France View Page

Bonjour... Shalom... We took time and wanted you to explore and get directions in France. Explore satellite and aerial imagery of France Weather news: August 2010. France is enjoying a summer of mixed weather: Temperatures of up to 40°C were recorded in July. The weather forecast for August is for a short thundery period followed by a long spell of hot sunny weather.

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France in Brief: France - a modern European state and a republic, is one of the world's major economies. France has a population of slightly over 60 million, approximately equal to that of the United Kingdom; but in terms of surface area, France is twice the size of the UK. The capital and the nation's largest city is Paris. The official language is French, though regional languages such as Breton and Alsacian are making a comeback. Metropolitan France (France in Europe) is divided, administratively, into 22 regions, and 96 counties, known as departments. France's currency is the Euro, and most garages, hotels and shops in France accept credit cards, though may not always accept swipe cards without a microchip. Click here for advice about currency exchange. The cost of living in France is fairly similar to neighbouring countries, though some things (like supermarket food) may be more expensive. Staying in Paris can be expensive - as can staying on the Riviera, particularly during the peak tourist periods.. On the other hand, fruit, wine, travel, hotels and restaurants tend to be cheaper than they are in the United Kingdom, particularly in rural areas, and there are plenty of ways of avoiding tourist traps One of the oldest nations in Europe, France - which the Romans called Gaul - is also a country with a very rich cultural and environmental heritage. The climate in France is quite varied, but generally west European - on the whole a bit warmer than the UK, a bit cooler than Spain . Don't expect to find summer in winter in the South of France! The spirit of France.... Like any country, France is "different"; it's a special place, with its ways, its quirks, its wonderful variety, its joie-de-vivre and its bureaucracy. Depending on circumstances, life in France can be anything from incredibly relaxed to frustratingly rigid. Stereotypes die hard; there is still a comic-book stereotype image of the Frenchman dressed in a striped tee-shirt and beret, smoking a Gauloise, and carrying a string of onions round his neck; or else driving a Citroën 2CV to market, with two chickens and a rabbit on the back seat. But it is doubtful if this stereotype still exists anywhere; perhaps just here and there, but without the onions, and certainly not in modern urban France. And the iconic 2CV or "Deux-chevaux" is today a rare site on French roads. Even so, rural France is still home to a dwindling generation of traditional country folk, living life as it used to be; and the heritage and traditions of the past are being carefully preserved and even reactivated by younger generations, often fugitives from city-life. The old France is still alive and well, in its own way, and still to be found in its villages and markets, traditions and regional specialities, such as the vast and very varied choice of French cheeses. And of course, it is true that the French eat snails - and very good they are too, as long as they have been properly prepared by the chef, in a delicious sauce of garlic, parsley and butter.... More about that on the wining and dining in France page.