A Tour to France

8/7/2019 A Tour to France

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TOUR TO FRANCE

J E T'EMBRASSE BIEN FORT


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INTRODUCTION

Rpublique franaise"How can anyone govern anation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?"

Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970),French general, president. Quotedin: Newsweek (New York, 1 Oct.1962).

Indeed! Were he alive today, deGaulle would need to revise that famous rhetoricaquestion. While France now boasts nearly 400 different varieties of cheese, this statistic on

hints at the individualism and variety of cultures towhich the General alluded. France is a country of

sharp contrasts and proud, often defiant, heritage.Much of France's originality springs from the factthat in its 220,000 square miles of territory are to be found all the major natural regions of thecontinent, each with its own personality. Both itsdiversity of landscapes and a tumultuous history of political rule have sculpted the customs, languages,and attitudes of its people. No fewer than 25different languages and dialects can still be heard

within its borders (two Judeo-French languages became extinct as recently as 1977). Regionalcelebrations, folklore and traditional garb can be

traced to a history of settlement and invasion sometimes subtle, often violent by Druids,Celts, Normans, Huns, Greeks, Romans, and numerous other civilizations. Evidence of huma population within ancient Gaul can be traced back nearly 30,000 years! One of the oldest natio


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in Europe, France - which the Romans called Gaul - is also a country with a very rich culturand environmental heritage.

France is a state in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands locateon other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France extenfrom the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to thAtlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as LHexagone("The Hexagon") because of the geometricshape of its territory. It is bordered (clockwise starting from the northeast) by BelgiumLuxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Monaco; with Spain and Andorra to the southFrance is linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath thEnglish Channel.

A modern European state and a republic, is one of the world's major economies. Franchas 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 nationlargest city is Paris. The official language is French, though regional languages such as Bretoand Alsacian are making a comeback. Metropolitan France (France in Europe) is divideadministratively, into 22 regions, and 96 counties, known as departments. France's currency the Euro.

The climate in France is quite varied, but generally west European - on the whole a bwarmer than the UK, a bit cooler than Spain . Don't expect to find summer in winter in the Souof France!

Autumn is a great time to visit France, specially the first half of the season, when theweather is traditionally quite dry, and the warmth of Summer days still lingers on. In touristareas, the most remarkable thing about France in the Autumn is the absence of tourists. Outsideurban areas, where hotels may get busy with business clientele, accommodation is easy to find.In tourist areas, many hotels close down at the start of September, but there are always some thastay open to catch the few passing tourists.

In low-lying parts of the south of France, September and October can still offer hot dayswith daytime temperatures peaking at over 30Celsius; in the higher mountain areas too, warmdays are quite common during this period, but night-time temperatures tend to be considerablycooler. In the plains and valleys of southern France, Autum colours do not really begin to

change the look of the landscape until the end of October or the start of November; in the hillsand mountains, leaves may begin to turn colour and fall a bit earlier, depending on the altitudeand the onset of the first frosts.

In the northern half of France, September is normally a very pleasant month, but days caturn chilly and damp by mid October - depending on the climatic conditions.

November is not a particularly good time for visiting France. While the southern regionsmay remain bright and sunny, grey skies normally predominate in the north; and wherever you


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are in France, November days are short.As for winter, there is very little tourist activity in France, except in Paris, in the Alps, and i

the Riviera. With its concentration of tourist attractions, Paris is a magnet for tourists in allseasons; there is always something to see and lots to do in Paris, whatever the time of year,whatever the weather. The Alps - and other high mountain areas - have their peak tourist seasoin the wintern months, thanks to winter sports; and France offers a wealth of opportunities for some of the best skiing in Europe. Finally, and as it has been doing for almost two hundred yearnow, the Riviera attracts visitors in the winter months on account of its sunshine and mildclimate. In the area round Nice, Spring is usually very much in the air from early Februaryonwards, at a time when much of the rest of France is often under snow, rain or leaden skies.

TOP TOURIST DESTINATION: PEOPLES CHOICE

France is at top position since last many years to attract the foreign tourists; Franc

attracted 74.2 million foreign tourists in 2009, 79.2 million in 2008, 80.9 million in 2007, 77million in 2006, making it the most popular tourist destination in the world. This 74.2 milliofigure excludes people staying less than 24 hours in France, such as northern Europeans crossiFrance on their way to Morocco, Spain or Italy in summer.

France offers mountain ranges, coastlines such as in Brittany or along the mediterraneaSea, cities with a rich cultural heritage, chteaux (castles) like Versailles, and vineyards. Tourisis accountable for 6% of the country's income (4% from French tourists travelling inside Franand 2% from foreign tourists).

ATTRACTION OF TOUR

Paris

P aris, the capital city, is the most visited city in the world. P aris attracts touristswith museums such as the Louvre and Muse d'Orsay, and attractions like the EiffelTower, Arc de Triomphe, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, and Disneyland P aris.


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Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower at night

Alps

The French Alps are those portionsof the Alps mountain range whichstand within France, located in theRhne-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur regions.

Mont Blanc (Italian: M onte Bianco),located on the French-Italian border,is the highest mountain in the Alpsas well as the highest mountain inEurope west of Russia at4,810.45 metres (15,782 ft).

Notable towns in the French Alpsinclude Grenoble, Chamonix,Annecy, Chambry, and Albertville.


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Cycling

The Tour de France is an annual bicycle raceheld in in France and nearby countries. Firststaged in 1903, the race covers more than3,600 kilometres (2,200 mi) and lasts threeweeks. As the best known and most prestigiousof cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour deFrance attracts riders and teams from around theworld. The race is broken into day-longsegments, called stages. Individual times tofinish each stage are aggregated to determine the

overall winner at the end of the race. The rider with the lowest aggregate time at the end of eaday wears a yellow jersey. The course changes every year, but the race has always finished Paris. Since 1975, the climax of the final stage has been along the Champs-lyses.

Avignon

(Avinhon in classical norm or AvignouninMistralian norm) is a commune in the Vauclusedepartment in southeastern France.The city iswell known for its Palais des Papes(Palace of the Popes), where several popes and antipopeslived from the early 14th to early 15th centuries.Avignon is situated on the left bank of theRhne

Palais des Papes

Arles

(Arle in both classical and Mistraliannorms) is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhnedepartment, of which it is a subprefecture, in theformer province of Provence. The city has along history, and was of considerable importancein the Roman province of Gallia

The Roman arena in Arles 1


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Lyon

Lyon is a major centre of business with a reputation as the French capital of gastronomy anhaving a significant role in the history of cinema due to Auguste and Louis Lumire. The loc professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased the profile of Lyinternationally through participation in European football championships.

Panorama of the inner city of Lyon, taken from the Basilique of Four vire.

Marseille

Marseille from Notre-Dame de la Garde.

Marseille is the most populous commune in France after Paris and is the centre of the thirlargest metropolitan area in France. To the east, starting in the small fishing village o

Callelongue on the outskirts of Marseille and stretching as far as Cassis, are the Calanques, rugged coastal area interspersed with small fjords. Further east still are the Sainte-Baume, 1,147 m (3,763 ft) mountain ridge rising from a forest of deciduous trees, the town of Toulon anthe French Riviera. To the north of Marseille, beyond the low Garlaban and Etoile mountairanges, is the 1,011 m (3,317 ft) Mont Sainte Victoire. To the west of Marseille is the formeartists' colony of l'Estaque; further west are the Cte Bleue, the Gulf of Lion and the Camargu


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region in the Rhne delta. The airport lies to the north west of the city at Marignane on the tande Berre.

Nice

the city is nicknamed N ice la Belle ( N issa la Bella in Niard),which means N ice the Beautiful .The first known humansettlements in the Nice area date back approximately 400,000years;[9] the Terra Amata archeological site shows one of the earliest uses of fire and

construction of houses and flintfindings are dated as around230,000 years old.[ Nice (Nicaea)was probably founded around 350BC by the Greeks of Massilia(Marseille), and was given the name of ("Nikaia") in honour of a victory over neighbouring Ligurians (Nike is the Greek goddess of victory). The city soon became one of th busiest trading ports on the Ligurian coast; but it had an important rival in the Roman town Cemenelum, which continued to exist as a separate city until the time of the Lombard invasionThe ruins of Cemenelum are located in Cimiez, which is

now a district in Nice.

Giuseppe Garibaldi, born in Nice, strongly opposed thecession to France (arguing that it was not done with a"universal" vote and that the ballot was rigged by theFrench) and in 1866 there were even popular riots in thecity, promoted by "Garibaldini" in favour of theunification of Nice to Italy. The Italian irredentistsconsidered Nice one of their main nationalistic requestsand in 1942/3 the city was occupied and administered byItaly during World War II.

Garibaldi's monument, Place Garibaldi


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("Grand Island"), wasclassified a World Heritagesite by UNESCO in 1988,the first time such an honor was placed on an entire citycentre. Strasbourg is fusedinto the Franco-Germanculture and althoughviolently disputed throughouthistory, has been a bridge of unity between France andGermany for centuries, especially through the University of Strasbourg, currently the largest France, and the co-existence of Catholic and Protestant culture.

( Panorama from the Barrage Vauban with the medieval bridge Ponts Couverts in the foreground ( the fourth tower being hidden by trees at the left) and the cathedral in the distance.)

Nantes

In 2004, the Time magazine described Nantesas "the most liveable city in Europe

St. Peter & Paul's Cathedral, Nantes


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L'le Feydeau

Nantes is the capital city of the Pays de la Loire region and Loire-Atlantique dpartement. Italso the major city of the historic province of Brittany, and culturally remains strongly identifiewith it. Nantes is located on the banks of the Loire River, at the confluence of the Erdre and thSvre Nantaise, 55 km (35 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean. The city was built in a place whermany branches of the Loire river created several islands, but most of those branches were fillein at the beginning of the 20th century (and the confluence with the Erdre river diverted ancovered) due to the increasing car traffic.

FRENCH FOOD: TO TWIST YOUR TONGUE

France is world famous for its chef, restaurants & delicious food.

French cuisine [cuisine , "cooking; culinary art;kitchen"; ultimately from Latin coquere , "tocook" ] is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices, often associated with a specific culture.It is often named after the region or place whereits underlining culture is present. A cuisine is primarily influenced by the ingredients that areavailable locally or through trade. Religious foodlaws can also exercise a strong influence oncuisine) is a style of cooking originating from

France that has developed from centuries of socialand political change. In the Middle Ages The most well known French chef of the Middle Agwas Guillaume Tirel, also known as Taillevent authored Le Viandier , one of the earliest recipecollections of Medieval France. Taillevent worked in numerous royal kitchens during the 14century. His first position was as a kitchen boy in 1326. He was chef to Philip VI, then thDauphin who was son of John II. The Dauphin became King Charles V of France in 1364, wiTaillevent as his chief cook. His career spanned sixty-six years, and upon his death he was burie


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in grand style between his two wives. His tombstone represents him in armor, holding a shielwith three cooking pots,marmites, on it.. In the 17th century, La Varenne and the notable chef of Napoleon and other dignitaries, Marie-Antoine Carme, moved toward fewer spices and moliberal usage of herbs and creamy ingredients, signaling the beginning of modern cuisine. Cheeand wine are a major part of the cuisine, playing different roles regionally and nationally wimany variations andappellation d'origine contrle(AOC) (regulated appellation) laws.

French cuisine was codified in the 20th century by Georges Auguste Escoffier to become thmodern version of haute cuisine, however Escoffier leftout much of the regional culinary character to be foundin the regions of France. Gastro-tourism and theGuide M ichelin helped to acquaint people with the rich bourgeois and peasant cuisine of the Frenchcountryside starting in the 20th century. Gascon cuisine

has also had great influence over the cuisine in thesouthwest of France. Many dishes that were onceregional have proliferated in variations across thecountry.

there are many dishes that are considered part of thenation's national cuisine today. Many come fromhautecuisine in the fine-dining realm, but others are regional dishes that have become a norm acrosthe country.

Common dishes found on a national level

There are many dishes that are considered part of the nation's national cuisine today. Many comfrom haute cuisine in the fine-dining realm, but others are regional dishes that have becomenorm across the country. Below are lists of a few of the more common dishes available in Franon a national level.

Common breads

Baguette

Listed in order by size from thinnest to thickest loaf

y Ficelle y Baguette


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y Flte y Pain y Pain Poilane(large thick crusted circular loaf)

Common savory dishes

Pot au feu

y Steak frites(steak and fries)y Poulet frites(chicken and fries)steig et fritesy Blanquette deveau (blanquette of veal)y Coq au vin (rooster in red wine)y Pot au feu(beef stew with mixed vegetables)y Bouillabaisse(fish soup)y E ndives (Belgian endive)y Boudin blanc(Delicate flavored sausage similar to bockwurst)y Foie deveau (calf's liver)y Andouillette(chitterling sausage)y Foie gras(fatty duck or goose liver)

Common desserts and pastries

A mille-feuille pastryy M ousse au chocolat y Cr me Brle y M ille-feuilles y Choux la Cr me(cream puffs, see choux pastry)y Tartes aux fruits(fruit tarts)


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y Religieuse(chocolate clair shaped to resemble a nun)y M adeleine(a small cake-like cookie)y Tarte Tatin (caramelized apple tart)y Gteaux(cake)y

clairs y Profiteroles(baked puff pastries (choux) filled with cream or ice cream)

Common canned food unique to France

Many dishes, including relatively sophisticated ones, are available as canned or frozen food supermarkets. These products are sometimes endorsed by famous chefs. Below is a list of somof these canned items which are unique to France.

y Cassoulet y

Choucroute garnie y Duck confit

French cuisine ingredients

An entire foie gras (partly prepared for a terrine).

scargot cooked with garlic and parsley butter in a shell (with a 0.02 coin as scale)

Black Prigord Truffle

French regional cuisines use locally grown vegetables, such as:


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potatoes,haricot verts (A type of French green bean), carrots, leeks, turnips,aubergine (eggplant),courgette(zucchini), Mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, cpes (porcini), Truffle (fungi),shallots

Common fruits include:

oranges,tomatoes,tangerines,peaches,apricots,apples,pears,plums,cherry,strawberry,raspberry,recurrant,blackberry,grape,blackcurrant,

Meats consumed include:

chicken, squab, turkey, duck, goose, foie gras, beef, veal, pork, mutton and lamb, rabbit, quail,horse

Eggs are fine quality and often eaten as:

omelette, hard-boiled with mayonnaise, Scrambled plain or haute cuisinepreparation

Fish and seafood commonly consumed include:

cod, sardines, tuna, salmon, trout, mussels, herring,escargot (snails) , oysters, shrimp, calamari,frog's legs

Herbs and Seasonings vary by region and include:

fleur de sel,herbes de Provence,tarragon,rosemary,marjoram,lavender,thyme, fennel,sage,

Fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as fish and meat can be purchased either from supermarkets specialty shops. Street markets are held on certain days in most localities; some towns have amore permanent covered market enclosing food shops, especially meat and fish retailers. Thesehave better shelter than the periodic street markets.

FRENCH FASHION: MAKE U MAD

Fashion has been an important industry and cultural export of France since theseventeenth century, and modern "haute couture" originated in Paris in the 1860s. Today, Paris,along with London, Milan, and New York City, is considered one of the world's fashion capitalsand the city is home or headquarters to many of the premier fashion houses. Historically, manyof the world's top designers and fashion houses have been French, including Coco Chanel,Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, Chlo, Herms, Guy Laroche, Yves Saint Laurent, andshoe designer Christian Louboutin.


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Fashion weeks

The Paris Fashion Week takes place twice a year after the London Fashion Week and beforeMilan Fashion Week. Dates are determined by the French Fashion Federation. Currently, theFashion Week is held in the Carrousel du Louvre.

Since the seventeenth century, the headquarters for fashion houses have been traditionallsituated in the quarter around the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor. Since the 1980s, the AvenueMontaigne has, to some extent, overtaken the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honor in high fashion aswell as accessories. Other areas, such as Le Marais, a traditional Jewish quarter, have alsoincluded the clothing industry


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BY: RAJ SINGH

FRANCE HAS BASKET OF MAGIC FOR TRAVELLERS IN E ASPECT OF LIFE STYLE. DONT LET THE CHANCE GO IF YO

Assignment created by: -

Raj Singh

LL.M.(business law)

Ist sem.

Amity Institute of Advance Legal Studies

Documents

A Tour to France