France

Introduction

France, the world’s most famous vacationer location that must be remembered for all the Europe travel packages as without France the packages appears to look inadequate. It is the most well known place in Europe for sightseers. It is known for its cooking, culture, notable spots, strict spots, sports and considerably more. The time region of France is Focal European Time (CET) which is four and half hours behind the Indian Standard Time (IST).

Location and Population:- France is located in the western part of Europe. It shares borders with Belgium, Spain, Monaco, Andorra, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. It is also called Hexagon because of the shape of France in the map. The geographical area of France is 551,695 km2 and it is the third largest country in Europe. 

The population of France according to the Census conducted in the year 2016 is 66,809,816. 

France’s History:- The history of France has been through a lot of wars, creation of new empires, new leaders, dictatorship, loss and regain of territories and much more. France was earlier known as the Gallia. Later the Roman empire ruled France which led to the introduction of the French language and it had witnessed changes in empire. During that time there was a French revolution declared in France that led to change in monarch and Napoleon was the new monarch. He expanded the empire in other countries by fighting wars until the defeat in 1815 in the Battle of Waterloo which declined his empire and there were changes in empires. Later on France had participated in World Wars I and II with the allied powers. They were attacked by the Germans and lost the country but later it was recaptured with the help of the allied powers. 

Facts you should know about France:- There are various facts that the tourists should know about france before visiting it which are as follows: –  

•  French is the official language of 29 countries and is the second most widely learned language in the world after English.
• The French people eat around 25,000 tons of snails in a year and on an average a local French resident would eat 500 snails in a year. 
•  The French government has passed a law wherein the supermarkets or anyone who has food which is about to expire should donate the food to NGOs or to food banks.
• France has a long history of fashion and is considered to be the fashion capital of the world, with famous designers such as Chanel, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. 
• The French army are the inventors of the military technique of Camouflage which is now being used by almost all countries security forces. 
• France is the only country that had a monarch for only 20 minutes who was Louis XIX.  

Culture and Food:- The French people follow the motto of  “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” which shows the value of the French society and Family is the most important priority in their culture. Most of the French locals are Catholic while there are some citizens who are of other castes such as Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, etc. They are known for their arts and architecture. The tourists should avoid speaking loudly on the streets in France which is said to be a good habit followed by the people in France and never insult their language otherwise they will become offended.  

The French cuisine is different from other Asian cuisines. It is a mixture of cuisines from other European countries. France is known for wines and they use more bread, vegetables, etc. They eat more non-vegetarian food. Some of the popular french dishes are Escargot , Soupe à l’oignon, Coq au vin, Chocolate soufflé, Ratatouille, etc.

Things to explore in France:- There are various things for the tourists to explore in terms of festivals and adventure activities. Some of which are as follows:-  

• Bastille Day Festival:-Bastille day is a public celebration in France. It is held consistently on the fourteenth July and it discusses the notable occasion of the raging of the Bastille which was a significant occasion during the French transformation. The celebration is commended with a tactical motorcade at the Champions Élysées with the presence of the Leader of France and other unfamiliar visitors. Other than this the vacationers can likewise partake in the firecrackers at the Eiffel tower during the night at around 11 pm france time which will light the sky with firecrackers for 30 minutes.
• Bordeaux wine Festival:- The Bordeaux wine festival is the most popular wine festival and this region in France is known for some tasty wines. It is held in the month of June at the iconic wine route at quayside. The tourists will get a chance to taste some tasty and popular wines of France in this festival with various vineyards participating in this festival. The wines made in this region are more of red wines as compared to white wines.  
• La Fête De La Musique:- It is a music festival which is known as music day in English and it happens in the month of June. The festival is free of charge and it does not have a fixed place. It can be at a bar, restaurant, a street is blocked for such a concert, etc. It is done by professional musicians and it coincides with the summer solstice.  
• Cliff jumping:- The precipice bouncing is an astonishing experience sport yet it is to be finished by the individuals who know how to swim and don’t have the apprehension about levels. The best spot in France to do a bluff leap is at the Calanques which has limestone precipices and the sightseers need to hop in the ocean.
• Ziplining:- Ziplining is a very popular adventure sport which is done with proper safety and the tourists can do a zipline right at the Eiffel tower. It would give a good view of the city and it goes on till the École Militaire on the opposite side and it is 2,626 long zipline. The speed of the rider would be at 55 miles per hour. 
• Paragliding:-The sightseers can paraglide at the French Alps in Chamonix giving a decent perspective on the French Alps from the sky and it would keep going for 20 minutes. Other than this the travellers can likewise paraglide at the sea shores of Normandy. 

Things to buy in France:- There are various things for the tourists to buy in France in order to complete their shopping list. Some of which are soaps, keychains, perfumes, wine, macrons, Bérets, Marinière, chocolates, Dijon mustard, antiques, kitchen accessories, salted caramels, local paintings, herbs,  etc.   

Best time to visit:- The best time to visit France is during the summer season that is between June to August as the tourists can explore more outdoor activities and temperatures would be bearable as compared to other seasons. It is the peak season in France.   

Places to visit in France  

• Paris:- Paris is the capital of France and it is the most popular tourist spot in the world. It is also known as the City of Lights.  The sightseeing points that the tourists should visit are the Eiffel tower which is the most popular attraction point in the world. The tourists can go inside the Eiffel tower up to the second level and get a good view of the city.  It is a good place for the tourists to click pictures. It is a 330 metre monument which covers the height of an 81 storeyed building and it is the tallest structure in Paris. The next place is the Arc De Triomphe which is a historic monument  that was built by Napoleon I to dedicate it to the soldiers who have lost their lives during the French revolution wars and the Napoleon wars. The next place is the Louvre museum which is the biggest and most visited museum by the tourists. It is known for its architecture, especially the exterior pyramid design of the museum. The last place that the tourists should visit is the Notre Dame Cathedral which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and it is not only known for French style Gothic architecture but also for its rose windows.   
• Marseille:-  The city in France which is the second most populated city and it is a port city that is located in the southern part of France is Marseille. The sightseeing points that the tourists should visit are the Old port of Marseille which is the Vieux port. The tourists can have a good view of the ocean and ferries in the ocean. Besides this there are seafood restaurants and cafes where the tourists can have some delicious meals. The next place is the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations which talks about the mediterranean civilisation through artwork, exhibits, videos, etc. It is known for its spectacular architecture. The last place that the tourists will visit is the Chateau d’If which is a historic fortress that was built during the 15th century and it is situated on an island that can be reached through a ferry. Later it was used for to prison two political people and it has featured in a novel by Alexander Dumas named “The Count of Monte Cristo”
• Province:- The region in France which is known as the Land of Lavender and it is located in the south eastern part of France is Province. The sightseeing points that the tourists should cover are the Pope’s Palace which was once said to be the home of Western Christianity. It used to be the residence of six popes and it is known for its architecture. The next place is the Sénanque Abbey which is a peaceful place occupied by the monks. The tourists can visit the place inside which has good architecture and the best part is the lavender field. The field is full of lavender flowers blooming during June to August. The last place that the tourists should visit is the 
•  Lyon:-  The city in France which is the third largest city in France is Lyon. The sightseeing points that the tourists will cover are Ancient Theatre of Fourvière which is a roman theatre that is located in the Fourvière hills and it is a UNESCO world heritage site. During the roman time, the theatre was used for conducting entertainment like plays, gladiator events and also public executions. The next place is the gallo roman museum of lyon is known for the arts and exhibits right from the Roman empire like coins, exhibits, pottery, weapons, etc. It is known for its architecture and the building is  built underground like a bunker. The last place that the tourists should visit is the Parc de la Tête d’Or which is known as Park of the golden head in English and it is the largest urban park in Lyon. It contains many varieties of plants as well as a lake and a zoo.    

How to reach France from India:- The tourists can travel to France from India through flights as there are various airlines like Air India, Vistara, Air France, etc. that fly to France. Besides this the tourists can also travel by road which is more than 9,000 km travel and also by train depending from the city where the trains are available for France.   

Popular Packages:- These are a list of popular packages to travel to France which also includes packages to visit other countries along with France. They are as follows: – 

Frequently Asked Questions 

• What is the language verbally expressed in France?

Ans: The language verbally expressed in France is French

• What is the currency of France?

Ans: The currency of France is Euros. 

• What are the restaurants in France that serve Indian food?

Ans: The eateries in France that serve Indian food are famous MG street, New Jawad Longchamp, Le Jardin du Kashmir, Le Maharaja, and so on.

• Is France protected to visit?

Ans: Indeed, France is a protected country to visit yet the vacationers need to keep up with their wellbeing during their visit in the country particularly with their possessions. 

• What is the most popular sport in France?

Ans: The most popular sport in France is Football. 

• What are the popular nightclubs in France for couples?

Ans:  Some of the popular nightclubs in France are Le Duc des Lombards, La Jama, La Machine du Moulin Rouge, L’Arc Paris