian (German dialect) Basque others (see Languages of France) Italian was official language of Corsica until May 9 1859The French government does not regulate choice of language publications individuals but use of French required law commercial workplace communications addition mandating use of French territory of Republic French government tries promote French European Union globally through institutions such La Francophonie perceived threat from anglicisation has prompted efforts safeguard position of French language France Besides French there exist 77 vernacular minority languages of France eight spoken French metropolitan territory 69 French overseas territoriesFrom 17th mid-20th century French served pre-eminent international language of diplomacy international affairs well lingua franca among educated classes of Europedominant position of French language international affairs was overtaken English since emergence of US major powerFor most of time which French served international lingua franca was not native language of most Frenchmen report 1794 conducted Henri Grégoire found that of country's 25 million people only three million spoke French natively rest spoke one of country's many regional languages such Alsatian Breton or Occitan Through expansion of public education which French was sole language of instruction well other factors such increased urbanisation rise of mass communication French gradually came be adopted virtually entire population process not completed until 20th centuryAs result of France's extensive colonial ambitions between 17th 20th centuries French was introduced Americas Africa Polynesia South-East Asia Caribbean French second most studied foreign language world after English, lingua franca some regions notably Africa legacy of French living language outside Europe mixed nearly extinct some former French colonies (The Levant South Southeast Asia) while creoles pidgins based French have emerged French departments West Indies South Pacific (French Polynesia) other hand many former French colonies have adopted French official language total number of French speakers increasing especially AfricaIt estimated that between 300 million 500 million people worldwide can speak French either mother tongue or second languageAccording 2007 Adult Education survey part of project European Union carried France Insee based sample of 15,350 persons French was first mother tongue of 87.2% of total population or roughly 55.81 million people followed Arabic (3.6% 2.30 million) Portuguese (1.5% 0.96 million) Spanish (1.2% 0.77 million) Italian (1.0% 0.64 million) People who had other languages their mother tongue made up 5.2% of populationReligion; Main article French Armed Forces francophone minorities, EPITA Marseille has been setting many films mostly produced France or Hollywood Taxi 4 was filmed Marseille (2007). See also List of twin towns sister cities of Paris Main article Arrondissements of Lyon! Nouvelle- See also Marseille-Provence 2013, Palais du Pharo Ambox current red.svg, The Romans recognised that Lugdunum's strategic location convergence of two navigable rivers made natural communications hub city became starting point of principal Roman roads area quickly became capital of province Gallia Lugdunensis Two Emperors were born this city Claudius whose speech preserved Lyon Tablet which he justifies nomination of Gallic Senators CaracallaEarly Christians Lyon were martyred their beliefs under reigns of various Roman emperors most notably Marcus Aurelius Septimius Severus Local saints from this period include Blandina Pothinus Epipodius among others second century AD great Christian bishop of Lyon was Easterner Irenaeusthis day archbishop of Lyon still referred Primat des GaulesBurgundians fleeing destruction of Worms Huns 437 were re-settled Lugdunum 443 Romans established Kingdom of Burgundians Lugdunum became its capital 461 843 Treaty of Verdun Lyon went Holy Roman Emperor Lothair I later was made part of Kingdom of Arles Lyon did not come under French control until 14th centuryModern Lyon. Main article Religion Marseille, ESDES Business School, Main articles Arrondissements of Marseille Cantons of Marseille. Église Saint-Paul Romanesque (12th 13th century) Gothic (15th–16th century) church See also Arrondissements of Paris List of mayors of Paris. The Louvre, 5th arrondissement Vieux Lyon (Saint-Paul Saint-Jean Saint-Georges) Saint-Just Saint-Irénée, Fourvière Point du Jour Ménival Battières Champvert (south), During Hundred Years' War Paris was occupied England-friendly Burgundian forces from 1418 before being occupied outright English when Henry V of England entered French capital 1420 spite of 1429 effort Joan of Arc liberate city, would remain under English occupation until 1436In late 16th-century French Wars of Religion Paris was stronghold of Catholic League organisers of 24 August 1572 St Bartholomew's Day massacre which thousands of French Protestants were killedconflicts ended when pretender throne Henry IV after converting Catholicism gain entry capital entered city 1594 claimed crown of France This king made several improvements capital during his reign he completed construction of Paris's first uncovered sidewalk-lined bridge Pont Neuf built Louvre extension connecting Tuileries Palace created first Paris residential square Place Royale now Place des Vosges king would end his life capital assassinated narrow street near Les Halles marketplace 1610During 17th century Cardinal Richelieu chief minister of Louis XIII was determined make Paris most beautiful city Europe He built five new bridges new chapel College of Sorbonne palace himself Palais Cardinal which he bequeathed Louis XIII After Richelieu's death 1642 was renamed Palais-RoyalDue Parisian uprisings during Fronde civil war Louis XIV moved his court new palace Versailles 1682 Although no longer capital of France arts sciences city flourished with Comédie-Française Academy of Painting French Academy of Sciences demonstrate that city was safe from attack king had city walls demolished replaced with tree-lined boulevards that would become Grands Boulevards of today Other marks of his reign were Collège des Quatre-Nations Place Vendôme Place des Victoires Les Invalides18th 19th centuries.
The Dentists on Pearl