Some 78 million foreign travelers visited French soil in 2006, putting France once again in the #1 position for most visited country on the planet. And, in a land that extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine River to the Atlantic Ocean, there is an abundance of things to do and see.
France has some of the best preserved Roman architecture in Orange, religious shrines in Lourdes, vineyards in the Loire Valley, lavender fields in Provence, scarred battlefields in Normandy, and high fashion - or "haute couture" - in Paris. It also boasts world famous beaches, glitterati events, culinary delights, awe-inspiring mountains and ski resorts that are second to none. All of this is in addition to the Eiffel Tower, the champagne and the Mona Lisa that we know and love!
In fact, the country is so rich in attractions that UNESCO has classified 27 natural and cultural French sites as "World Heritage Sites". These include the prehistoric caves of Lascaux, the standing stones of Carnac, the art collections of the Louvre and the Orsay museum, historic abbeys, cathedrals and châteaux like Chenonceau, Blois and Chantilly, as well as 20th century monuments such as the Arch at La Défense, and intimate sites like the Clos-Lucé d'Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci once lived, and the château of Auvers-sur-Oise where Impressionism was born. Each site tells its own story about French traditions, French people and character.
Bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain, France is truly an international destination; welcoming visitors from around the globe with a kiss on each cheek. And did you know that the sheer beauty of France has inspired some of the world's greatest artists from Van Gogh to Picasso, Monet to Cezanne?
Who hasn't dreamed of a real French Kiss, a stroll along the River Seine or spending a Year in Provence? Isn't it time to turn dreams into reality?
It was 18th century French writer Charles Perrault who gave us children classic stories like Puss in Boots, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. And The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are all French natives.
With approximately 100 euros spent annually per inhabitant, France leads the world in perfume and beauty product consumption.
In the country that invented the cigarette, almost a third of people smoke despite strong public bans and smoking restrictions that came into play in early 2007.
The French consume / savor over 55 pounds of cheese per person per year and, with 365 different sorts of cheese, that's a different cheese for every day of the year.
France produces one-fifth of all the wine made in the world (450 exported brands) and they are happy to drink it as well. France has the greatest consumption of alcohol, with 12.7 liters (3.35 gallons) per person per year.
France is the origin of many American cultural icons and things that Americans hold near and dear. From the jeans (denim originates from the city of Nîmes - de Nîmes meaning "From Nimes") to beloved French Fries (which first appeared in their long slender form in Paris in the mid nineteenth century) and the Statue of Liberty (the symbol of U.S. freedom and a gift from France).
We are indebted to the French for the following inventions: Jacques Cousteau's Aqualung, the Barometer, the Battery, the Bicycle, the Bikini, Braille, the Diesel Engine, the Digital Calculator, the Electric Iron, Hot Air Balloons, the Guillotine, Mayonnaise, the Metric System, the Parachute, Pasteurization, the Pencil, the Sewing Machine
180,000 square miles (almost the size of Texas)
60 million+ inhabitants
Currency is the Euro
Capital City is Paris
Almost 600,000 miles of roads and 20,000 miles of railway
3,400 miles of coastline
Home to the highest mountain in Western Europe: Mont Blanc
Over 8,000 miles of skiable downhill pistes
35,000 boulangeries (bakeries) with 3.7 million tons of bread consumed every year
20,000 hotels
3,900 museums - 12 million visitors to the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Versailles alone