_Franceattractsmoretourists than any other country in the world. Tourists come to see Frances splendid scenery. But mostly they come to see Paris, the capital of France. Paris is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Forcenturies,France has been the center of art and culture in Europe. Some of the worlds greatest artists and writers have worked here. French fashions and cooking are widely admired and copied.Facts About FranceOfficial nameFrench RepublicCapitalParisOfficial languageFrenchPopulation64,100,000 peopleRank among countries in population21stMajor citiesParis, Marseille, Lyon, ToulouseArea210,000 square miles544,000 square kilometersRank among countries in area47thHighest pointMont Blanc15,782 feet/4,810 metersCurrencyEuroVARIED LANDSCAPESFranceisthebiggest country in western Europe. Most of the land in the north is flat and close to sea level. Hills cover central and southern France, and huge mountains rise along the countrys borders. The Pyrenees divide France from Spain, its neighbor to the southwest. The Alps mark its border with Italy and Switzerland to the east.MostofFrancehasmild weather. However, the French Alps get plenty of snow. Some of the worlds finest ski resorts are found here. In the southeast, France borders the Mediterranean Sea. The coast along the Mediterranean is called the Riviera. Warm, dry weather and beautiful scenery make the Riviera a famous winter resort. Its long been associated with wealth and glamour.THE FRENCH COUNTRYSIDETheFrenchcountryside is divided into tidy farms and dotted with pretty towns. Here and there, old castles loom on hills. The castles were built hundreds of years ago, when nobles ruled France. Bigrivers,liketheLoire and the Seine, provide water for French farms. Canals connect the major rivers in France. People can travel on this network of waterways. The canals are like an extra set of highways.WINE AND CHEESEVineyardsanddairyfarms in the countryside produce products for which France is best known. Vineyards grow grapes that are made into wine. Cheese comes from the dairy farms. Franceproducesmorewine than any other country in the world. Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne are important grape-growing regions in France. All three have given their names to kinds of wine. Francealsoisknownfor producing some of the best cheeses in the world. They include Camembert, chvre (made from goats milk), and Roquefort. THE CAPITAL OF FUNThree-fourthsofthepeople of France live in cities and towns. France has ports, such as Marseille, and factory towns, such as Lyon. Paris, however, is by far the most important French city. About 10 million people live in and around this lively and lovely city.Artistshavelongbeen drawn to Paris. A famous art movement called impressionism was born here. The best-known museum in Francethe Louvreis in Paris. The Louvre contains one of the worlds most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.TouristsalsoloveParis for its nightlife, restaurants, and sidewalk cafs. They flock to see beautiful buildings such as Notre Dame, a huge church that is more than 700 years old. They visit the Eiffel Tower, a Paris landmark thats nearly 1,000 feet (300 meters) high.THE BIRTH OF FRANCEPariswasfoundedmore than 2,000 years ago. It was just a small town until the ad 800s. At that time, France was the western part of a big empire built by a tribe called the Franks. The greatest king of the Franks was Charlemagne. He ruled from 768 to 814. After his death, his three grandsons divided his empire. The western part eventually became France. Foraboutfourcenturies, the kings of France had little power. During a conflict with England, the French came to think of themselves as a nation. The conflict, known as the Hundred Years War, lasted from 1337 to 1453. After the war, the power of the French king began to grow.Thekingspowerpeaked with Louis XIV, who ruled from 1643 to 1715. He was known as the Sun King because he took the Sunthe brightest star in our skyas his symbol. Louis XIV built the worlds grandest palace at Versailles, just outside Paris. All over Europe, people came to think of Paris as a center for art, culture, and fun.THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONThefundidntlast.The king and the members of his court lived splendidly, but the French people were dreadfully poor. In 1789, the poor rebelled. They overthrew the king and the nobles. They demanded liberty and equality for all. These events began the French Revolution, which lasted until 1799.Aftertherevolution, a military leader named Napoleon seized power in France. He led French armies as they conquered much of Europe. Britain and Russia joined forces to defeat him.TODAYS FRANCEFranceremainsapowerful and lively country. It is one of the most important countries in the