Europe : France

France is notable for it extreme diversity: it enjoys a wealth of scenery and regional identities, each with their own particular joie de vivre and defined by cultural and historic differences. Through the years, France's stamp on western civilization has left an indelible mark in many domains and French savoir faire remains a reference in the arts, politics, gastronomy, fashion and science.

France is divided into twenty-two regions and has extensive plains, rivers, and a number of mountain ranges, including the Pyrenees and the Alps. The climate is generally moderate. Culturally, France has enjoyed a significant role in the world from the early Middle Ages. Archaeological excavations in France indicate continuous settlement from Paleolithic times. Portions of France have been ruled by Gauls, Greeks, Romans, Franks, Carolingians, and English, and this rich history is evidenced everywhere. Prehistoric paintings decorate the walls of caves in the southwest, while the southeast is filled with bridges, acqueducts and amphitheaters built by the Romans over 2,000 years ago. The soaring spires of the great cathedrals are expressions of the religious faith that dominated the Middle Ages. Royal grandeur and merchant wealth produced the Louvre and the immense château of Versailles, the Loire Valley castles and neo-classical mansions. Even the imprint of wars can be found in crenelated towers, stalwart ramparts and magnificient mountaintop fortresses.

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