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*I would like to start by saying sorry for the long time that took me to have the article out, but RL has been keeping me busy the last days. Also a big congratulation for the World Cup, although I was cheering for another team this tournament, France deserved this Cup 100%.

General information

Population : 67 mil people (21st in the World, 4th in Europe)
Total Area : 640,679 km^2 (42nd in the World, 3rd in Europe)
Official languages : French
Official currency : Euro(EUR)
Capital : Paris
Population density : 116 people/km^2 (99th in the World, 24th in Europe)
Top 5 biggest cities : Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice


The French Republic is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic with strong democratic traditions. The Constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum on 28 September 1958. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to parliament. The executive branch itself has two leaders: the President of the Republic, currently Emmanuel Macron, who is head of stateand is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a 5-year term (formerly 7 years), and the Government, led by the president-appointed Prime Minister.

The French Parliament is a bicameral legislature comprising a National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) and a Senate. The National Assembly deputies represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 5-year terms. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the government, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government. Senators are chosen by an electoral college for 6-year terms (originally 9-year terms), and one half of the seats are submitted to election every 3 years starting in September 2008.

Since 2016 France is mainly divided into 18 administrative regions: 13 regions in metropolitan France (including the territorial collectivity of Corsica), and five located overseas. The regions are further subdivided into 101 departments, which are numbered mainly alphabetically. This number is used in postal codes and was formerly used on vehicle number plates. Among the 101 departments of France, five (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion) are in overseas regions (ROMs) that are also simultaneously overseas departments (DOMs), enjoy exactly the same status as metropolitan departments and are an integral part of the European Union.

In addition to the 18 regions and 101 departments, the French Republic has five overseas collectivities (French Polynesia, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and Wallis and Futuna), one sui generis collectivity (New Caledonia), one overseas 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 (with the exception of St. Bartelemy, which seceded from Guadeloupe in 2007). The Pacific Collectivities (COMs) of French Polynesia, Wallis and Futuna, and New Caledonia continue to use the CFP franc 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.







National sport : Football

Rugby


Pétanque


National animal : Gallic rooster(Gallus gallus domesticus)


National plant : Fleur-de-lis (Lily) (Lilium)



National Instruments : Harmonica




French horn





The significance of the 14th of July

On July 14, 1789 the Storming of the Bastille occurred, this was a turning point of the French Revolution.The bastille was an important fortress in Paris. French people broke in and it was a decisive event for 2 reasons:
*First, it was really symbolic to take one of the Monarchy’s places, especially the Bastille where political opponents were jailed.
*Second, as it was a fortress, revolutionaries got access to lot of weapons and gunpowder barrels.











Time to talk about France’s most famous comic book: The Adventures of Asterix !


Asterix or The Adventures of Asterix is a series of French comics. The series first appeared in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Pilote on 29 October 1959.

The main setting for the series is an unnamed coastal village (rumoured to be inspired by Erquy) in Armorica (present-day Brittany), a province of Gaul (modern France), in the year 50 BC. Julius Caesar has conquered nearly all of Gaul for the Roman Republic. The little Armorican village, however, has held out because the villagers can gain temporary superhuman strength by drinking a magic potion brewed by the local village druid, Getafix/Panoramix . His chief is Vitalstatistix.

The "ix" ending of both names (as well as all the other pseudo-Gaulish "ix" names in the series) alludes to the "rix" suffix (meaning "king") present in the names of many real Gaulish chieftains such as Vercingetorix, Orgetorix and Dumnorix. Many of the stories see them travel to foreign countries; though others are set in and around their village.


The main protagonist and hero of the village is Asterix, who, because of his shrewdness, is usually entrusted with the most important affairs of the village. He is aided in his adventures by his rather fat and slower thinking friend, Obelix, who, because he fell into the druid's cauldron of the potion as a baby, has permanent superhuman strength (because of this, Getafix steadily refuses to allow Obelix to drink the potion, as doing so would have a dangerous and unpredictable result). Obelix is usually accompanied by Dogmatix/Idefix, his little dog.

Asterix and Obelix (and sometimes other members of the village) go on various adventures both within the village and in far away lands. Places visited in the series include parts of Gaul (Lutetia, Corsica etc.), neighbouring nations (Belgium, Spain, Britain, Germany etc.), and far away lands (North America, Middle East, India etc.).


The humour encountered in the Asterix comics is often centring on puns, caricatures, and tongue-in-cheek stereotypes of contemporary European nations and French regions. Much of the humour in the initial Asterix books was French-specific, which delayed the translation of the books into other languages for fear of losing the jokes and the spirit of the story.

Some translations have actually added local humour: In the Italian translation, the Roman legionaries are made to speak in 20th century Roman dialect and Obelix's famous "Ils sont fous ces romains" ("These Romans are crazy") is translated as "Sono pazzi questi romani", alluding to the Roman abbreviation SPQR.


All the fictional characters in Asterix have names which are puns on their roles or personalities and which follow certain patterns specific to nationality. Many of the Asterix adventures take place in other countries aside from their homeland, Gaul. In every album that takes place abroad they meet (usually modern-day) stereotypes for each country as seen by the French, such as:

Goths (Germans) are disciplined and militarists. They are composed of many factions that fight each other (which is a reference to Germany before Otto von Bismarck and to East and West Germany after the Second World War) and they wear Pickelhaube helmet common during the German Empire.

Helvetians (Swiss) are neutral, eat fondue, are obsessed with cleaning, accurate time-keeping and banks.

The Britons (English) are phlegmatic and speak with early 20th century aristocratic slang (like Bertie Wooster). They stop for Tea every day (making it with hot water and a drop of milk until Asterix brings them actual tea leaves), drink lukewarm beer (Bitter), eat tasteless foods with mint sauce (Rosbif) and live in streets containing rows of identical houses.

Hibernians (Irish) are the inhabitants of Hibernia, the Latin name of Ireland. They fight against the Romans alongside the Britons to defend the British Isles.

Hispania (Spain) is a place full of tourists. Hispania is the country where people of northern Europe go on vacation (and ask to eat the same food they eat at their homelands), causing tremendous traffic jams in the Roman roads while traveling. Other recurring topics are flamenco and bullfighting or olive oil in gastronomy.

Greeks are chauvinists and consider everyone else a barbarian. Greece is portrayed as the homeland of the Olympic Games during which time it is full of tourists. A recurring joke it that Greeks always recommend one of their cousins's business, like when a Greek guide redirects the protagonists to his cousin's taverna. Greek food includes stuffed grape leaves and retsina.

Normans (Vikings) drink endlessly. They don't know what fear is (which they're trying to discover) and in their country (Scandinavia) night remains for 6 months.

Belgians speak with a funny accent and snub the Gauls, and always eat sliced roots deep-fried in bear fat. They also tell Belgian jokes.

Italics (Italians) are the inhabitants of Italy. In the adventures of Asterix, the term "Romans" is used by non-Italics to the inhabitants of all Italy, who at that time had extended their dominion over a large part of the Mediterranean basin. But as can be seen in Asterix and the Chariot Race, in the Italic peninsula this term is used only to the people from the capital, with many Italics preferring to identify themselves as Umbrians, Etruscans, Venetians, etc. Various topics from this country are explored, such as Italian gastronomy (pasta, pizza, wine), art, famous people (Pavarotti, Berlusconi, Mona Lisa) and even the controversial issue of political corruption.



The Asterix series is one of the most popular Franco-Belgian comics in the world, with the series being translated into over 100 languages.

The success of the series has led to the adaptation of several books into 13 films: nine animated, and four live action (one of which, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, was a major box office success in France). There have also been a number of games based on the characters, and a theme park near Paris, Parc Astérix. The very first French satellite, Astérix, launched in 1965, was also named after the comics character. As of October 2009, 325 million copies of 34 Asterix books had been sold worldwide, making co-creators René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo France's bestselling authors abroad.






Top 5 places visited by tourists


Paris













Attracting more than 45 million visitors annually, Paris is the world’s most popular tourist destination. Dubbed various nicknames like the City of Lights, City of Love and Capital of Fashion, Paris is the capital city of France, known for its romantic ambiance and command in industries like business, entertainment, gastronomy, fashion and art and culture. In addition to iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris is also home to some of the world’s finest museums that include the Louvre Museum and Musee d’Orsay.



Mont Saint-Michel









Rising up from the midst of vast mud flats and some of Europe’s most powerful tidal waves is the rocky island of Mont Saint-Michel, located off France’s northwestern coast in Normandy. The tidal island is one of the most popular places to visit in France for its construction of medieval structures built as if stacked upon one another and crowned with the star attraction, the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel. The awe-inspiring abbey was built by devoted monks in 708 AD after the Bishop of Avranches was allegedly visited by the Archangel Michael.


Marseille










One of Europe’s oldest cities and France’s second largest city, Marseille is a major Mediterranean seaport located off the southeast coast of France. Boasting an idyllic climate, Roman ruins, medieval architecture and distinguished cultural venues, Marseille is also a working city with several universities and industries. At the core of Marseille is its old port. Dominated by two historic forts, this bustling harbor is lined with waterfront cafes, shops and bars. One of Marseille’s best natural attractions, the Calanques are a series of small inlets with astonishing blue water and majestic limestone cliffs.



Strasbourg










Situated right on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg is the capital city of the Alsace region. The city serves as the seat of the European Parliament and numerous other important European institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. The city’s historic center, Grande Île, is what makes Strasbourg one of the best places to visit in France. Here among a blend of both French and German architecture, visitors can find many museums, shops, cafes and striking attractions such as the stunning Gothic cathedral, which features intricate carvings and a 300-year old working, astrological clock.



Dordogne









Unless you have weeks or months to spend in the scenic Dordogne region of southwestern France, you’re going to pick and choose the things you want to see. There is just so much to see and do here, beginning with picture-postcard villages and chateaus, including the well-preserved Chateau de Baynac, a hilltop castle. The scenery is pretty awesome, too, with the Dordogne River running through it. The Dordogne also has some of the best prehistoric cave art in France. The walls of Lascaux feature mainly animals. Unfortunately, they’re closed to the public now, but a replica is a must-see.





Top 3 locations suggested by the locals


Verdon’s gorges, Provence








The Verdon Gorge , in south-eastern France , is a river canyon that is often considered to be one of Europe's most beautiful. It is about 25 kilometres long and up to 700 meters deep. It was formed by the Verdon River, which is named for its startling turquoise-green colour, one of the location's distinguishing characteristics.


Corte, Corsica








Corte is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. It is the fourth-largest commune in Corsica after Ajaccio, Bastia, and Porto-Vecchio.





Corsica












Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is located southeast of the French mainland and west of the Italian Peninsula, with the nearest land mass being the Italian island of Sardinia to the immediate south. A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds of the island.






Inventions France gave to the world!


*Vaccine againts chicken cholera and anthrax!
*by Louis Pasteur in 1879


*Bike!
*by Pierre Michaux and Pierre Lallement in 1861


*Bras!
*by Herminie Cadolle in 1889


*Cinematograph!
*by the Lumiere brothers in the 1890's


*Calculator!
*by Blaise Pascal in 1642







Famous people from France


Voltaire - was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on Christianity as a whole, especially the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of speech and separation of church and state.
Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. He was an outspoken advocate of civil liberties, despite the risk this placed him in under the strict censorship laws of the time. As a satirical polemicist, he frequently made use of his works to criticize intolerance, religious dogma and the French institutions of his day.



( 1694 - 1778)



Charles de Gaulle - was a French general and statesman who led the French Resistance against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Republic from 1944 to 1946 in order to reestablish democracy in France. In 1958, he came out of retirement when appointed Prime Minister of Franceby President René Coty. He was asked to rewrite the Constitution of France and founded the Fifth Republic after approval by referendum. He was elected President of France later that year, a position he was reelected to in 1965 and held until his resignation in 1969. He was the dominant figure of France during the Cold War era, and his memory continues to influence French politics.


(1890 - 1970)


Napoleon Bonaparte - was a French statesman and military leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars. As Napoleon, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814, and again briefly in 1815 during the Hundred Days. Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars. He won most of these wars and the vast majority of his battles, building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815. He is considered one of the greatest commanders in history, and his wars and campaigns are studied at military schools worldwide. Napoleon's political and cultural legacy has endured as one of the most celebrated and controversial leaders in human history.


(1769 - 1821)



Marie Curie - was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person and only woman to win twice, the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences, and was part of the Curie family legacy of five Nobel Prizes. She was also the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris, and in 1995 became the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris.


(1867 - 1934)


Zinedine Zidane - nicknamed "Zizou", is a French professional football coach and former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Zidane was an elite playmaker, renowned for his elegance, vision, ball control and technique, and played as an attacking midfielder for Cannes, Bordeaux, Juventus and Real Madrid.


(born 1972)








Traditional food


Baguette



A baguette is a long, thin loaf of French bread that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust.

Bœuf bourguignon



The dish is a stew made of beef braised in red wine, beef broth and seasoned with garlic, pearl onions, fresh herbs and mushrooms. This recipe is just one example of how traditional peasant dishes have been adopted into haute cuisine; the method of slowly simmering beef in wine was likely developed to tenderise tough (or cheap) cuts of meat. Traditional preparation time is two days to tenderise the meat and intensify the stew flavours. In Burgundy in late August, the Fête du Charolais celebrates the prized Charolais beef with music, meat and bœuf bourguignon.


Palette a la diable



In Alsace the pallet of pork is bought ready: salted meat in brine, coated with mustard swaddled in a strainer net, the pallet is put in the hot oven 200 ° C for 1 hour; sprinkle with sauce regularly, 15 minutes before the end of the cooking, water it with a small glass of beer, it is very tasty.


Cassoulet



Cassoulet is a comfort dish of white beans stewed slowly with meats, typically pork or duck but also sausages, goose, mutton or whatever else the chef has around. This peasant dish originates from southern France and is popular in Toulouse, Carcassonne and Castelnaudary.

Blanquette de veau



French veal ragout in which neither the veal nor the butter is browned in the cooking process. To refrain from browning meat and fat in this way, is to cook them en blanquette.


Salade niçoise



Salade niçoise is a typical French salad from the Provence region, which can be served as a side dish or a meal on its own. It's typically a filling salad of lettuce, fresh tomatoes, boiled eggs, canned tuna, green beans, Nicoise Cailletier olives and anchovies, although many variations exist.


Poêlée périgourdine




Ratatouille



Ratatouille is another globally known French dish, hailing from the southeastern French region of Provence. It is a stewed vegetable recipe that can be served as a side dish, meal or stuffing for other dishes, such as crepes and omelettes.


Soupe à l'oignon



This is a traditional French soup made of onions and beef stock, usually served with croutons and melted cheese on top.




Traditional desserts

Croissants / pains au chocolat



Pain au chocolat is a type of viennoiserie sweet roll consisting of a cuboid-shaped piece of yeast-leavened laminated dough, similar in texture to a puff pastry, with one or two pieces of dark chocolate in the centre.


Tarte tatin



They say this French apple tarte was made by mistake in 1898 by Stephanie Tartin when trying to make a traditional apple pie. When she accidentally left the apples in sugar and butter too for long in the pan, in a hurry to rescue the desert she put the pastry base on top of the burning fruits and placed the pan in the oven.


Chocolate souffle



The word souffle derives from the French word to 'breath' or 'puff', and it is an airy, baked egg dish with origins in early 18th-century France. Souffle is eaten savoury or sweet in France, and you've likely found chocolate souffle on desert menus worldwide. The crispy chocolate crust with an oozing, creamy chocolate centre gives this desert a sweet suprise.


Clafoutis



This cake, with a flan-like texture, is usually made with cherries, but you can also switch them for rhubarb and pears.


Crêpes



Eclair au chocolat

Crème brûlée

Macarons





Traditional drinks

Vins bordeaux



Absinthe





Pastis







Interesting facts about France


1.The word "France" comes from the Franks, a Germanic people whose name in itself is derived from the Frankish "frank", meaning "free".
2.France spans twelve different time zones - more than any other country in the world - thanks to its overseas territories, which are dotted round the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as the South American continent.
3.The two oldest cities in France are Marseille and Beziers, both built by the Greeks in the sixth century BC.
4.France has the highest number of Nobel Prize In Literature winners of any country, with 15 (followed by the United States with 11, and the UK with 10).
5.The French army is the only army in Europe that still has carrier pigeons within its ranks. Kept at Mount Valerien near Paris, these pigeons are intended to be used for communication during major disasters.
6.France was the first country to introduce a public transport system. In the 1660s, "five-floor carriages" were a system of horse-drawn carriages circulating at a fixed time and on lines linking various neighborhoods of Paris. The concept was developed by Blaise Pascal.
7.Until World War II, France was on the same time zone as London. After occupying the country in 1940, Germany forced France to conform with Berlin time, and this change has never been canceled.
8.The French municipality with the shortest name is Y, in the Somme department. Its inhabitants are known as Ypsilons.
9.France's longest border? Taking into account its overseas territories, it's actually Brazil, which runs alongside Guyana for 730km.
10.The oldest known construction in France is The Cairn of Barnenez, in Finistère, a 75m-long megalithic monument dating from the fifth millennium BC.




My 5 words when I hear about France:
#Versailles,#LeTour,#CastlesOnLoireValley,#EiffelTower,#Perfume

What are your 5?





Special thanks to azaraliiiince and Blabla. I will leave you with a message from them .. I know I am a little late.. but congrats for the win !








I leave you with some French memes:


















Waiting for feedback , comments , opinions and if there is anyone that thinks I missed something , I could do something better or just wants to help me with this project , PM me !

Special thanks to Kariky for the spacers !!




Hope you enjoyed and see you next time!

P.S. Article 63/74!







P.S.2. Don't forget to push the flags !