Transcript Let`s locate France

WHERE ARE WE?
« The hexagon » as we call it, is separated
from the United Kingdom by the English
Channel. We can offer the tourists 3427km of
beaches!
Area: 543 965 km2 ;3rd largest european
country after Russia and Ukraine, and 48th in
the world.
We have natural borders with Italy (the Alps),
Switzerland (the Jura), Germany (The River
Rhine) and Spain (the Pyrénées). Luxemburg
and Belgium are also our neighbour countries.
Population: 64 102 000 inhabitants.
France is a country of mixed cultures due to
its numerous immigrants from everywhere in
the world and to the migration from its
colonies overseas. (Corsica, Saint Pierre- etMiquelon, French Guyana, The French West
Indies (Martinique, Guadeloupe, ) Mayotte, La
Réunion, in the Indian Ocean, French Polynesia
(Tahiti), New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna).
Regions and « départements »
France is divided into 22
administrative regions.
Each region is composed of several
« départements ».
Each « département » provides for
local expenses.
Our region is « Languedoc-Roussillon
and our « département » is
« Lozère »; Langogne is north of
Mende.
Our flag and symbols (1)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
On the 14th July 1789 the Parisians
assaulted « La Bastille », a state prison,
the symbol of despotism of the Ancient
Regime.
The high taxes imposed on them by Louis
XVI triggered off the riot.
The French flag has existed since the
French Revolution: 14 July 1789.
Our National Day, 14 July, commemorates
the storming of « La Bastille ».
« Blue and red » stand for the colours of
Paris, the capital of France.
« White » stands for monarchy.
The bust of « Marianne » is a symbolic
representation of the motherhood spirit:
healing, peaceful, nourishing and
protecting. She is present in Town Halls.
She also figures on coins and stamps…
Laetitia Casta, top model
and actress, was the model
for this « Marianne »
Riot on 14th July
1789
More symbols
« Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood »: this motto
is the principle of the Republic.
« The cock » symbolizes Gaule, the name given
to our country before it was called « France ».It
comes from the latin « gallius » which means « a
cock »
« The Marseillaise », 1792: our national
anthem. It is a war song for the Rhine Army.
« The Declaration of Man and Citizen’s
Rights »: it was written just after the
Revolution.
French « haute cuisine », high quality wines
(Bordeaux, Bourgogne…) and Champagne!
Perfume: Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent,
Cardin, Courrèges, Sonia Rykiel, Cacharel…
The Eiffel Tower: It was built in 1889 by
Gustave Eiffel for the Universal Exhibition; it is
325m high and 6,893 million tourists visited it in
2007.
« The River Loire castles » ( Chambord, Blois
Chenonceau…) and Louis XIV’s « Château de
Versailles ».
HERITAGE
•The « Château de Versailles »:
Louis XIV had it built. He made
himself be called « the Sun King ».
•The gardens of Versailles, in « the
French way »
AND
TECHNOLOGY
THE VIADUCT OF MILLAU
•
•
•
•
•
A large cablestayed roadbridge that
spans over the
valley of the
River Tarn.
the tallest in
the world: the
mast’s summit
is 343m high.
The longest:
2460 m.
The highest
pylons: 244.96m
The higest road
bridge deck:
270m above the
river.
Notre Dame de Paris and Les Champs Elysées
•
•
Notre Dame de Paris: Probably one
of the most beautiful cathedrals in
Gothic style.
Its façade dominates John Paul’s II
square.
The longest avenue in the world.
How we are seen abroad…
The béret basque (1)
A bottle of wine
A « baguette »
*Translation: « Good bye! I’m
going to eat my snails and my
frog legs! »
(1) « basque » is the name of a region on the
Atlantic coast, near the Pyrénées.
(2) « baguette » is how we call this shaped
bread