History and geography of France
France, which is commonly referred to by the French as l'Hexagone (the Hexagon) because of its geographical shape, has an area of 675,417 km² which makes it the third largest country in Europe after Russia and Ukraine. It limits to the southwest with Spain and Andorra; to the west with the Atlantic Ocean; to the north with the English Channel; to the northeast with Belgium and Luxembourg; to the east with Germany and Switzerland; to the southeast with Italy; and to the south with the principality of Monaco and the Mare Nostrum, the Mediterranean Sea.
France is a great plain, drained by great rivers and separated from other countries by a rich and grandiose relief. The Pyrenees and the Alps are outstanding, but the Central Massif is also worth visiting, in fact, it may surprise us more pleasantly.
The flat and rainy north, where the mist abounds, the cold and dry center, the humid Atlantic reminiscent of the Spanish north, the Mediterranean and windy south and then Corsica, the Île de Beauté, the island of beauty, everything is a proposal travel a lure to launch the visit.
France is a country with a rich past, like everyone's, with great importance in the world scene, with a great representation in the world of culture, politics and philosophy. France is a particular state model and a melting pot of people who have mixed badly well, as everywhere, and who walk together towards a future where, hopefully, the borders do not show more than folkloric samples of human diversity. The same diversity that makes each individual a universe.
France, land on which history has been written.
In the sections of this section you can learn and know the various stages of history in what is now France. From prehistory to the 21st century, the territories have changed their name, owner. Countries have emerged and disappeared, but men and women have left their mark. Today their ancestors, whatever their origins, can claim only heirs of that past, of those pasts, of all of them, the French and the rest. If it is maximum, it is useful for the history of the past, for the present of any place, in the case of France, the common inheritance is enlarged thanks to facts that have provoked advances for the whole human race. It is true that absolutism, servitude and slavery were anchored in the history of this hexagon, -as in the case of the United Kingdom, the United States or Russia-, but it is no less true that its Revolution was more than global than French , showing a light of freedom, equality and fraternity, distant but tangible - as was the case of the British, North American and Russian revolutions.
The interest in history in the hexagon is very great, which contrasts with the value it is given when it comes to shaping the idea of country and nation. Unlike other places where the weight of language, of the past, of blood, is much clearer and more oppressive, in France history serves more as a framework and commonplace than as a founding myth. True, the interpretations are varied and the capital fact moves to the French Revolution, but as Renan said well, France is a plebiscite of every day. The France of the Republic, of the Revolution, of miscegenation and of melting pot, which fuses diverse elements to create citizens over origins, of religions, languages and of small identities, is the majority France. That is the idea of a country that most elites and most of the French have. It's a shame that most people in the world do not have it.
The France of Ultramar.
In addition to metropolitan France, the French territory extends across five continents. In America the small islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon are next to Newfoundland. In the Caribbean we find the departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique and the special territories of Saint Barth (former Swedish colony) and half of the Isle of Saint Martin (shared with the Netherlands), all of them prime tourist destinations.
In South America, the department of Guyane, French Guiana is known above all for hosting the launching base for European rockets in Kourou. The European Space Agency thus has an ideal launching center, located very close to the equator.
Bora-Bora in French Polynesia, the farthest France, the most dreamed. Photo of Steve Mariani
In the pacific coast of America to the height of Mexico is the small coral atoll of Clipperton, also French territory.
In the Pacific a myriad of islands constitutes French Polynesia, with Tahiti, ideal and idealized paradise. The archipelago of Wallis and Futuna forms another overseas department. And to finish the great island of New Caledonia and the islands of Loyauté form New Caledonia special territory.
In the Indian Ocean, France has two departments, La Réunion, located southeast of Madagascar and also a great tourist destination; and the island of Mayotte in the Comoros archipelago.
image source :wikipedia
In addition, a series of near-Antarctic islands together with the Adélie land make up the TAAF, French Southern and Antarctic Territories. The Kerguelen Islands, New Amsterdam, Crozet are a paradise for researchers, there are penguins and large cabbages and produce the most beautiful philatelic emissions in France. It emphasizes its abrupt and crude geography, and its desolation.
In short, a rich and diverse geography that invites you to get to know all of France, the European and also the overseas territories, unknown in Europe, but that can mean a second trip to the other France.
Cultural heritage
Paris is a city with a rich heritage within which monuments, gardens, bridges and squares can be included. It is one of the cities in the world, next to Rome, which has more monuments, and are the reflection of the footprint left by kings and presidents who succeeded each other throughout history. If we visit Paris, we will discover these riches that make the city of light one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. On the other hand, it is essential to highlight the position occupied by places of worship within the Parisian heritage, true works of art, more or less known, that offer an exceptional architectural and artistic panorama. Of the bridges, it can be said that the river Seine has witnessed the construction of monuments that reflect the different stages of the development of Paris, from the Pont des Arts, the Carrousel, to the Pont Neuf or the Alexandre III. Finally, we can speak of true witnesses of the history of the capital and France, famous places such as the Place de la Bastille, emblem of the French Revolution, passing through the Concord, or the Plaza des Vosges.
Well, to be able to visit in an orderly manner the monuments and the heritage of Paris, we will follow the territorial order by arrondissements or districts, established when the city was extended in 1860 absorbing municipalities located in the periphery and was divided into 20 districts endowed with a impressive heritage.
image source :wikipedia
We have divided the city into areas that can be visited on foot and that contain a large number of monuments. However, the explanation is not exhaustive what gives an idea of the Parisian heritage:
The first area is made up of the Île de la Cité.
The second, to the north, is made up of the Marais, the Pompidou center, the Louvre, the Place Vendôme, Les Halles and the Opera Garnier in districts 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The third Zone, further north is still that of Pigale and the Sacre Coeur.
The fourth is the one that begins at the Louvre, continues through the Tuileries, the Concorde and the Champs Elysees until you reach the Arc de Triomphe.
The fifth area is made up of the Eiffel Tower, the Trocadero and the Invalides.
To know the sixth we will return to the Île de la Cité and we will cross the bridge to the south. There are the districts of Saint Michel, Saint Germain des Près, Odeon, Luxembourg, the Latin Quarter, the Pantheon, Mouffetard, Jussieu, up to Montparnasse.
Finally a series of monuments and places are outside these large areas. For example, La Defense, the cemetery of Pere Lachaise and the impressive National Library of France (BNF).
1- The center of Paris, l'Île de la Cité.
We will start by the Île de la Cité (in the fourth district) an island located on the Seine river, in the heart of Paris, but not only important from the geographical point of view, but also historical, since important historical moments. In the Middle Ages, the Île de la Cité was considered the political, religious and legal center of Paris, and it is here that the most symbolic monuments of Paris are built, such as the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie. In the 19th century, the great urban planning works that took place in the city, led by Baron Haussmann, radically change the landscape of the Île de la Cité. The houses that were around Notre Dame were destroyed to build the large square in front of the cathedral and admire it from different angles. In addition, the old prison of the Conciergerie becomes a museum, and the Palace of Justice is enlarged. The narrow streets of the old town are redrawn in order to be more functional, although some, such as Chamoinesse street and Colombe street, remain as they were. On the other hand, the numerous churches that were present on the island are destroyed, which erases an important part of the medieval heritage of Paris.
The city of Science.
The Parc de la Villette in the 17th arrondissement is a leisure and knowledge center. Concerts, exhibitions and congresses take place in this curious building. The Canal de Saint Martin that runs through the city and ends at the Arsenal next to the Bastille begins here.
Vincennes
A little away from the center, in the 12th arrondissement, Vincennes Castle is an old prison that today is the gateway to the immense park of Vincennes, lung of Paris and place of leisure and culture. Jazz concerts take place in the Parc Floral and the Hall of Philately every two years.
Roland Garros.
On the other side of the city beyond the 16th district is the other lung of Paris, the Forest of Boulogne. Not very recommendable at night, during the day it is a place of relaxation. At its doors, the PSG stadium, the Parc des Princes and the Rolland Garros buildings, where Rafael Nadal almost always wins.
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