About France

There is something for every taste and budget - it is impossible not to like France! It is a compelling and multifaceted country that draws millions of visitors back year after year.

France’s charm manifest in its elegant boulevards of Paris, the sparkling ski slopes in the Alps, its gourmet cuisine that is second to none, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches, coffee and croissants at a street side café, a dusty game of boules in a undiscovered village… Or what about a visit to a magical castle along the River Loire or a relaxing picnic in the Provence, with the air fragrant of wild herbs and lavender?

Region: Central Europe

Coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E

Population: 60,750,000
Area Total: 643,427 sq km
Area Land: 640,053 sq km
Area Water: 3,374 sq km
Boundaries: 2,889 km

Currency:
$1 = EURO 0.69
(January 2008)

National Holiday:
July 14th

Capital: Paris

Major Cities:
Paris, Lyon, Nantes,
Bordeau, Marseille,
Strasbourg

Bordering Countries:
Belgium, Germany,
Spain, Monaco, Italy,
Switzerland

Languages:
French

Ethnic Groups:
Celtic and Latin with
Teutonic, Slavic, North
African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities

Religions:
Catholic 83 %
Protestant 2 %
Jewish 2%
Muslim 5-10%

Lowest Point:
Rhone Delta 2 m

Highest Point:
Mont Blanc 4,807 m