Discover France : Discover France « A land of ideas and principles, France is an open, hospitable and generous country » Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic Speech on respecting the principle of secularism in the Republic, 17th December 2003, Elysée Palace Agence EduFrance – 2004


Slide2: Discover France


Slide3: Geographical and natural environment A rich and varied history  An influential economic power French society today A strong cultural heritage Index


Geographical and natural environmentA country at the heart of Europe : Geographical and natural environment A country at the heart of Europe 550,000 km2: the largest country in Western Europe At the heart of the European Union: Located at the crossroads of Europe, France borders with Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg, boasting an excellent communications network A temperate climate: Oceanic, in the West Mediterranean, in the South Continental, in the Centre and the East


Geographical and natural environmentA country of great natural wealth : Geographical and natural environment A country of great natural wealth Exceptional diversity of landscape: 5,500 km of coastal shores: the North Sea and the Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Extensive mountain ranges: the Alps, Pyrenees, Jura, Massif Central, Vosges large plains: Beauce, Picardy, Berry, and vast areas of forest A country that protects its natural heritage: 7 national parks 136 natural reserves 37 regional nature parks


Geographical and natural environmentA population density of varying contrasts: Geographical and natural environment A population density of varying contrasts 61.4 million inhabitants: an average density of 111 inhab./km2 10% of French territory is inhabited by half the French population  73 urban areas of over 100,000 inhabitants : Paris: 11.2 million – Lyon: 1.7 million Marseilles - Aix-en-Provence: 1.5 million Lille: 1.2 million - Toulouse: 1 million The French Republic comprises: the metropolis: 22 regions, 96 departments 4 overseas departments (DOM): Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guiana, the Reunion 4 countries or overseas territories: French Polynesia, New-Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon


A rich and varied history A gradual step towards democracy : A rich and varied history  A gradual step towards democracy Roman Gaul 50 B.C. – 476 A.D.: 500 years of Roman rule The Middle Ages and the Renaissance 496: the coronation of Clovis and beginning of a monarchy regime  1589: succession of Henry IV, Bourbon accession to the French throne, consolidation of long-sought national unification From 17th Century to the Age of Enlightenment XVIIth century: the peak of absolute monarchy, construction of Versailles under Louis XIV (1643-1715) XVIIIth century: the Age of Enlightenment, great cultural influence


A rich and varied history The foundations of contemporary France : A rich and varied history  The foundations of contemporary France The French Revolution: Motto: «Liberty, Equality, Fraternity » 14 July 1789: storming of the Bastille 4 August 1789: abolition of privileges 26 August 1789: declaration of human and civil rights Napoleon and the Empire Aggressive military policy Administrative, legal and educational restructuring, still partly in force today The Restoration and the Second Empire In-depth transformation of the economy and of society Industrial Revolution: growth in industry, creation of banks, expansion of department stores Republican France from 1870 onwards Print: The National Library of France


A rich and varied history France today : A rich and varied history  France today France in the XXth century Two great world wars: 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 First stages of building Europe: France and Germany 1951: the European coal and steel community 1957: Rome Treaty, European Economic Community From the beginnings of the Vth Republic to date 1958-1969: decolonization, the building of Europe and reassertion by General de Gaulle, president of the Republic, of France’s international role 1981-1995: François Mitterrand elected as president of the Republic, government changeovers (left and right) 1995: Jacques Chirac, elected as president of the Republic


A rich and varied history France and its institutions : A rich and varied history  France and its institutions Constitution of the Vth Republic on 4th October1958: strong executive power President of the Republic: elected for a 5 year term by universal suffrage, appoints the Prime Minister, presides over the Council of Ministers Two assemblies: National Assembly: 577 members (deputies) elected for 5 years Senate: 321 senators elected for 9 years


A rich and varied historyFrance and Europe : A rich and varied history France and Europe France’s place within the European institutions founder role in the European Union, which now has 25 members upstream role in the decisions made by the European Council 87 French members sit on the European Parliament in Strasbourg Single currency January 2002: circulation of coins and notes in euros European harmonization of diplomas (LMD) 1990: a common basis of calculation is introduced (ECTS) 2010: throughout Europe, universal levels for higher education Licence, Master and Doctorate


An influential economic powerFrance, the world’s 4th largest economy: An influential economic power France, the world’s 4th largest economy The European Union’s leading agricultural producer, the world’s 2nd after the United States The world’s 5th industrial power The world’s leading industry for luxury goods Leading country for tourism in the world   GDP (Gross Domestic Product - 2003): 1 557.2 billion euros Breakdown by segment: Agriculture: 2.9% Industry: 25.6% Services: 71.6%


An influential economic powerA dynamic industrial power : An influential economic power A dynamic industrial power Modern industry A key player in various sectors: agro-foodstuffs (Danone), wines and spirits (Pernod-Ricard) fashion and luxury goods (Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint-Laurent, Chanel, Dior) chemical and pharmaceutical (Sanofi-Synthelabo), cosmetics (l’Oréal) automotive (Peugeot-Citroën, Renault), tyres (Michelin) construction (Bouygues, Vinci), building materials (Lafarge) telecommunications (Alcatel) aeronautics and aerospace (EADS, Dassault) materials (Saint-Gobain), iron and steel (Arcelor) electronics and technology (Thales, Thomson) Craft Industry France’s n° 1 employer Sources of energy Over 50% of energy needs covered by electric, hydro and nuclear power At the leading edge of new energies, wind and geothermal


An influential economic powerA major agricultural power : An influential economic power A major agricultural power 885 000 farmers, 2% of GNP large farms, specialized farming, highly mechanized with high output traditional small and medium-scale farmers, local products (South West and Mediterranean coast) Europe’s leading agricultural producer and exporter agricultural and livestock production regions: 82% of national territory 36 million tons of wheat, 34 million tons of sugar beet, 56 million hectolitres of wine, 21 million bovine animals forests: 30% of national territory maritime sector: ranking 3rd worldwide 600,000 tons of fish


An influential economic powerA flourishing tertiary sector : An influential economic power A flourishing tertiary sector Transport and communications the densest road and highway network in the world the high-speed train (TGV) a national airline, Air France, world’s top airline company since joining forces with KLM (May 2004) telecommunications: France Télécom, leading French operator Distribution development of superstores (Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc) specialized distribution (Galeries Lafayette) local stores maintained in towns Publications-media Lagardère Media, TF1, Vivendi Universal/Canal + Banks and insurances: 4% of GNP BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole/Crédit Lyonnais, AXA, AGF


An influential economic powerThe tourist industry – a national wealth : An influential economic power The tourist industry – a national wealth The Tourist Industry The most visited country in the world: 70 million foreign visitors Rich and varied sites: Paris the Mediterranean coast the castles of the Loire Normandy the Alps Large hotel chains: Accor Sodexho Alliance


An influential economic powerResearch, science and technology : An influential economic power Research, science and technology Tradition that dates back to the XIIIth century: 1257, the Sorbonne is established Ranks 3rd for investment in Research and Development amongst the OECD countries: 28.66 billion euros Prestigious research centres (CNRS, INRA) Medical science of world renown 1968: successful heart transplant by Pr. Barnard in Marseilles 1983: the AIDS virus is discovered by Pr. Rosenbaum and Montagnier A long scientific tradition: Descartes, Pascal, Buffon, Lavoisier, Pasteur Internationally renowned contemporary researchers: Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel prize winner for chemistry in 1987 Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, Georges Charpak, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel prize winners for physics in 1991, 1992 and 1997 Claude Allègre, Alain Connes, Crafoord prize winners in 1986 and 2001 Jean-Christophe Yoccoz, Pierre-Louis Lions, Laurent Lafforgue, Fields medals in 1994 and 2002


French society todayPopulation : French society today Population Working population (2004): 27.1 million Rate of unemployment: 9.9% Legal paid leave: 5 weeks per year Legal working hours: 35 hours per week Rate of holiday departures: 70% Average net salary: 20440 euros per year Savings ratio: 16.1% of disposable income Birth rate: 12°/°° Mortality rate: 9.1°/°° A land of welcome: a geographical crossroads in which various cultures inter-mingle Structure of households according to family type: Couples with at least one child: 32% Couples without children: 27.6% Singles: 31.4% Single-parent families: 7.1% Other non-family households: 1.9% marriages: 280 000 in 2002 divorces: 114 000 in 2002 unmarried couples: 1 in 6


French society todayA market economy and strong public services : French society today A market economy and strong public services The education system National education: n° 1 priority for the State budget 12 million pupils, compulsory schooling until the age of 16 2.2 million students in higher education 150,000 foreign students Public services in all areas: electricity (EDF), transport (SNCF), telecommunications (France Télécom), media (France Télévision, Arte, Radio France, RFI, RFO) gradual opening up to competition Social protection and health one of the best social protection systems: Social Security created in 1945 a major concern of the French: 148 billion € medical care and goods (2001), 75 % covered by the Social Security Easy access to culture and leisure Totally free access to libraries, partial to museums, preferential rates for sports facilities


French society todayEveryday life : French society today Everyday life Gastronomy: a distinctive trait of French culture traditional (poule au pot, blanquette, pot au feu) and innovative cuisine by great chefs (Bocuse, Robuchon, Ducasse) renowned wines (Claret, Burgundy, Champagne) 400 types of cheese (Camembert, Roquefort, Brie) 1 in 2 homes owns a pet Spending (break-down of household budget) : Accommodation 23.1% Household goods and maintenance 6.2% Food, drink and tobacco 18.2% Transport and communications 17.6% Housing: 6 in 10 own their homes Leisure: cultural events, gardening, DIY, trekking, computer games, sports (football, rugby, cycling, tennis) Leisure and culture 9.2% Clothing 4.8% Health 3.7% Miscellaneous (restaurants, travel) 15.8%


Slide21: A strong cultural heritage The influence of the French language Literature The French language: literary genres, streams of thought and famous authors XVIth: Montaigne, La Boétie XVIIth: Molière, Racine, Corneille, La Fontaine, Pascal XVIIIth: Rousseau, Voltaire, Beaumarchais, Marivaux XIXth: Balzac, Flaubert, Stendhal, Hugo, Mallarmé, Zola, Musset, Nerval, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Baudelaire XXth: Proust, Prévert, Breton, Sartre, Camus, Saint Exupéry, Marguerite Duras, Marguerite Yourcenar today: Modiano, Le Clézio, Pennac Francophony 170 million people speak French throughout the world (of which 80 million, mother tongue) 250 million «capable of using French occasionally» 11th worldwide ranking 82.5 million pupils and students


Slide22: A strong cultural heritage An exceptional wealth Art and architecture Historical splendours: Roman art: the abbeys of Vézelay, Cluny and Cîteaux Gothic art: Notre Dame of Paris, the cathedrals of Reims, Amiens, Chartres Renaissance art: castles of the Loire Baroque art: the Louvre Classic: the palace of Versailles French influence across the globe: Le Corbusier, Portzamparc, Nouvel Sculpture examples of the well-established: Houdon, David, Daumier, Carpeaux, Rodin, Bourdelle, Maillol modern innovation: Giacometti, Marcel Duchamp, Niki de Saint Phalle


A strong cultural heritageA source of inspiration: A strong cultural heritage A source of inspiration Painting Centuries of tradition: Georges de La Tour, Poussin, Watteau, Toulouse-Lautrec Modern art: impressionism (Monet, Manet, Van Gogh), cubism (Picasso, Cézanne), fauvism (Matisse), abstract art (Vasarely, Kandinsky) Great museums for great painters: in Paris: Grand Louvre, Orsay museum, Centre Pompidou in provincial France: the Matisse and Chagall museums (Nice), regional museums (Bordeaux, Troyes) Music Baroque and classical tradition: Lully, Rameau, Berlioz, Bizet Contemporary (Debussy, Ravel) and experimental music (Boulez, Xenakis) Inventiveness of today’s musical creations (Daft Punk, Air, Laurent Garnier, IAM)


A strong cultural heritageAt the forefront of all types of art: A strong cultural heritage At the forefront of all types of art The film industry 1895: invention of cinematography by the Lumière brothers 1930-1940: poetic realism, Renoir, Carné, Pagnol… the sixties: the «new wave», Truffaut, Godard, Rohmer… contemporary cinema: Pialat, Téchiné, Besson, Annaud, Jeunet (Amélie Poulain) World renowned actors: Brigitte Bardot, Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau, Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Sophie Marceau, Juliette Binoche… Leading European producers High ratio of cinema attendance Photography: Cartier-Bresson, Lartigue Design: Philippe Starck Living arts Theatre: Ariane Mnouchkine, Patrice Chéreau Dance: ballets by the Paris Opera, Béjart, Decoufflé, Roland Petit


A strong cultural heritageMajor festive events : A strong cultural heritage Major festive events 1989: Bicentenary of the French Revolution Annual major events 21st June: Music Festival throughout France June/July: Roland Garros tennis tournament, Tour de France cycling Midem: international music market in Cannes July/August: operation Paris-Beach Festival triumphs cinema: Cannes, Deauville theatre: Avignon festival Music and opera: Aix-en-Provence, Chaise-Dieu, Francofolies in la Rochelle, Printemps de Bourges photography: Arles, Perpignan Sport events 1998: World cup football 2003: World athletics championship 2007: World cup rugby 2012: Paris candidate for Olympic Games


Information sources and links: Office of the President of the Republic (www.elysee.fr) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.diplomatie-france.fr) French agency for international investment (www.afii.fr) European Union (www.europa.eu.int) Ministry of Culture and Communications (www.culture.gouv.fr) Unesco (www.unesco.org) OECD (www.oecd.org) French Academy (www.academie-francaise.fr) Academy of science (www.academie-sciences.fr) Insee (www.insee.fr) Photographic Library: EduFrance Ministry of Foreign Affairs Library of France (www.bnf.fr) Information sources and links