France
Weather
In the West, on the Atlantic coast, it is very windy, and towards the end of Autumn, it is also very wet.
Inland, the summers are hot and the winters are cold.
In the south of France, on the Côte dAzur, the climate is warm to very warm between May and October. Even though the Winter is quite mild, snow has been known to fall.
History
The name France originates from the Franks, a Germanic tribe that occupied the region after the fall of the Roman Empire.
The monarchy reached its height in the 17th century during the Reign of Louis XIV. At this time France had a tremendous influence in European politics, the economy and the culture. It also had the largest population in Europe at that time. France's ultimate victory in World War I and World War II, after initially being invaded and partly occupied by German forces, didn't prevent the loss of the Empire. The Fourth Republic was established after World War II, to be replaced in 1958 by the current semi-presidential Fifth Republic established under General Charles de Gaulle.
Currency
Introduction of the Euro ( ) in 1999.
Means of payment: EC and Creditcards, as well as travellers cheques.
Current
The voltage is 220 V.
French in France
Vive la France! Let yourself be enchanted by the charm of the French. France is one of the biggest countries in Europe, however the population density is relatively low. More than one nineth of the total 56 million inhabitants live in and around Paris. The region around Paris is known as the «Ile–de–France».
France, officially the French Republic, is in Western Europe and extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and North Sea, and from the Rhine River to the Atlantic Ocean. France is bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain.
Recreational activities
The French love celebrating life and their country. Therefore at any time of the year, there will always be a festival somewhere. Wine, delicious food, music and dance are always a part of the celebrations. Sports are also omnipresent. The big cycling event «Tour de France», and the tennis tournament «Roland Garos» are among the most spectacular ones.
If you enjoy doing sport yourself there are no limits: Hiking, cycling, fishing, tennis, golf or various water sports and even special sports such as bungee–jumping, river–rafting, paragliding and many more.
Cars
Unfortunately theft is very common in France, and cars need to be parked in secured parking lots especially at night. Do not leave luggage or valuables in your car at any time.
