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| Pont Serme |
| Location The**Pont Serme** or**Pons Selinus** , later called the**Pons Septimus** , was aRoman bridgeof theVia Domitiain theAudedepartment, commune ofCoursan,OccitaniasouthernFrance. The approximately 1500 m[1]longviaductcrossed the widemarshesof theAude Riverand the Etang deCapestangwest ofBéziers, surpassing in length even theTrajan's Bridgeover theDanube. Today, few traces remain of the viaduct, other than its name, which has passed over to a nearby wine-estate called ""Domaine de Pontserme ""[2][3] |
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| page_scrape,2.32206392288208,3.00732421875,,,https: |
| ### What is the single most intriguing fact about Pont Serme? |
| ### Are there any controversies surrounding Pont Serme? |
| The**Pont Serme** or**Pons Selinus** , later called the**Pons Septimus** , was aRoman bridgeof theVia Domitiain theAudedepartment, commune ofCoursan,OccitaniasouthernFrance. The approximately 1500m[1]longviaductcrossed the widemarshesof theAude Riverand the Etang deCapestangwest ofBéziers, surpassing in length even theTrajan's Bridgeover theDanube. Today, few traces remain of the viaduct, other than its name, which has passed over to a nearby wine-estate called ""Domaine de Pontserme ""[2][3] |
| Pont Serme |
| Location |
| ",2.0 |
| page_scrape,2.322803258895874,3.5330653190612793,,,https: |
| Places of interest»France»Aude»Coursan» Pont Serme |
| The Pont Serme or Pons Selinus, later called the Pons Septimus, was a Roman bridge of the Via Domitia in Hérault, southern France. The approximately 1500 m long viaduct crossed the wide marshes of the Orb and the Etang de Capestang west of Béziers, surpassing in length even the Trajan's Bridge over the Danube. Today, very little traces are left at the site, save the name proper which passed over to a village nearby. |
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| page_scrape,2.323554515838623,3.9795050621032715,,,https: |
| The Pont Serme or Pons Selinus, later called the Pons Septimus, was a Roman bridge of the Via Domitia in Hérault, southern France. The approximately 1500 m long viaduct crossed the wide marshes of the Orb and the Etang de Capestang west of Béziers, surpassing in length even the Trajan's Bridge over the Danube. Today, few traces remain of the viaduct, other than its name, which has passed over to a nearby village. |
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| page_scrape,4.765594720840454,5.333017587661743,,,https: |
| ### What is the single most intriguing fact about Pont Serme? |
| ### Are there any controversies surrounding Pont Serme? |
| The**Pont Serme** or**Pons Selinus** , later called the**Pons Septimus** , was aRoman bridgeof theVia Domitiain theAudedepartment, commune ofCoursan,OccitaniasouthernFrance. The approximately 1500m[1]longviaductcrossed the widemarshesof theAude Riverand the Etang deCapestangwest ofBéziers, surpassing in length even theTrajan's Bridgeover theDanube. Today, few traces remain of the viaduct, other than its name, which has passed over to a nearby wine-estate called ""Domaine de Pontserme ""[2][3] |
| Pont Serme |
| Location Pont Julien Bridge in Vaucluse, France |
| ",2.0 |
| page_scrape,4.866888761520386,6.779753684997559,,,https: |
| ### What is the single most intriguing fact about Pont Serme? |
| ### Are there any controversies surrounding Pont Serme? |
| The**Pont Serme** or**Pons Selinus** , later called the**Pons Septimus** , was aRoman bridgeof theVia Domitiain theAudedepartment, commune ofCoursan,OccitaniasouthernFrance. The approximately 1500m[1]longviaductcrossed the widemarshesof theAude Riverand the Etang deCapestangwest ofBéziers, surpassing in length even theTrajan's Bridgeover theDanube. Today, few traces remain of the viaduct, other than its name, which has passed over to a nearby wine-estate called ""Domaine de Pontserme ""[2][3] |
| Pont Serme |
| Location Pont Julien Bridge in Vaucluse, France |
| ",2.0 |
| page_scrape,5.438362121582031,5.774937152862549,,,https: |
| Pont Serme |
| Location The**Pont Serme** or**Pons Selinus** , later called the**Pons Septimus** , was aRoman bridgeof theVia Domitiain theAudedepartment, commune ofCoursan,OccitaniasouthernFrance. The approximately 1500 m[1]longviaductcrossed the widemarshesof theAude Riverand the Etang deCapestangwest ofBéziers, surpassing in length even theTrajan's Bridgeover theDanube. Today, few traces remain of the viaduct, other than its name, which has passed over to a nearby wine-estate called ""Domaine de Pontserme ""[2][3] |
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| – inEurope(green & dark grey)– in theEuropean Union(green) |
| • Metropolitan France (INSEE) |
| Source gives area of metropolitan France as 551,500 km2(212,900 sq mi) and lists overseas regions separately, whose areas sum to 89,179 km2(34,432 sq mi). Adding these give the total shown here for the entire French Republic._The World Factbook_ reports the total as 643,801 km2(248,573 sq mi). |
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| Metropolitan France was settled during theIron AgebyCeltic tribesknown asGaulsbeforeRome annexed the areain 51 BC, leading to a distinctGallo-Roman culture. In theEarly Middle Ages, theFranksformed the kingdom ofFrancia, which became the heartland of theCarolingian Empire. TheTreaty of Verdunof 843 partitioned the empire, withWest Franciaevolving into theKingdom of France. In theHigh Middle Ages, France was a powerful but decentralizedfeudalkingdom, but from the mid-14th to the mid-15th centuries, France was plunged into a dynastic conflict withEnglandknown as theHundred Years' War. In the 16th century,French cultureflourished during theFrench Renaissanceand aFrench colonial empireemerged. Internally, France was dominated by the conflict with theHouse of Habsburgand theFrench Wars of ReligionbetweenCatholicsandHuguenots. France was successful in theThirty Years' Warand further increased its influence during the reign ofLouis XIV. |
| TheFrench Revolutionof 1789 overthrew theand produced theDeclaration of the Rights of Man, which expresses the nation's ideals to this day. France reached its political and military zenith in the early 19th century underNapoleon Bonaparte, subjugating part of continental Europe and establishing theFirst French Empire. The collapse of the empire initiated a period of relative decline, in which France endured theBourbon Restorationuntil the founding of theFrench Second Republicwhich was succeeded by theSecond French EmpireuponNapoleon III's takeover. His empire collapsed during theFranco-Prussian Warin 1870. This led to the establishment of theThird French Republic, and subsequent decades saw a period of economic prosperity and cultural and scientific flourishing known as theBelle Époque. France was one of themajor participantsofWorld War I, from whichit emerged victoriousat great human and economic cost. It was among theAllies of World War II, but it surrendered andwas occupiedin 1940. Followingits liberation in 1944, the short-livedFourth Republicwas established and later dissolved in the course of the defeat in theAlgerian War. The currentFifth Republicwas formed in 1958 byCharles de Gaulle.Algeriaand mostFrench coloniesbecame independent in the 1960s, with the majority retainingclose economic and military ties with France. |
| France retains its centuries-long status as a global centreof art,science, andphilosophy.It hoststhefourth-largest numberofUNESCO World Heritage Sitesand is theworld's leading tourist destination, having received 100 million foreignvisitors in 2023. Adeveloped country, France has ahigh nominal per capita income globally, andits advanced economyranks among the largest in the world by bothnominal GDPandPPP-adjusted GDP. It is agreat power, being one of the fivepermanent members of the United Nations Security Counciland an officialnuclear-weapon state. The country is part ofmultiple international organizations and forums. |
| Main article:Name of France |
| In English, 'France' is pronounced/fræns/_FRANSS_in American English and/frɑːns/_FRAHNSS_or/fræns/_FRANSS_in British English. The pronunciation with |
| Main article:History of France |
| Main article:Prehistory of France |
| The oldest traces ofarchaic humansin what is now France date from approximately 1.8 million years ago.[19]Neanderthalsoccupied the region intothe Upper Paleolithicera but were slowly replaced by around 35,000 BC.[20]This period witnessed the emergence ofcave paintingin theDordogneandPyrenees, including atLascaux, dated toc.18,000BC.[19]At the end of theLast Glacial Period(10,000 BC), the climate became milder;[19]from approximately 7,000 BC, this part of Western Europe entered theNeolithicera, and its inhabitants becamesedentary. |
| The first leader to unite all Franks wasClovis I, who began his reign as king of theSalian Franksin 481, routing the last forces of the Roman governors in 486. Clovis said he would be baptised a Christian in the event of victory against theVisigothic Kingdom, which was said to have guaranteed the battle. Clovisregained the southwest from the Visigothsand was baptised in 508. Clovis I was the firstGermanicconqueror after theFall of the Western Roman Empireto convert to Catholic Christianity; thus France was given the title ""Eldest daughter of the Church"" by the papacy,[35]and French kings called ""the Most Christian Kings of France"". |
| ProclaimedHoly Roman EmperorbyPope Leo IIIand thus establishing the French government's longtimehistorical associationwith theCatholic Church,[36]Charlemagne tried to revive theWestern Roman Empireand its cultural grandeur. Charlemagne's son,Louis Ikept the empire united, however in 843, it was divided between Louis' three sons, intoEast Francia,Middle FranciaandWest Francia. West Francia approximated the area occupied by modern France and was its precursor.[37] |
| During the 9th and 10th centuries, threatened byViking invasions, France became a decentralised state: the nobility's titles and lands became hereditary, and authority of the king became more religious than secular, and so was less effective and challenged by noblemen. Thus was establishedfeudalismin France. Some king's vassals grew so powerful they posed a threat to the king. After theBattle of Hastingsin 1066,William the Conqueroradded ""King of England"" to his titles, becoming vassal and the equal of the king of France, creating recurring tensions. |
| The Carolingian dynasty ruled France until 987, whenHugh Capetwas crownedking of the Franks.[38]His descendants unified the country through wars and inheritance. From 1190, the Capetian rulers began to be referred as ""kings of France"" rather than ""kings of the Franks"".[39]Later kings expanded their directly possessed _domaine royal_to cover over half of modern France by the 15th century. Royal authority became more assertive, centred on ahierarchically conceived societydistinguishingnobility, clergy, andcommoners. |
| From the 11th century, theHouse of Plantagenet, rulers of theCounty of Anjou, established its dominion over the surrounding provinces ofMaineandTouraine, then built an ""empire"" from England to thePyrenees, covering half of modern France. Tensions between France and thePlantagenet empirewould last a hundred years, untilPhilip II of Franceconquered, between 1202 and 1214, most continental possessions of the empire, leaving England andAquitaineto the Plantagenets. |
| Charles IV the Fairdied without an heir in 1328.[42]The crown passed toPhilip of Valois, rather than Edward of Plantagenet, who becameEdward III of England. During the reign of Philip, the monarchy reached the height of its medieval power.[42]However Philip's seat on the throne was contested by Edward in 1337, and England and France entered the off-and-onHundred Years' War.[43]Boundaries changed, but landholdings inside France by English Kings remained extensive for decades. With charismatic leaders, such asJoan of Arc, French counterattacks won back most English continental territories. France was struck by theBlack Death, from which half of the 17 million population died.[44] |
| TheFrench Renaissancesaw cultural development and standardisation of French, which became theofficial language of Franceand Europe's aristocracy. France became rivals of theHouse of Habsburgduring theItalian Wars, which would dictate much of their later foreign policy until the mid-18th century. French explorers claimed lands in the Americas, paving expansion of theFrench colonial empire. The rise of Protestantism led France to a civil war known as theFrench Wars of Religion.[45]This forcedHuguenotsto flee to Protestant regions such as theBritish IslesandSwitzerland. The wars were ended byHenry IV'sEdict of Nantes, which granted some freedom of religion to the Huguenots.Spanishtroops[46]assisted the Catholics from 1589 to 1594 and invaded France in 1597. Spain and France returned to all-out war between 1635 and 1659.The warcost France 300,000 casualties.[47] |
| UnderLouis XIII,Cardinal Richelieupromoted centralisation of the state and reinforced royal power. He destroyed castles of defiant lords and denounced the use of private armies. By the end of the 1620s, Richelieu established ""the royal monopoly of force"".[48]France fought in theThirty Years' War, supporting the Protestant side against the Habsburgs. From the 16th to the 19th century, France was responsible for about 10% of thetransatlantic slave trade.[49] |
| Louis XIV, the ""Sun King"", was theabsolute monarch of Franceand made France the leading European power. |
| DuringLouis XIV's minority, trouble known asThe Frondeoccurred. This rebellion was driven by feudal lords andsovereign courtsas a reaction to theroyal absolute power. The monarchy reached its peak during the 17th century and reign of Louis XIV, during which France further increased its influence.[50]By turning lords intocourtiersat thePalace of Versailles, his command of the military went unchallenged. The ""Sun King"" made France the leading European power. France became themost populous European countryand had tremendous influence over European politics, economy, and culture. French became the most-used language in diplomacy,science, and literature until the 20th century.[51]France took control of territories in the Americas, Africa and Asia. In 1685, Louis XIVrevoked the Edict of Nantes, forcing thousands of Huguenots into exile and published the providing the legal framework for slavery and expelling Jews from French colonies.[52] |
| Under the wars ofLouis XV(r. 1715–1774), France lostNew Franceand mostIndian possessionsafter its defeat in theSeven Years' War(1756–1763). ItsEuropean territorykept growing, however, with acquisitions such asLorraineandCorsica. Louis XV's weak rule, including the decadence of his court, discredited the monarchy, which in part paved the way for theFrench Revolution.[53] |
| Louis XVI(r. 1774–1793)supported America with money, fleets and armies, helping them winindependence from Great Britain. France gained revenge, but verged on bankruptcy—a factor that contributed to the Revolution. Some of theEnlightenmentoccurred in French intellectual circles, and scientific breakthroughs, such as thenaming of oxygen(1778) and the firsthot air balloon carrying passengers(1783), were achieved by French scientists. French explorers took part in thevoyages of scientific explorationthrough maritime expeditions. Enlightenment philosophy, in whichreasonis advocated as the primary source oflegitimacy, undermined the power of and support for the monarchy and was a factor in the Revolution. |
| ### Revolutionary France (1789–1799) |
| France hadcolonial possessionssince the beginning of the 17th century, but in the 19th and 20th centuries itsempireextended greatly and became the second-largest behind theBritish Empire.[59]Including metropolitan France, the total area reached almost 13 million square kilometres in the 1920s and 1930s, 9% of the world's land. Known as the , the turn of the century was characterised by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity and technological, scientific and cultural innovations. In 1905,state secularismwasofficially established. |
| Main article:History of France (1900–present) |
| France wasinvaded by Germany and defended by Great Britainat the start of World War I in August 1914. A rich industrial area in the north was occupied. France and theAlliesemerged victorious against theCentral Powersat tremendous human cost. It left 1.4 million French soldiers dead, 4% of its population.[60][61]Interwar was marked byintense international tensionsand social reforms introduced by thePopular Front government(e.g.,annual leave,eight-hour workdays,women in government). |
| In 1940, France wasinvaded and quickly defeatedbyNazi Germany. France was divided into aGerman occupation zonein the north, anItalian occupation zoneand an unoccupied territory, the rest of France, which consisted of the southern France and the French empire. TheVichy government, an authoritarian regime collaborating with Germany, ruled the unoccupied territory.Free France, the government-in-exile led byCharles de Gaulle, was set up in London.[62] |
| Charles de Gaulle, a hero of World War I, leader of theFree FrenchduringWorld War II, andPresident of France |
| A new constitution resulted in theFourth Republic(1946–1958), which saw strong economic growth (_lesTrente Glorieuses_). France was a founding member ofNATOand attempted toregain control of French Indochina, but was defeated by theViet Minhin 1954. France faced anotheranti-colonialistconflict in Algeria, then part of France and home to over one million European settlers (Pied-Noir). The French systematically used torture and repression, including extrajudicial killings to keep control.[65]This conflict nearly led to a coup and civil war.[66] |
| During theCold War, de Gaulle pursued a policy of ""national independence"" towards theWesternandEastern blocs. He withdrew from NATO's military-integrated command (while remaining within the alliance), launched anuclear development programmeand made France thefourth nuclear power. HerestoredcordialFranco-German relationsto create a European counterweight between American and Soviet spheres of influence. However, he opposed any development of asupranational Europe, favouringsovereign nations. The revolt ofMay 1968had an enormous social impact; it was a watershed moment when a conservative moral ideal (religion, patriotism, respect for authority) shifted to a more liberal moral ideal (secularism, individualism, sexual revolution). Although the revolt was a political failure (theGaullistparty emerged stronger than before) it announced a split between the French and de Gaulle, who resigned.[70] |
| In the post-Gaullist era, France remained one of the most developedeconomies in the worldbut faced crises that resulted in high unemployment rates and increasing public debt. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, France has been at the forefront of the development of a supranationalEuropean Union, notably by signing theMaastricht Treatyin 1992, establishing theeurozonein 1999[71]and signing theTreaty of Lisbonin 2007.[72]France has fully reintegrated into NATO and since participated in most NATO-sponsored wars.[73]Since the 19th century, France hasreceived many immigrants, often maleforeign workersfrom European Catholic countries who generally returned home when not employed.[74]During the 1970s France faced an economic crisis and allowed new immigrants (mostly from theMaghreb, in northwest Africa)[74]to permanentlysettle in France with their familiesand acquire citizenship. It resulted in hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in subsidised public housing and suffering from high unemployment rates.[75]The government had a policy ofassimilationof immigrants, where they were expected to adhere to French values and norms.[76] |
| Since the1995 public transport bombings, France has been targeted by Islamist organisations, notably the _Charlie Hebdo_ attackin 2015 which provoked thelargest public ralliesin French history, gathering 4.4 million people,[77]theNovember 2015 Paris attackswhich resulted in 130 deaths, the deadliest attack on French soil since World War II[78]and the deadliest in the European Union since theMadrid train bombings in 2004.[79]Opération Chammal, France's military efforts to containISIS, killed over 1,000 ISIS troops between 2014 and 2015.[80] |
| Main article:Geography of France |
| The vast majority of France's territory and population is situated in Western Europe and is calledMetropolitan France. It is bordered by theNorth Seain the north, theEnglish Channelin the northwest, theAtlantic Oceanin the west and theMediterranean Seain the southeast. Its land borders consist ofBelgiumandLuxembourgin the northeast,GermanyandSwitzerlandin the east,ItalyandMonacoin the southeast, andAndorraandSpainin the south and southwest. Except for the northeast, most of France's land borders are roughly delineated by natural boundaries and geographic features: to the south and southeast, the Pyrenees and the Alps and the Jura, respectively, and to the east, the Rhine river. Metropolitan France includes various coastal islands, of which the largest isCorsica. Metropolitan France is situated mostly between latitudes41°and51° N, and longitudes6° Wand10° E, on the western edge of Europe, and thus lies within the northerntemperatezone. Its continental part covers about 1000 km from north to south and from east to west. |
| Metropolitan France covers 551,500 square kilometres (212,935 sq mi),[81]the largest amongEuropean Unionmembers.[71]France's total land area, with its overseas departments and territories (excludingAdélie Land), is 643,801 km2(248,573 sq mi),[82]0.45% of the total land area on Earth. France possesses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges of theAlpsin the southeast, theMassif Centralin the south-central andPyreneesin the southwest. |
| Due to its numerousoverseas departments and territoriesscattered across the planet, France possesses the second-largestexclusive economic zone(EEZ) in the world, covering 11,035,000 km2(4,261,000 sq mi). Its EEZ covers approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world. |
| Metropolitan France has a wide variety of topographical sets and natural landscapes. During theHercynian upliftin thePaleozoic Era, theArmorican Massif, theMassif Central, theMorvan, theVosgesandArdennesranges and the island ofCorsicawere formed. These massifs delineate several sedimentary basins such as theAquitaine Basinin the southwest and theParis Basinin the north. Various routes of natural passage, such as theRhône Valley, allow easy communication. The Alpine, Pyrenean and Jura mountains are much younger and have less eroded forms. At 4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft)[83]above sea level,Mont Blanc, located in the Alps on theFrance–Italy border, is the highest point in Western Europe. Although 60% of municipalities are classified as having seismic risks (though moderate). |
| The coastlines offer contrasting landscapes: mountain ranges along theFrench Riviera, coastal cliffs such as theCôte d'Albâtre, and wide sandy plains in theLanguedoc. Corsica lies off the Mediterranean coast. France has an extensive river system consisting of the four major riversSeine, theLoire, theGaronne, theRhôneand their tributaries, whose combined catchment includes over 62% of the metropolitan territory. The Rhône divides the Massif Central from the Alps and flows into the Mediterranean Sea at theCamargue. The Garonne meets theDordognejust after Bordeaux, forming theGironde estuary, the largest estuary in Western Europe which after approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) empties into the Atlantic Ocean.[84]Other water courses drain towards the Meuse and Rhine along the northeastern borders. France has 11,000,000 km2(4,200,000 sq mi) of marine waters within three oceans under its jurisdiction, of which 97% are overseas. |
| See also:List of national parks of France,Regional natural parks of France, andClimate change in France |
| France was one of the first countries to create an environment ministry, in 1971.[85]France is ranked19th by carbon dioxide emissionsdue to the country's heavy investment innuclear powerfollowing the1973 oil crisis,[86]which now accounts for 75 per cent of its electricity production[87]and results in less pollution.[88][89]According to the 2020Environmental Performance Indexconducted byYaleandColumbia, France was the fifth most environmentally conscious country in the world.[90][91] |
| Like all European Union state members, France agreed to cutcarbon emissionsby at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020.[92]As of 2009, French carbon dioxide emissions per capita are lower than that of China.[93]The country was set to impose acarbon taxin 2009;[94]however, the plan was abandoned due to fears of burdening French businesses.[95] |
| Forests account for 31 per cent of France's land area—the fourth-highest proportion in Europe—representing an increase of 7 per cent since 1990.[96][97][98]French forests are some of the most diverse in Europe, comprising more than 140 species of trees.[99]France had a 2018Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 4.52/10, ranking it 123rd globally.[100]There are ninenational parks[101]and 46natural parksin France.[102]A regional nature park[103](French:_parc naturel régional_ or PNR) is a public establishment in France between local authorities and thenational governmentcovering an inhabited rural area of outstanding beauty, to protect the scenery and heritage as well as setting up sustainable economic development in the area.[104][105]As of 2019 there are 54 PNRs in France.[106] |
| Main article:Politics of France |
| France is arepresentative democracyorganised as a unitarysemi-presidential republic.[107]Democratic traditions and values are deeply rooted in French culture, identity and politics.[108]The Constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved byreferendumin 1958, establishing a framework consisting of executive, legislative and judicial branches.[109]It sought to address the instability of the Third and Fourth Republics by combining elements of both parliamentary and presidential systems, while greatly strengthening the authority of the executive relative to the legislature.[108] |
| Main article:Administrative divisions of France |
| France is divided into 18regions(located in Europe and overseas), fiveoverseas collectivities, oneoverseas territory, one special collectivity—New Caledoniaand one uninhabited island directly under the authority of the Minister of Overseas France—Clipperton. |
| Further information:Departments of France |
| Since 2016, France is divided into 18 administrative regions: 13 regions inmetropolitan France(includingCorsica),[122]and fiveoverseas.[81]The regions are further subdivided into 101departments,[123]which are numbered mainly alphabetically. The department number is used in postal codes and was formerly used onvehicle registration plates. Among the 101 French departments, five (French Guiana, Guadeloupe,Martinique,Mayotte, andRéunion) are in overseas regions (ROMs) that are simultaneously overseas departments (DOMs), enjoying the same status as metropolitan departments and are thereby included in the European Union. |
| Main article:Overseas France |
| In addition to the 18 regions and 101 departments, the French Republic has fiveoverseas collectivities(French Polynesia,Saint Barthélemy,Saint Martin,Saint Pierre and Miquelon, andWallis and Futuna), one collectivity (New Caledonia), oneoverseas territory(French Southern and Antarctic Lands), and one island possession in the Pacific Ocean (Clipperton Island). Overseas collectivities and territories form part of the French Republic, but do not form part of the European Union or its fiscal area (except for Saint Barthélemy, which seceded from Guadeloupe in 2007). The Pacific Collectivities (COMs) of French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, and New Caledonia continue to use theCFP franc[125]whose value is strictly linked to that of the euro. In contrast, the five overseas regions used the French franc and now use the euro.[126] |
| Main article:Foreign relations of France |
| France is a founding member of the United Nations and serves as one of thepermanent members of the UN Security Councilwith veto rights.[127]In 2015, it was described as ""the best networked state in the world"" due to its membership in more international institutions than any other country;[128]these include the G7,World Trade Organization(WTO),[129]thePacific Community(SPC)[130]and theIndian Ocean Commission(COI).[131]It is an associate member of theAssociation of Caribbean States(ACS)[132]and a leading member of theOrganisation internationale de la Francophonie(OIF) of 84 French-speaking countries.[133] |
| TheEuropean ParliamentinStrasbourg(near the border with Germany). France is a founding member of all EU institutions. |
| As a significant hub for international relations, France has thethird-largest assemblyofdiplomatic missions, second only to China and the United States. It also hosts the headquarters of severalinternational organisations, including theOECD,UNESCO,Interpol, theInternational Bureau of Weights and Measures, and the OIF.[136] |
| French foreign policy after World War II has been largely shaped by membership in the European Union, of which it was afounding member. Since the1960s, France has developed close ties with reunified Germany to become themost influential driving force of the EU.[137]Since 1904, France has maintained an ""Entente cordiale"" with the United Kingdom, and there has been a strengthening of links between the countries, especiallymilitarily. |
| France is a member of theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO), but under President de Gaulle excluded itself from the joint military command, in protest of theSpecial Relationshipbetween the United States and Britain, and to preserve the independence of French foreign and security policies. UnderNicolas Sarkozy, France rejoined the NATO joint military command on 4 April 2009.[138][139][140] |
| France retains strong political and economic influence in itsformer African colonies()[141]and has supplied economic aid and troops for peacekeeping missions inIvory CoastandChad.[142]From 2012 to 2021, France and other African states intervened in support of theMaliangovernment in theNorthern Mali conflict. |
| In 2017, France was the world's fourth-largest donor ofdevelopment aidin absolute terms, behind the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.[143]This represents 0.43% of itsGNP, the 12th highest among the OECD.[144]Aid is provided by the governmentalFrench Development Agency, which finances primarily humanitarian projects insub-Saharan Africa,[145]with an emphasis on ""developing infrastructure, access to health care and education, the implementation of appropriate economic policies and the consolidation of the rule of law and democracy"".[145] |
| France |
| France has been arecognised nuclear statesince 1960. It is a party to both theComprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty(CTBT)[149]and theNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The French nuclear force (formerly known as """") consists of four _Triomphant_class submarines equipped withsubmarine-launched ballistic missiles. In addition to the submarine fleet, it is estimated that France has about 60ASMPmedium-rangeair-to-ground missileswithnuclear warheads;[150]50 are deployed by the Air and Space Force using theMirage 2000Nlong-range nuclear strike aircraft, while around 10 are deployed by the French Navy's _Super Étendard Modernisé_(SEM)attack aircraft, which operate from the nuclear-poweredaircraft carrier _Charles de Gaulle_(R91). |
| France has major military industries and one of the largestaerospace sectorsin the world.[151]The country has produced such equipment as the Rafale fighter, the _Charles de Gaulle_ aircraft carrier, theExocetmissile and theLeclerctank among others. France is a major arms seller,[152][153]with most of its arsenal's designs available for the export market, except for nuclear-powered devices. |
| Main article:Law of France |
| France uses acivil legalsystem, wherein law arises primarily from written statutes;[81]judges are not to make law, but merely to interpret it (though the amount of judicial interpretation in certain areas makes it equivalent tocase lawin acommon lawsystem). Basic principles of therule of lawwere laid in theNapoleonic Code(which was largely based on the royal law codified underKing Louis XIV). In agreement with the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, the law should only prohibit actions detrimental to society. |
| French law is divided into two principal areas:private lawandpublic law. Private law includes, in particular,civil lawandcriminal law. Public law includes, in particular,administrative lawandconstitutional law. However, in practical terms, French law comprises three principal areas of law: civil law, criminal law, and administrative law. Criminal laws can only address the future and not the past (criminal laws are prohibited).[159]While administrative law is often a subcategory of civil law in many countries, it is completely separated in France and each body of law is headed by a specific supreme court:ordinary courts(which handle criminal and civil litigation) are headed by theCourt of Cassationand administrative courts are headed by theCouncil of State. To be applicable, every law must be officially published in the _Journal officiel de la République française_.[] |
| France does not recognisereligious lawas a motivation for the enactment of prohibitions; it has long abolishedblasphemylaws andsodomy laws(the latter in 1791). However, ""offences againstpublic decency"" (_contraires aux bonnes mœurs_) ordisturbing public order(_trouble à l'ordre public_) have been used to repress public expressions of homosexuality or street prostitution.[] |
| France generally has a positive reputation regardingLGBTQ rights.[160]Since 1999,civil unionsfor homosexual couples have been permitted, and since 2013,same-sex marriageandLGBT adoptionare legal.[161]Some considerhate speech laws in Franceto be too broad or severe, underminingfreedom of speech.[162]France has laws against racism andantisemitism,[163]while the 1990Gayssot ActprohibitsHolocaust denial. In 2024, France became the first nation in the European Union to explicitly protectabortionin itsconstitution.[164] |
| Freedom of religionis constitutionally guaranteed by the 1789Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the Stateis the basis for (state secularism): the state does not formally recognise any religion,except in Alsace-Moselle, which continues to subsidize education and clergy of Catholicism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Judaism. Nonetheless, France does recognise religious associations. The Parliament haslisted many religious movements as dangerous cultssince 1995 and hasbanned wearing conspicuous religious symbols in schoolssince 2004. In 2010, it banned thewearing of face-covering Islamic veils in public; human rights groups such asAmnesty InternationalandHuman Rights Watchdescribed the law as discriminatory towards Muslims.[165][166]However, it is supported by most of the population.[167] |
| Main article:Economy of France |
| Further information:Science and technology in France |
| France has asocial market economycharacterised bysizeable government involvementanddiversified sectors. For roughly two centuries, the French economy hasconsistently rankedamong the ten largest globally; it is currently theworld's ninth largestbypurchasing power parity, theseventh largestbynominal GDP, and the second largest in the European Union by both metrics.[169]France is considered agreat powerwith considerableeconomic strength,[170]being a member of theGroup of Sevenleadingindustrialised countries, theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD), and theGroup of Twentylargest economies. France ranked 12th in the 2024Global Innovation Index, compared to 16th in 2019.[171][172] |
| France's economy is highly diversified;servicesrepresent two-thirds of both the workforce and GDP,[173]while theindustrial sectoraccounts for a fifth of GDP and a similar proportion of employment. France is the third-biggest manufacturing country in Europe, behind Germany and Italy, and rankseighth in the world by manufacturing output, at 1.9 per cent.[174]Less than 2 per cent of GDP is generated by theprimary sector, namely agriculture;[175]however, France's agricultural sector is among the largest in value and leads the EU in overall production.[176] |
| In 2018, France was thefifth-largest trading nation in the worldand the second-largest in Europe, with the value of exports representing over a fifth of GDP.[177]Its membership in theeurozoneand the broaderEuropean single marketfacilitates access to capital, goods, services, and skilled labour.[178]Despiteprotectionistpolicies over certain industries, particularly in agriculture, France has generally played a leading role in fostering free trade and commercial integration in Europe to enhance its economy.[179][180]In 2019, it ranked first in Europe and 13th in the world inforeign direct investment, with European countries and the United States being leading sources.[181]According to theBank of France(founded in 1800),[182]the leading recipients of FDI were manufacturing, real estate, finance and insurance.[183]TheParis Regionhas the highest concentration of multinational firms in mainland Europe.[183] |
| Under the doctrine of _Dirigisme_, the government historically played a major role in the economy; policies such asindicative planningandnationalisationare credited for contributing to three decades of unprecedented postwar economic growth known as . At its peak in 1982, the public sector accounted for one-fifth of industrial employment and over four-fifths of the credit market. Beginning in the late 20th century, France loosened regulations and state involvement in the economy, with most leading companies now being privately owned; state ownership now dominates only transportation, defence and broadcasting.[184]Policies aimed at promoting economic dynamism and privatisation have improved France's economic standing globally: it is among the world's 10 mostinnovativecountries in the 2020Bloomberg Innovation Index,[185]and the 15th most competitive, according to the 2019Global Competitiveness Report(up two places from 2018).[186] |
| France has historically been one of the world's major agricultural centres and remains a ""global agricultural powerhouse""; France is the world's sixth-biggest exporter of agricultural products, generating a trade surplus of over €7.4 billion.[190][191]Nicknamed ""the granary of the old continent"",[192]over half its total land area isfarmland, of which 45 per cent is devoted to permanent field crops such as cereals. The country's diverse climate, extensive arable land, modern farming technology, andEU subsidieshave made it Europe's leading agricultural producer and exporter.[193] |
| Main article:Tourism in France |
| France has 52 sites inscribed inUNESCO's World Heritage Listand features cities of high cultural interest, beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, as well as rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity (green tourism). Small and picturesque French villages are promoted through the association _Les Plus Beaux Villages de France_(literally ""The Most Beautiful Villages of France""). The ""Remarkable Gardens"" label is a list of the over 200 gardens classified by theMinistry of Culture. This label is intended to protect and promote remarkable gardens and parks. France attracts many religiouspilgrimson theirway to St. James, or toLourdes, a town in theHautes-Pyrénéesthat hosts several million visitors a year. |
| Further information:Energy in France |
| Belleville Nuclear Power Plant. France derives most of its electricity fromnuclear power, the highest percentage in the world. |
| France is the world's tenth-largest producer of electricity.[201]Électricité de France(EDF), which is majority-owned by the French government, is the country's main producer and distributor of electricity, and one of the world's largestelectric utility companies, ranking third in revenue globally.[202]In 2018, EDF produced roughly one-fifth of theEuropean Union's electricity, primarily fromnuclear power.[203]In 2021, France was the biggest energy exporter in Europe, mostly to the UK and Italy,[204]and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.[204] |
| Since the1973 oil crisis, France has pursued a strong policy ofenergy security,[204]namely throughheavy investment in nuclear energy. It is one of 32 countries withnuclear power plants, ranking second in the world by thenumber of operational nuclear reactors, at 56.[205]Consequently, 70% of France's electricity is generated by nuclear power, the highest proportion in the world by a wide margin;[206]only Slovakia and Ukraine also derive a majority of electricity from nuclear power, at roughly 53% and 51%, respectively.[207]France is considered a world leader in nuclear technology, with reactors and fuel products being major exports.[204] |
| France's significant reliance on nuclear power has resulted in comparatively slower adoption ofrenewable energyrelative to other Western nations. Nevertheless, between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently and nearly doubled.[208]Hydropoweris by far the leading source, accounting for over half the country's renewable energy sources[209]and contributing 13% of its electricity,[208]the highest proportion in Europe after Norway and Turkey.[209]As with nuclear power, most hydroelectric plants, such asEguzon,Étang de Soulcem, andLac de Vouglans, are managed by EDF.[209]France aims to further expand hydropower into 2040.[208] |
| Main article:Transport in France |
| There are 464airportsin France.[81]Charles de Gaulle Airport, located in the vicinity of Paris, is the largest and busiest airport in the country, handling the vast majority of popular and commercial traffic and connecting Paris with virtually all major cities across the world.Air Franceis the national carrier airline, although numerous private airline companies provide domestic and international travel services. There are ten major ports in France, the largest of which is inMarseille,[219]which also is the largest bordering the Mediterranean Sea.[220]12,261 kilometres (7,619 mi) of waterways traverse France including theCanal du Midi, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean through theGaronneriver.[81] |
| Main article:Demographics of France |
| Population density in France byarrondissement |
| For much of the 21st century, France has been an outlier among developed countries, particularly in Europe, for its relatively high rate ofnatural population growth; by birth rates alone, it was responsible for almost allnatural population growthin the European Union in 2006.[221]Between 2006 and 2016, France saw the second-highest overall increase in population in the EU and was one of only four EU countries where natural births accounted for the most population growth.[222]This was the highest rate since the end of thebaby boomin 1973 and coincides with the rise of thetotal fertility ratefrom a nadir of 1.7 in 1994 to 2.0 in 2010. |
| Since 2011, France's fertility rate has been steadily declining;[223]it stood at 1.79 per woman in 2023,[224]below thereplacement rateof 2.1 and well below the high of 4.41 in 1800.[225][226][227]France's fertility rate andcrude birth ratenonetheless remain the highest in the EU[228]and among the highest in Europe overall, where the average is 1.5.[229]Themean ageof French women at the birth of their first child was 29.1, slightly younger than the EU average of 29.7.[228] |
| From 2006 to 2011, population growth averaged 0.6 percent per year;[231]since 2011, annual growth has been between 0.4 and 0.5 percent annually,[232]and France is projected to continue growing until 2044.[233]Immigrants are major contributors to this trend; in 2010, roughly one in four newborns (27 percent) in metropolitan France had at least oneforeign-bornparent and another 24 percent had at least one parent born outside Europe (excluding French overseas territories).[234]In 2021, the share of children of foreign-born mothers was 23 percent.[228] |
| France is a highly urbanised country, with itslargest cities(in terms ofmetropolitan areapopulation in 2021[235]) being Paris (13,171,056 inh.),Lyon(2,308,818),Marseille(1,888,788),Lille(1,521,660),Toulouse(1,490,640),Bordeaux(1,393,764),Nantes(1,031,953),Strasbourg(864,993),Montpellier(823,120), andRennes(771,320). (Note: since its 2020 revision of metropolitan area borders,INSEEconsiders thatNiceis a metropolitan area separate from theCannes-Antibesmetropolitan area; these two combined would have a population of 1,019,905, as of the 2021 census).Rural flightwas a perennial political issue throughout most of the 20th century. |
| Historically, French people were mainly ofCeltic-Gallicorigin, with a significant admixture ofItalic(Romans) andGermanic(Franks) groups reflecting centuries of respective migration and settlement.[236]Through the course of theMiddle Ages, France incorporated various neighbouring ethnic and linguistic groups, as evidenced byBretonelements in the west,Aquitanianin the southwest,Scandinavianin the northwest,Alemannicin the northeast, andLigurianin the southeast. |
| Main article:Immigration to France |
| It is currently estimated that 40% of the French population is descended at least partially from the different waves of immigration since the early 20th century;[249]between 1921 and 1935 alone, about 1.1 million net immigrants came to France.[250]The next largest wave came in the 1960s when around 1.6 million returned to France following the independence of its Northwest African possessions, Algeria and Morocco.[251][252]They were joined by numerous former colonial subjects from North and West Africa, as well as numerous European immigrants from Spain and Portugal. |
| France remains a major destination for immigrants, accepting about 200,000 legal immigrants annually.[253]In 2005, it was Western Europe's leading recipient ofasylumseekers, with an estimated 50,000 applications (albeit a 15% decrease from 2004).[254]In 2010, France received about 48,100 asylum applications—placing it among the top five asylum recipients in the world.[255]In subsequent years it saw the number of applications increase, ultimately doubling to 100,412 in 2017.[256]The European Union allows free movement between the member states, although France established controls to curbEastern Europeanmigration.[]Foreigners' rights are established in theCode of Entry and Residence of Foreigners and of the Right to Asylum. Immigration remains a contentious political issue.[257] |
| In 2008, theINSEE(National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) estimated that the total number of foreign-born immigrants was around 5 million (8% of the population), while their French-born descendants numbered 6.5 million, or 11% of the population. Thus, nearly a fifth of the country's population were either first or second-generation immigrants, of which more than 5 million were of European origin and 4 million ofMaghrebiancestry.[258][259][260]In 2008, France grantedcitizenshipto 137,000 persons, mostly from Morocco, Algeria and Turkey.[261]In 2022, more than 320,000 migrants came to France, with the majority coming fromAfrica.[262] |
| In 2014, the INSEE reported a significant increase in the number of immigrants coming from Spain, Portugal and Italy between 2009 and 2012. According to the institute, this increase resulted from the financial crisis that hit several European countries in that period.[263]Statistics on Spanish immigrants in France show a growth of 107 per cent between 2009 and 2012, with the population growing from 5,300 to 11,000.[263]Of the total of 229,000 foreigners coming to France in 2012, nearly 8% were Portuguese, 5% British, 5% Spanish, 4% Italian, 4% German, 3% Romanian, and 3% Belgian.[263] |
| The official language of France is French,[264]aRomance languagederived fromLatin. Since 1635, theAcadémie françaisehas been France's official authority on the French language, although its recommendations carry no legal weight. There are also regional languages spoken in France, such asOccitan,Breton,Catalan,Flemish(Dutchdialect),Alsatian(German dialect),Basque, andCorsican(Italian dialect). Italian was the official language of Corsica until 9 May 1859.[265]Although regional languages do not have the status of official languages, they are recognized by the Article 75-1 of theFrench constitutionas part of France's heritage.[266] |
| The Government of France does not regulate the choice of language in publications by individuals, but the use of French is required by law in commercial and workplace communications. In addition to mandating the use of French in the territory of the Republic, the French government tries to promote French in the European Union and globally through institutions such as theOrganisation internationale de la Francophonie. Besides French, there exist 77 vernacular minority languages of France, eight spoken in French metropolitan territory and 69 in the Frenchoverseas territories. |
| According to the 2007 Adult Education survey, part of a project by theEuropean Unionand carried out in France by theINSEEand based on a sample of 15,350 persons, French was the native language of 87.2% of the total population, or roughly 55.81 million people, followed by Arabic (3.6%, 2.3 million), Portuguese (1.5%, 960,000), Spanish (1.2%, 770,000) and Italian (1.0%, 640,000). Native speakers of other languages made up the remaining 5.2% of the population.[267] |
| Main article:Religion in France |
| Notre-Dame de Reimsis the Roman Catholic cathedral where theKings of France were crowneduntil 1825.[XII] |
| France is a secular country in whichfreedom of religionis a constitutional right. The French policy on religion is based on the concept of , a strictseparation of church and stateunder which the government and public life are kept completely secular, detached from any religion. The region ofAlsaceandMoselle, which was part of theGerman Empirewhen state secularism was established in France, is an exception to the general French norm since thelocal lawstipulates official status and state funding forLutheranism,Catholicism, andJudaism.[268] |
| Catholicismhas been the main religion in France for more than a millennium, and it was once the country'sstate religion.[269]Its role nowadays, however, has been greatly reduced, although, as of 2012, among the 47,000 religious buildings in France 94% are still Catholic churches.[270]After alternating between royal and secular republican governments during the 19th century, in 1905 France passed the1905 law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, which established the aforementioned principle of _laïcité_.[271] |
| Main article:Health in France |
| TheFrench health care systemis one ofuniversal health carelargely financed by governmentnational health insurance. In its 2000 assessment of world health care systems, theWorld Health Organizationfound that France provided the ""close to best overall health care"" in the world.[276]The French health care system was ranked first worldwide by the World Health Organization in 1997.[277][278]In 2011, France spent 11.6% of its GDP on health care, or US$4,086 per capita,[279]a figure much higher than the average spent by countries in Europe. Approximately 77% of health expenditures are covered by government-funded agencies.[280] |
| Care is generally free for people affected bychronic diseasessuch as cancer, AIDS orcystic fibrosis. The life expectancy at birth is 78 years for men and 85 years for women.[281][282]There are 3.22 physicians for every 1000 inhabitants,[283]and average health care spending per capita was US$4,719 in 2008.[284]As of 2007, approximately 140,000 inhabitants (0.4%) of France are living with HIV/AIDS.[81] |
| Main article:Education in France |
| French education is centralised and divided into three stages: primary, secondary, and higher education. TheProgramme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by theOECD, ranked France's education as near the OECD average in 2018.[289][290]Schoolchildren in France reported greater concern about the disciplinary climate and behaviour in classrooms compared to otherOECDcountries.[290] |
| Higher education is divided betweenpublic universitiesand the prestigious and selective , such asSciences Po Parisfor political studies,HEC Parisfor economics,Polytechnique, theÉcole des hautes études en sciences socialesfor social studies and theÉcole nationale supérieure des mines de Paristhat produce high-profile engineers, or theÉcole nationale d'administrationfor careers in theGrands Corpsof the state. The _Grandes écoles_ have been criticised for allegedelitism, producing many if not most of France's high-ranking civil servants, CEOs and politicians.[291] |
| Main article:Culture of France |
| In the second part of the 19th century, France's influence over painting grew, with the development of new styles of painting such asImpressionismandSymbolism. The most famous impressionist painters of the period wereCamille Pissarro,Édouard Manet,Edgar Degas,Claude MonetandAuguste Renoir.[292]The second generation of impressionist-style painters,Paul Cézanne,Paul Gauguin,Toulouse-LautrecandGeorges Seurat, were also at the avant-garde of artistic evolutions,[293]as well as thefauvistartistsHenri Matisse,André DerainandMaurice de Vlaminck.[294][295] |
| During the Middle Ages, many fortified castles were built by feudal nobles to mark their powers. Some French castles that survived areChinon,Château d'Angers, the massiveChâteau de Vincennesand the so-calledCathar castles. During this era, France had been usingRomanesque architecturelike most of Western Europe. |
| Gothic architecture, originally named _Opus Francigenum_ meaning ""French work"",[300]was born inÎle-de-Franceand was the first French style of architecture to be imitated throughout Europe.[301]Northern France is the home of some of the most important Gothic cathedrals and basilicas, the first of these being theSaint Denis Basilica(used as the royal necropolis); other important French Gothic cathedrals areNotre-Dame de ChartresandNotre-Dame d'Amiens. The kings were crowned in another important Gothic church:Notre-Dame de Reims.[302] |
| After the Revolution, theRepublicansfavouredNeoclassicismalthough it was introduced in France before the revolution with such buildings as theParisian Pantheonor theCapitole de Toulouse. Built during the first French Empire, theArc de TriompheandSainte Marie-Madeleinerepresent the best example ofEmpire-stylearchitecture.[308]UnderNapoleon III, a new wave of urbanism and architecture was given birth; extravagant buildings such as the neo-BaroquePalais Garnierwere built. The urban planning of the time was very organised and rigorous; most notably,Haussmann's renovation of Paris. The architecture associated with this era is namedSecond Empirein English, the term being taken from theSecond French Empire. At this time there was a strong Gothic resurgence across Europe and in France; the associated architect wasEugène Viollet-le-Duc. In the late 19th century,Gustave Eiffeldesigned many bridges, such as theGarabit viaduct, and remains one of the most influential bridge designers of his time, although he is best remembered for theEiffel Tower. |
| The earliest French literature dates from theMiddle Ageswhen what is now known as modern France did not have a single, uniform language. There were several languages and dialects, and writers used their own spelling and grammar. Some authors of French medieval texts, such as _Tristan and Iseult_ and are unknown. Three famous medieval authors areChrétien de Troyes,Christine de Pizan(langue d'oïl), andDuke William IX of Aquitaine(langue d'oc). Much medieval French poetry and literature was inspired by the legends of theCarolingian cycle, such as the and thechansons de geste. The _Roman de Renart_ , written in 1175 by Perrout de Saint Cloude, tells the story of the medieval characterReynard('the Fox') and is another example of early French writing. An important 16th-century writer wasFrançois Rabelais, who wrote five popular earlypicaresquenovels. Rabelais was also in regular communication withMarguerite de Navarre, author of the .[311]Another 16th-century author wasMichel de Montaigne, whose most famous work, , started a literary genre.[312] |
| The 19th century saw the writings of many French authors. Victor Hugo is sometimes seen as ""the greatest French writer of all time""[314]for excelling in allliterary genres. Hugo's verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare,DanteandHomer.[315]His novel is widely seen as one of the greatest novels ever written[316]and _The Hunchback of Notre Dame_ has remained immensely popular. Other major authors of that century includeAlexandre Dumas(_The Three Musketeers_ and _The Count of Monte-Cristo_),Jules Verne(_Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas_),Émile Zola(_Les Rougon-Macquart_),Honoré de Balzac(),Guy de Maupassant,Théophile GautierandStendhal(_The Red and the Black_ ,_The Charterhouse of Parma_), whose works are among the most well known in France and the world. |
| In the early 20th century France was a haven for literary freedom.[317]Works banned for obscenity in the US, the UK and other Anglophone nations were published in France decades before they were available in the respective authors' home countries.[317]The French were disinclined to punish literary figures for their writing, and prosecutions were rare.[317]Important writers of the 20th century includeMarcel Proust,Louis-Ferdinand Céline,Jean Cocteau,Albert Camus, andJean-Paul Sartre.Antoine de Saint-Exupérywrote , which is one of the best selling books in history.[318][319] |
| Medieval philosophy was dominated byScholasticismuntil the emergence ofHumanismin the Renaissance.Modern philosophybegan in France in the 17th century with the philosophy ofRené Descartes,Blaise PascalandNicolas Malebranche. Descartes was the firstWestern philosophersince ancient times to attempt to build a philosophical system from the ground up rather than building on the work of predecessors.[320][321]France in the 18th century saw major philosophical contributions fromVoltairewho came to embody the Enlightenment andJean-Jacques Rousseauwhose work highly influenced the French Revolution.[322][323]French philosophers made major contributions to the field in the 20th century including theexistentialistworks ofSimone de Beauvoir, Camus, and Sartre.[324]Other influential contributions during this time include the moral and political works ofSimone Weil, contributions tostructuralismincluding fromClaude Lévi-Straussand thepost-structuralistworks byMichel Foucault.[325][326] |
| Main article:Music of France |
| France experienced a golden age in the 17th century thanks to Louis XIV, who employed talented musicians and composers in the royal court. Composers of this period includeMarc-Antoine Charpentier,François Couperin,Michel-Richard Delalande,Jean-Baptiste LullyandMarin Marais, all of them composers at the court. After the death of the ""Roi Soleil"", French musical creation lost dynamism, but in the next century the music ofJean-Philippe Rameaureached some prestige.[]Rameau became the dominant composer ofFrench operaand the leading French composer of the harpsichord.[327] |
| In the field ofclassical music, France has produced a number of notable composers such asGabriel Fauré,Claude Debussy,Maurice Ravel, andHector Berlioz. Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel are the most prominent figures associated withImpressionist music. The two composers invented new musical forms[328][329][330][331]and new sounds. Debussy was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and his use of non-traditional scales andchromaticisminfluenced many composers who followed.[332]His music is noted for its sensory content and frequent usage ofatonality.Erik Satiewas a key member of the early-20th-century Parisianavant-garde.Francis Poulenc's best-known works are his piano suite _Trois mouvements perpétuels_(1919), the ballet (1923), the (1928) forharpsichordand orchestra, the opera _Dialogues des Carmélites_(1957) and the (1959) forsoprano, choir and orchestra. In the middle of the 20th century,Maurice Ohana,Pierre SchaefferandPierre Boulezcontributed to the evolution ofcontemporary classical music.[333] |
| French music then followed the rapid emergence of pop and rock music in the middle of the 20th century. Although English-speaking creations achieved popularity in the country,French pop music, known as , has also remained very popular. Among the most important French artists of the century areÉdith Piaf,Georges Brassens,Léo Ferré,Charles AznavourandSerge Gainsbourg.[334]Modern pop music has seen the rise of popularFrench hip hop,French rock,techno/funk, andturntablists/DJs. Although there are very few rock bands in France compared to English-speaking countries,[335]bands such asNoir Désir,Mano Negra,Niagara,Les Rita Mitsoukoand more recentlySuperbus,PhoenixandGojira,[336]orShaka Ponk, have reached worldwide popularity. |
| Main article:Cinema of France |
| France has historical and strong links withcinema, with two Frenchmen, Auguste and Louis Lumière (known as theLumière Brothers) credited with creating cinema in 1895.[340]The world's first female filmmaker,Alice Guy-Blaché, was also from France.[341]Several important cinematic movements, including the late 1950s and 1960sNouvelle Vague, began in the country. It is noted for having a strong film industry, due in part to protections afforded by the government. France remains a leader in filmmaking, as of 2015 producing more films than any other European country.[342][343]The nation also hosts theCannes Festival, one of the most important and famous film festivals in the world.[344][345] |
| Apart from its strong and innovative film tradition, France has also been a gathering spot for artists from across Europe and the world. For this reason, French cinema is sometimes intertwined with the cinema of foreign nations. Directors from nations such as Poland (Roman Polanski,Krzysztof Kieślowski,Andrzej Żuławski), Argentina (Gaspar Noé,Edgardo Cozarinsky), Russia (Alexandre Alexeieff,Anatole Litvak), Austria (Michael Haneke) and Georgia (Géla Babluani,Otar Iosseliani) are prominent in the ranks of French cinema. Conversely, French directors have had prolific and influential careers in other countries, such asLuc Besson,Jacques TourneurorFrancis Veberin theUnited States. Although the French film market is dominated by Hollywood, France is the only nation in the world where American films make up the smallest share of total film revenues, at 50%, compared with 77% in Germany and 69% in Japan.[346]French films account for 35% of the total film revenues of France, which is the highest percentage of national film revenues in the developed world outside the United States, compared to 14% in Spain and 8% in the UK.[346]In 2013, France was the second-largest exporter of films in the world, after the United States.[347] |
| Fashion has been an important industry and cultural export of France since the 17th century, and modern ""haute couture"" originated in Paris in the 1860s. Today, Paris, along with London, Milan, and New York City, is considered one of the world'sfashion capitals, and the city is home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses. The expression Haute couture is, in France, a legally protected name, guaranteeing certain quality standards. |
| The association of France with fashion and style (French:_la mode_) dates largely to the reign ofLouis XIV.[351]France renewed its dominance of the high fashion (French:_couture orhaute couture_) industry in the years 1860–1960 through the establishment of the greatcouturierhouses such asChanel,Dior, andGivenchy. The French perfume industry is the world leader in its sector and is centred on the town ofGrasse.[352] |
| According to 2017 data compiled byDeloitte,Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey(LVMH), a French brand, is the largest luxury company in the world by sales, selling more than twice the amount of its nearest competitor.[353]Moreover, France also possesses 3 of the top 10 luxury goods companies by sales (LVMH,Kering SA,L'Oréal), more than any other country in the world.[353] |
| Main article:Telecommunications in France |
| Different regions have different styles. In the north, butter and cream are common ingredients, whereasolive oilis more commonly used in the south.[363]Each region of France has traditional specialties:cassouletin the southwest,choucroutein Alsace,quichein theLorraine region,beef bourguignoninBurgundy,Provençaltapenade, etc. France is most famous for itswines[364]andcheeses, which are often named for the territory where they are produced (AOC).[365][366]A meal typically consists of three courses,_entrée_('starter'),_plat principal_('main course'), and _fromage_('cheese') or _dessert_ , sometimes with a salad served before the cheese or dessert. |
| In addition to its wine tradition, France is also a major producer of beer and rum. The three main French brewing regions are Alsace (60% of national production), Nord-Pas-de-Calais, and Lorraine.French rumis made in distilleries on islands in the Atlantic and Indian oceans.[370][371] |
| Main article:Sport in France |
| France hosts ""the world's biggest annual sporting event"", the annual cycling raceTour de France.[373]Other popular sports played in France includefootball,judo,tennis,[374]rugby union[375]andpétanque. France has hosted events such as the1938and1998 FIFA World Cups,[376]the2007 Rugby World Cup,[377]and the2023 Rugby World Cup.[378]The country also hosted the1960 European Nations' Cup,UEFA Euro 1984,UEFA Euro 2016and2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. TheStade de FranceinSaint-Denisis France's largest stadium and was the venue for the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2007 Rugby World Cup finals. Since 1923, France is famous for its24 Hours of Le Manssports carendurance race.[379]Several major tennis tournaments take place in France, including theParis Mastersand theFrench Open, one of the fourGrand Slamtournaments. Frenchmartial artsincludeSavateandFencing. |
| France has a close association with the ModernOlympic Games; it was a French aristocrat, BaronPierre de Coubertin, who suggested the Games' revival, at the end of the 19th century.[380][381]Paris hosted the second Gamesin 1900,[382]and has hosted the Olympics on five further occasions: the1924 Summer Olympics, the2024 Summer Olympicsboth in Paris[381]and threeWinter Games(1924inChamonix,1968inGrenobleand1992inAlbertville).[381]France introduced Olympics for deaf people (Deaflympics) in1924.[383] |
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| Main article:Bibliography of France |
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