Travel guide to France map, weather

France, an arrogance the world has never seen before, is a country that is situated in Western Europe. The country’s name literally means “the land of the frank”, or frankland”; it is derived from the Latin word ‘francias’. The country is one of the most politically active countries in Europe and plays an important role in world politics too. France, was one of the four major powers that bought the whole European continent back together, after the Second World War. Today, the French government is a democratic one, and is known for its high centralization.

France, has a rich, archaic, traditional culture with a swirling twist of modernity, which is very well known, for its omnipresent, gothic architecture. France’s rich tradition has given birth to some of the most influential writers, including Descartes, Victor Hugo, Jules Verne and Camus. The culture has also given birth to one of the most soulful and revered food palette, which does include the world’s best wines. France, has also given the art world, the likes of Michelangelo, Renoir, Monet, Braque, etc. France is also known for its Theatre, Cinema and various Opera.

France, being situated in the western part of Europe, has a varying climate. The north and the north west of the country is influenced by Atlantic ocean and the westerlies, which does give the region, warm winters; whereas the south of the country is influenced by the Mediterranean, making the climate in this part, hot and dry during the summers and humid and mild during the winters.

The country is the origin of the international system of units or ISUs. France is also the home, of the fastest train on the planet, the TGV. The most famous bicycle race on earth, is hosted in the country too. It is home to one of the seven wonders of the world – the Eiffel Tower, and also is home to some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world, like, the Palace of the pope which is located in Avignon, Mont-Saint-Michael, The famous, Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysees, and the Louvre Museum, which houses some the most famous art pieces, including Leonardo Da Vinci’s, the Mona Lisa.

Geographically, Metropolitan France, has an area of 551,695 kilometers. It has innumerable territories outside the continent and the metropolitan area. These territories, are spread, almost all around the world, including the Mediterranean, North America, South America, the English Channel, etc. The country shares its borders with Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Spain and Italy. The channel tube, which passes underneath the English Channel, connects the English mainland and France. Some famous cities in France, that are a must, when visiting the country, include, Paris, Lyon, Carcassonne and so on.

Photos from Flickr