|
|
|
**** |
Discoteche/ |
|
|
| Europa |
| World Emotions |
|
French Emotions ( Baci Baiser alla Francese) |
German Emotions (Bacio Kuss alla Tedesca) |
English Emotions |
Spanish Emotions ( Un Beso in Spagna) |
|
Italian Emotions (Baci Italiani ) |
| Francia |
| Bordeaux | Chamonix | Fontainbleau | |
| Paris | Cannes | Corsica | Grenoble |
| Lione | Strasburgo | Normandia | Champagne |
| Lehavre | Reunion | Biarritz | Dordogna |
| Versailles | Lorena |
| France Litterature |
French Emotions ( Baci Baiser alla Francese) |
Mercatini di Natale |
| Questo articolo è rilasciato sotto i termini della
GNU Free Documentation License Esso utilizza materiale tratto da http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marsigliese Cronologia/Autori: http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=La_Marsigliese&action=history La MarsiglieseDa Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
canta la Marsigliese per la prima volta.
La Marsigliese (in francese La Marseillaise) è l'inno nazionale francese.
Storia [modifica]La Marseillaise è stata composta da
Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle a
Strasburgo nella notte fra il 25 e il
26
aprile 1792,
in seguito alla dichiarazione di guerra della
Francia
all'Austria. Il sindaco di Strasburgo, il barone di Dietrich, domandò a Rouget de Lisle, in visita alla città, di scrivere un canto di guerra. Quando Rouget de Lisle tornò a casa alla sera, in rue de la Mèsange, compose L'inno di guerra dedicato al maresciallo Luckner. In effetti ai tempi era il bavarese Nicolas Luckner che comandava l'Armata del Reno. Ironia della sorte: il futuro inno nazionale fu dedicato a un bavarese che sarà ghigliottinato meno di due anni più tardi. L'indomani Rouget cantò a casa del barone Dietrich per la prima volta quello che sarebbe diventato l'inno nazionale francese. Questa scena è immortalata nel quadro di Isidore Pils, esposto al museo di Belle Arti di Strasburgo. Il canto venne in seguito pubblicato ed esposto davanti al municipio di Strasburgo. Il testo è fortemente ispirato ad alcuni volantini di propaganda diffusi a quell'epoca. L'origine della musica è più discussa, poiché essa non è stata scritta (contrariamente alle altre composizioni di Rouget de Lisle). Tuttavia, la somiglianza con la linea melodica dell'allegro maestoso del concerto per piano n° 25 (datato 1786) di Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart è da segnalare.
Testo [modifica]Solo il primo verso (e a volte il quinto e il sesto) e il primo ritornello sono conformi, mentre ci sono lievi differenze storiche nella lirica. Di seguito è riportata la versione esposta nel sito ufficiale della Presidenza francese[1].
Note [modifica]
Curiosità [modifica]Nel
1880 alcune
battute di questo inno sono inserite da
Pëtr Il'ič Čajkovskij nella sua composizione
Ouverture 1812.
Voci correlate [modifica]
Bibliografia [modifica]
Altri progetti [modifica]
Collegamenti esterni [modifica] |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thanks to
http://www.world66.com/ *********************The content is published under a creative commons licence : http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0 / ). |
| France Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see cops at the louvre cops at the louvre ath France is one of the top five tourist destinations in the world. It has everything that you could ever want to see on your holidays: a great city like Paris, good beaches, more monuments than any other country, lovely nature, incredible mountain scenery; need I go on? France is also a very pleasant place to stay. It has good food, great wines and people enjoy their lives. And the best thing is, maybe apart from Paris, living in France does not have to be expensive. The North of France consists of the flatlands around the town of Lille and the Channel. The area will remind visitors in many ways of Belgium and the Netherlands. The Grand' Place in Lille for example is a lot like that of Brussels. Paris, the city of light and its surroundings are one of the most visited areas. Paris is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. The West of France is turned towards the Atlantic Coast. In the north Normandy & Brittany have rolling hills, sandy beaches and quiet little harbour towns. Normandy & Brittany have a more rugged coast and many neolithic sites. It has quite a distinct atmosphere from the rest of the country; you can still sense the Celtic origin of the region and its inhabitants. Nantes and Bordeaux are the biggest cities on the west coast. Bordeaux, capital of the south west, is a stylish city famous for its wines and its 18-th century architecture. The Pays Basque is the southernmost part of the Atlantic Coast of France. The resort of Biarritz is posh, but pretty. The eastern part of France consists of the Alsace, Lorraine, Franche Comté and Burgundy regions. The landscape has rolling hills and many beautiful cities, such as Metz, Strasbourg, Nancy and Dijon. This region produces many famous wines, including magnificent pinot noirs and chardonnays valued the world over, as well as the famous "Yellow wine" from the Jura mountain vineyard. The Center is in many ways the most quiet part of France. But the great treasure of this region is the Loire valley , with many great castles and beautiful towns. Chartres with its famous cathedral and Tours rate among the most beautiful French cities. The Auvergne, centered on the Massif Central mountains that culminate at about 6000 ft, is one of the most beautiful regions of France. Much of it is upland, traversed by wild river valleys and an unspoiled natural environment. The north of the region stretches towards the flatter Loire valley. The regional capital is Clermont Ferrand, and the small city of Le Puy en Velay, with its historic churches perched on volcanic pinnacles, is one of the most surprising cities in France The Alps are great for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. Albertville, Grenoble and Chamonix have all hosted the Olympic games. But the Alps also have nice towns to visit, such as Chambéry, Annecy or Grenoble . The South with its lovely nature, good food, roman ruins and of course the Riviera draws a lot of visitors every year. Towns like Orange, and Arles but also big cities like Marseille and Toulon are must sees. The Provence is dotted with pleasant small villages. In the South west of France the Dordogne is one of the most quintessential French regions. The valley is so pretty, the towns are so cute and the food is so good, that it is hard to believe that the people who live here go somewhere else for their holidays. The Languedoc has its own language and culture. In the south of the Languedoc you find the Pyrenees, a great mountain range separating France from Spain, where you can hike and ski. The towns of Toulouse and Montpellier are nice and the medieval town of Carcassone is a top destination. The island of Corsica has beautiful nature and a very special atmosphere. The Corsicans speak their own language and have a great sense of freedom. ________Sights Edit This music [Add Sight] Eiffel Tower Edit This Massive tower located in France type: Hotspots World66 rating: [rate it] _________History Edit This Sections France Travel Guide Map Sights History Getting Around Economy Wine Health People Books Photo Gallery [Add Section] Map View Enlargement History [edit this] Paris [Upload image] France was one of the earliest countries to progress from feudalism into the era of the nation-state. Its monarchs surrounded themselves with capable ministers and French armies were among the most innovative disciplined and professional of their day. Its present name (France) was derived from the latin Francia, meaning 'country of the Franks' During the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715) France was the dominant power in Europe. But overly ambitious projects and military campaigns of Louis and his successors led to chronic financial problems in the 18th century. Deteriorating economic conditions and popular resentment against the complicated system of privileges granted the nobility and clerics were among the principal causes of the French Revolution (1789-94). Although the revolutionaries advocated republican and egalitarian principles of government France reverted to forms of absolute rule or constitutional monarchy four times--the Empire of Napoleon the Restoration of Louis XVIII the reign of Louis-Philippe and the Second Empire of Napoleon III. After the Franco-Prussian War (1870) the Third Republic was established and lasted until the military defeat of 1940. World War I (1914-18) brought great losses of troops and materiel. In the 1920s France established an elaborate system of border defenses (the Maginot Line) and alliances to offset resurgent German strength. France was defeated early in World War II however and occupied in June 1940. The German victory left the French groping for a new policy and new leadership suited to the circumstances. On July 10 1940 the Vichy Government was established. Its senior leaders acquiesced in the plunder of French resources as well as the sending of French forced labor to Germany; in doing so they claimed they hoped to preserve at least some small amount of French sovereignty. The German occupation proved quite costly however as a full one-half of France's public sector revenue was appropriated by Germany. After 4 years of occupation and strife Allied forces liberated France in 1944. A bitter legacy carries over to the present day. France emerged from World War II to face a series of new problems. After a short period of provisional government initially led by Gen. Charles de Gaulle the Fourth Republic was set up by a new constitution and established as a parliamentary form of government controlled by a series of coalitions. The mixed nature of the coalitions and a consequent lack of agreement on measures for dealing with Indochina and Algeria caused successive cabinet crises and changes of government. Finally on May 13 1958 the government structure collapsed as a result of the tremendous opposing pressures generated in the divisive Algerian issue. A threatened coup led the parliament to call on General de Gaulle to head the government and prevent civil war. He became Prime Minister in June 1958 (at the beginning of the Fifth Republic) and was elected President in December of that year. Seven years later in an occasion marking the first time in the 20th century that the people of France went to the polls to elect a president by direct ballot de Gaulle won re-election with a 55% share of the vote defeating Francois Mitterrand. In April 1969 President de Gaulle's government conducted a national referendum on the creation of 21 regions with limited political powers. The government's proposals were defeated and de Gaulle subsequently resigned. Succeeding him as President of France have been Gaullist Georges Pompidou (1969-74) Independent Republican Valery Giscard d'Estaing (1974-81) Socialist Francois Mitterrand (1981-95) and neo-Gaullist Jacques Chirac (elected in spring 1995). While France continues to revere its rich history and independence French leaders are increasingly tying the future of France to the continued development of the European Union. During President Mitterrand's tenure he stressed the importance of European integration and advocated the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty on European economic and political union which France's electorate narrowly approved in September 1992. Hi, Alexander Clark Chirac assumed office May 17 1995 after a campaign focused on the need to combat France's stubbornly high unemployment rate. The center of domestic attention soon shifted however to the economic reform and belt-tightening measures required for France to meet the criteria for Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) laid out by the Maastricht Treaty. In late 1995 France experienced its worst labor unrest in at least a decade as employees protested government cutbacks. On the foreign and security policy front Chirac took a more assertive approach to protecting French peacekeepers in the former Yugoslavia and helped promote the peace accords negotiated in Dayton and signed in Paris in December 1995. The French have been one of the strongest supporters of NATO and EU policy in Kosovo and the Balkans. ___________Getting Around Edit This photo [Add Local transport mode] By Car Edit This The Autoroutes of France are a great way of getting to one part of the country to another. They are in perfect shape, the places to stop (aire de répos) are always very well organized - in Summer they often have activities for children - but there is one backdraw: péage. That means that you have to pay to use the autoroute, you get a ticket when you go on the autoroute and have to give the ticket and pay when you get off. It is always possible to pay with creditcard so you don't have to have small change in your wallet. Freeways (autoroutes) are mostly more.. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] email: rhg@adelphia.net By Train Edit This photo France has the fastest trains in Europe. The TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse i.e. Very Fast Train) take you from Paris to Lille, Marseille or Lyon at an average speed of some 240 km an hour. Nantes, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Brussels, Amsterdam (by Thalys) and more.. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] On Foot Edit This The Grand Randonee is a footpath that takes you from one end to France to the other. In every region of France there are branches of the GR. The total length of the footpaths is 140000 km, that's about 4 times around the globe. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] _________Economy Edit This Economy—overview: One of the four West European trillion-dollar economies France matches a growing services sector with a diversified industrial base and substantial agricultural resources. Services now account for more than 70% of GDP while industry generates about one-quarter of GDP and more than 80% of export earnings. The government retains considerable influence over key segments of each sector with majority ownership of railway electricity aircraft and telecommunication firms. It nevertheless has been slowly relaxing its control over these sectors since the early 1990s most recently selling 23% of France Telecom. The government also plans to sell its stakes in Air France and in the insurance banking and defense industries. Meanwhile large tracts of fertile land the application of modern technology and subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe. A major exporter of wheat and dairy products France is virtually self-sufficient in agriculture. The economy expanded by 2.3% last year following a 1.3% gain in 1996. Persistently high unemployment still poses a major problem for the government however as does the need to control government spending to keep the economy internationally competitive and meet membership qualifications for the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) which is slated to introduce a common European currency in January 1999. Succeeding governments have shied away from cutting exceptionally generous social welfare benefits or the enormous state bureaucracy preferring to pare defense spending and raise taxes to keep the deficit down. The JOSPIN administration has pledged both to lower unemployment and bring France into EMU pinning its hopes for new jobs on economic growth and on legislation to gradually reduce the workweek from 39 to 35 hours by 2002. GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.32 trillion (1997 est.) GDP—real growth rate: 2.3% (1997 est.) GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$22 700 (1997 est.) GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 26.5% services: 71.1% (1994) Inflation rate—consumer price index: 2% (1996) Labor force: total: 25.5 million by occupation: services 69% industry 26% agriculture 5% (1995) Unemployment rate: 12.4% (1997) Budget: revenues: $222 billion expenditures: $265 billion including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) Industries: steel machinery chemicals automobiles metallurgy aircraft electronics mining textiles food processing tourism Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1997 est.) Electricity—capacity: 102.94 million kW (1995) Electricity—production: 467.541 billion kWh (1995) Electricity—consumption per capita: 6 841 kWh (1995) Agriculture—products: wheat cereals sugar beets potatoes wine grapes; beef dairy products; fish catch of 850 000 metric tons ranks among world's top 20 countries and is all used domestically Exports: total value: $275 billion (f.o.b. 1997 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment chemicals foodstuffs agricultural products iron and steel products textiles and clothing partners: Germany 17% Italy 9% UK 9% Spain 8% Belgium-Luxembourg 8% US 6% Netherlands 4.5% Japan 2% Russia 0.7% (1996) Imports: total value: $256 billion (f.o.b. 1997 est.) commodities: crude oil machinery and equipment agricultural products chemicals iron and steel products partners: Germany 17% Italy 10% US 9% Belgium-Luxembourg 8% UK 8% Spain 7% Netherlands 5% Japan 3% China 2% (1997 est.) Debt—external: $117.6 billion (1996 est.) Economic aid: donor: ODA $7.915 billion (1993) Currency: 1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: French francs (F) per US$1—6.0836 (January 1998) 5.8367 (1997) 5.1155 (1996) 4.9915 (1995) 5.5520 (1994) 5.6632 (1993) Fiscal year: calendar year ____________Wine Edit This Italy is the number one producer of wine in the world (in terms of quantity). However, France is still regarded widely as the country that produces the best wines in the world. Here we give you a short overview of different regions where you can find great wines. More info about the specific regions is found on the pages dedicated to those regions. [Add New] Champagne Edit This The one and only Champage, comes from a region in the east of France called Champagne. Reims, the capital of the region is the place to go if you are into bubbly. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Bordeaux Edit This Famous especially for its reds, but not without its notable whites, Bourdeaux´s subtle wines have a world wide following. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Loire valley Edit This The Loire valley produces great white and good red wines. Most of the vineyards are to be found around the city of Tours . The Pouilly Fume (a white wine) is the most famous. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Burgundy Edit This Both deep rich reds and light fruity whites come from the Burgundy region. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] __________People Edit This France had been an important cultural center of the world for many centuries, with Paris being the cultural hub. Even today, France contributes greatly to the fashion culture of the world. The religon of France is predominantly Roman Catholic with anticlerical leanings. The French are extremely secular in nature and always prefer to make religion a private affair, separating its from politics. France guarantees freedom of religion as a constitutional right to all its citizens and the government is bound to respect this right in practice. Islam is the second largest religion in France, mostly practiced by immigrants from former French colonies in Northern Africa. Other religious groups in France include Protestant, Jews, and Buddhists (though negligible). Atheists also form a large percentage of French population. __________Beaches Edit This Maeve [Add Beach] A guide to the coastline of France Edit This A general guide to the nature of French coastal areas and beaches, area by area. World66 rating: [rate it] url: about-france.com ::::::::Antibes Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Antibes is a city on the French Riviera on the Mediterranean sea. It lies between Cannes and Nice. Antibes is know as Antibol and Antibo in local languages. To get there from Nice by rail it takes only 20 km. Other close cities are Monaco, Menton and St. Tropez. Antibes was fortified along the sea coast, but all ramparts were demolished in 1860. The new Antibes town rose outside of the old walls. On the Roman harbor place, there is a newly built yacht marina since 1960 and now it is a largest marina on the Cote D´Azur by total tonnage. There is also an international yacht club. Antibes is in the department of Alpes Maritimes. Covers many areas including: - Antibes proper ( Vieux or Old Town) - Port Vauban - Cap d´Antibes - Juan les Pins - Sophia Antipolis ( southern parts) Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: http://www.french-riviera-hotel.net ::::::::Central France and the Loire Valley Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x Chartres is both an ideal daytrip from Paris and a good first step to visit central France. The city itself has one of the most beautiful medieval cathedrals in the world and more wonders of the world are close at hand. The Valley of the roses has higher number of castles per square kilometer than any other region in the world. Drive along the river from Orleans to Tours and you will see them everywhere. Manors, small castles, big castles. Most of them masterpieces of Renaissance art such as Chambord, Usse, Blois or Amboise. Just south of the Loire region, the Limousin on the western slopes of the Massif Central attracts visitors in search of unspoiled countryside. The Corrèze, Creuse and Haute Vienne contain hills and gorges, and lush green meadows. Numerous ancient village churches dot the landscape as well as more imposing abbey churches and fortresses. Limoges is the most important city in this region A bit further to the east, the Auvergne with its awe-inspiring non-active volcanoes, lakes, rivers and forests makes it a wonderful destination for the lover of nature. The capital Clermont-Ferrant has many historic sights. :::::::Auvergne Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Carpe Diem, Aug 2005 Carpe Diem, Aug 2005 Nancy Clendaniel The Auvergne is a rugged region in central France. It's a great place to go if you like hiking and other outdoor activities. On a small surface you will find awe-inspiring non-active volcanoes, lakes, rivers and forests. The capital Clermont-Ferrand has many historic sights and is well worth a visit. It is also a good base to arrange the rest of your trip. _____Clermont-Ferrand Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Industrial city in central France. Good base for exploring the Auvergne region. ______Millau Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Millau, situated on the valley of the scenic River Tarn, was until recently [Dec 04] noted as a bottleneck on the way south and secondly for its status as a centre of leather production. Now this is completely changed by the erection of the world's tallest bridge over the Tarn, a truly magnificent structure which should be seen as much in terms of a work of art as of a triumph of engineering. Full details on http://www.abelard.org/france/viaduct-de-millau.asp ____Pontgibaud Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Pontgibaud is some 25 km from Clermont-Ferrand and is the location of the Château Dauphin - the main attraction. The Château Dauphin is a very well preserved example of medieval military architecture, built in the XIIth century by Robert Dauphin, Count of Auvergne, to defend the Sioule bridge, and completed in the XVth century by Field-Marshal Gilbert III De La Fayette. Of these buildings, only the keep and six towers remain. The chateau is inhabited by descendants of the Moré de Pontgibaud family who have owned it since 1756. _____Salers Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see French boy with box, Aug 2005 French boy with box, Aug 2005 Nancy Clendaniel Salers, situated north and east of Aurillac is an ancient town at the top of a hill. Visitors' cars are parked below the hill and you have to walk up - certainly no hardship for the majority. [arrangements for disadvantaged] The town dates from the 11th century but most of what you see is 15th or 16th century. Many towns make exaggerated claims about their beauty but this surely has to be one of the best - even htough there are elements of tourist trap about it There are some good photos if you scroll well down on http://www.france-voyage.com/english/but the village's own site at www.pays-de-salers.com is best for information. :::::::Bourges Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Just a short distance from the geographical centre of France, in the the Cher Département. It is the capital of the province of Berry. Bourges is the third largest city in the Centre Region with a population of 76000. Fortified city since the Gallic time, of strategic importance during the Hundred Years' war, royal city since the 12th century, capital from which Charles VII reconquered his kingdom, city of art and culture, Bourges has a long and rich history. The main attraction in town is the cathedral of St. Etienne which is a masterpiece of Gothic art and is on UNESCO's most wanted list. Other major sights include the Jacques Coeur palace, and the Aldermen's house. _________Sights Edit This x [Add Sight] Cathedral st. Etienne Edit This Great example of gothic architecture. The stained glass windows are the best if France after those in Chartres. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] openinghours: 8am - 6pm Palace Jacques Coeur Edit This x Jacques Coeur was a medieval shipping magnate and money lender. Bourges was his hometown and his palace is still one of the major sights in town. It is located right in the heart of the old centre. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] address: rue Jacques Coeur :::::::::Chartres Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x Chartres is less than 100 km west of Paris. A visit to the city can be combined with many different itineraries. The castles of the Valley of the roses are close by, Normandy & Brittany and Normandy & Brittany are not too far either. The cathedral of Chartres is your main reason to come. It is probably the most complete gothic cathedral complex in the world. The old center around the cathedral is very nice as well, with many old houses going back to the middle ages. ________History Edit This photo The ancient town of Chartres dates back to the early Gallo-Roman period. The Romans made Chartres the chief town of the territory of the Carnutes, a tribe mentioned by Caesar in The Gallic Wars. Gallo-Roman remains have been found beneath the Cathedral and fragments are visible in the crypt. It is likely that there was a Christian presence in Chartres from the 4th century, although the earliest documentary reference to a Cathedral here was in 743. Prior to the cathedral, a Christian church had stood on the same site since the 4th century. Centuries earlier, however, on the same spot had stood an oak grove where Druids held their ceremonies. Gallic Druids ruled all over and were obeyed, before the Romans invaded the area. These “Carnutes” held their religious ceremonies around a miraculous well. From the 6th century on, pilgrims came over to pray and bring numerous offerings. But the real treasure was the "Veil of the Virgin" given in 876 by Charles le Chauve. It was said that it belonged to the holy virgin and soon it became a relic. Pilgrimages became more and more important and Chartres became a wealthy city. After a fire in 1194, that destroyed the edifice in three days, the whole city decided with enthusiasm to rebuild the cathedral. Wealthy merchants and bourgeois who wanted to show their devotion assembled the money to build something extraordinary: a new cathedral. Chartres Cathedral, begun in 1194, is the epitome of Gothic architecture. _______Sights Edit This Sights, places to go, things to see [Add Sight] Maisons du Saumon Edit This One of the oldest houses in Chartres. type: Hotspots World66 rating: [rate it] address: 10, Place de la Poissonerie Eglise Saint-Pierre Edit This The Saint Pierre is an ancient Benedictine abbey. type: Hotspots World66 rating: [rate it] Maison Picassiette Edit This One of the strangest sites in Chartres is the Maison Picassiette. Raymond Isidore (1900-1964) made art without knowing it. He was a tramway conductor, a cemetery sweeper and covered patiently his house, garden, furniture during 30 years with small pieces of faience, porcelain and broken pottery. type: Hotspots World66 rating: [rate it] openinghours: Closed on Tuesday (and during winter) url: www.thejoyofshards.co.uk Cathedral Edit This It’s arriving from the northeast that you’re most impressed by the majesty of this gothic monument of 130 m total length (the nave measures 73 meters for a width of 32 meters (the widest of France). And a height of 36.5 m). All around you have Chartres, a medieval city, lying in the midst of wheat and cornfields. Already from very far you see the spire of the cathedral, pilgrims used as a landmark since centuries. type: Churches & Cathedrals World66 rating: [rate it] Hotel de Ville Edit This 17-th century Hotel de Ville is a very stylsih building. type: Historic Buildings World66 rating: [rate it] Maison Truie-qui-Filhe Edit This Old wooden house. type: Hotspots World66 rating: [rate it] address: 14, Place de la Poissonnerie ::::::::Le mans Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Le Mans is mainly known for the 24 hours car race that is held there annualy, but the town itself is quite interesting as well. There are many old half timbered houses in the historic centre, parts of the city walls that date back to Gallo-Roman times can still be seen and the Cathedral of St. Julien is stunningly beautiful. ________Nightlife and Entertainment Edit This Nightlife and Entertainment [Add Entertainment place] Le Corail Edit This Perfect for a pint before you take the train - it's next to the station. type: Bars & Pubs World66 rating: [rate it] address: 37, Boulevard de la Gare :::::::::Loire valley Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see view from one room view from one room The Loire Valley is one of the most spectacular regions of France. Along the Loire river there are a number of castles dating back to the 16-th century that are of great beauty. The rolling hills around them make this area perfect for walking, biking and hiking. The whole area between Orleans and Angers is on the UNESCO list, with the exception of two nuclear reactors. Highlights are the cities of Amboise where you can find the grave of Leonardo Da Vinci, Blois with a chateau designed by the same Leonardo and the Houdin Museum and finally Tours with a very romantic old centre. Some of the finest castles along the river are found in Chambord; a majestic castle in which every room has a fireplace, Cheverny and Usse. Along the river Cher you find some impressive castles as well for example in Chenonceau and Montrichard. The castle in Chenonceau spans the river Cher and is unique because it has always been the propriety of women - which explains the charming and well-kept appearance. The area is also known for its wines. See the section on wine for more information. __________Getting Around Edit This x The most exciting way to get from Orleans to Angers would be to take a boat on the Loire. Unfortunately the river is very hard to navigate, so you can forget about it unless you would want to go by canoe. The A10 is the major route. It is a peage highway, so you have to pay to use it, but is is in excellent condition. There are smaller roads along the river banks and you can use them but it will take quite a bit longer, especially between Blois and Orleans where there are lots of small towns and traffic is heavy. From Blois to Amboise the roads are much more quiet. Taking the small roads also allows you to appreciate the beauty of the countryside. We can guarantee you you will pass a few chateaux which are not in our guide but which are nice to visit, more so because you found them yourself. There are also regular trains between major cities. Orleans, Blois and Tours are well connected. __________Getting There Edit This photo_1 By car you can reach Tours, coming from Paris, within 2 hours (237 km), using the highway Nr. 10 (A 10). Nantes is about 3 1/2 hours (384 km) via highway 11 (A11). The express train TGV from Paris Gare Montparnasse takes to Tours 1 hour and 10 minutes and to Nantes 2 hours. If you want to go there by plane you can fly both to Tours and Nantes. __________Wine Edit This The banks of the Loire, by the way the longest river of France, are not only worth to be visited for the famous royal chateaux but also for its vineyards which produce a wide variety of great wines. The Pouilly-sur-Loire and Sancerre vineyards at the eastern edge of the Loire Valley surround charming hilltop villages with alleylike streets, small squares, and charming chateaux. They are renowned for white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Chasselas grapes. A small quantity of red and rosé wines come from the Cabernet Franc variety. Touraine, the area around Tours, boasts the grandest of the grands châteaux, among them Amboise, Chambord, Chenonceau, and Blois. And from here comes a bounty of grand wines as well. The most celebrated is Vouvray, a white which can be either dry, sweet, or sparkling, and comes from the Chenin grape. Sweet Vouvray can age for many years. But it is the distinctive dry whites made from Sauvignon and a red from Gamay that predominate. The best reds of the Loire Valley come from Chinon and Bourguell, made from Cabernet Franc. The town of Angers and its splendid medieval castle stand guard over the Saumur and Anjou districts. Saumur is best known for white wines, sparkling and still, from Chenin Blanc grapes blended with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The rosé of Anjou, the best made from Cabernet Franc alone, has been prized since the Middle Ages. The Pays Nantals vineyards surrounding Nantes, where the Loire flows into the Atlantic, are the birthplace of Muscadet white wine made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes. Sur-lie on the label means the wine has added character from remaining with its sediment before being bottled. ::::::Eastern France and Champagne Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Houses in Colmar Houses in Colmar Alan Poh The east of France consists of five different regions. Champagne-Ardennes, Lorraine, Alsace, Bourgogne and Franche Comte. In each of these regions, you can visit famous museums, go hiking, canoing, biking, running, swimming and many more activities. Eastern France is a adventurous and fun packes part of wonderful France. ::::::::Alsace Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Petite Venice Petite Venice Alan Poh The Alsace has been popular with invading armies and tourists alike. Well, we have to admit the area is extremely pretty, the white wines are great and the food is delicious. Strasbourg is the most important city and one of the most beautiful cities of France. Located on the banks of the Rhine just a bridge away from Germany, you will surely appreciate the mixture of French and German styles; Strasbourg combines the best of both worlds. From Strasbourg you can make numerous daytrips to visit the smaller towns and cities: Ungersheim, Riquewihr, Colmar. They are all as charming as can be. A drive through the countryside and a stop at some of the castles where you can taste and buy wines firectly from the Chateau are one of the best ways to spend your days in this lovely region. ******Colmar Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Channels of Calmar Channels of Calmar konstantin-i Lying in the heart of the vineyards of the Alsace, Colmar is a city made for strolling. Its famed historic district is now a vast pedestrian zone, with medieval houses boasting carved gables, galleries with beautiful bannisters, and doors adorned with lavish woodwork. Things to see include the Heads House (1609), the 15th-C. Customs House, the Dominican Church (with its famous "Virgin in the Rosebush" by Martin Schoengauer). The old "Quartier des Tanneurs" (Tanner's District) and the "Petite Venise" (Little Venice) canal district are great places to walk through cobbeld streets past the old houses. The Unterlinden Museum, which houses the prized Issenheim Altarpiece by Mathias Grünewald has a good collection of sculptures and paintings from the Middle Ages. Colmar is the birthplace of Bartholdi, creator of the Statue of the Liberty, and is home to the Bartholdi Museum. _________Museums Edit This [Add Museum] Bartholdi Museum Edit This Birthplace of sculptor Auguste Bartholdi (Colmar 1834 - Paris 1904), creator of the Statue of Liberty. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] address: 30, rue des Marchands Unterlinden Museum Edit This Important collections of sculptures and paintings of the end of the Middle Ages and of the Renaissance. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] address: 1, rue Unterlinden :::Franche Comte Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see The Franche Comte is a region located between the Alsace, Burgundy and Switzerland. You will find a bit of all three in this beautiful, hilly region, which produces great cheeses and fine wines to go with them. With 6000 km of navigable rivers, over 80 lakes and hundreds of ponds the area is great for people who love to swim, kayak, canoe or raft. The waterfalls of Herisson, Doubs and Ognon, and the lakes of Jura and Mille Etang de Haute-Saône are just some of the possible destinations. In the forests around these lakes and rivers there are plenty of paths and roads for hiking and biking. There are literally thousand of places to get lost and wander around in a peacful surrounding. For the lovers of culture and history there are many things to do as well. Besançon, the region's capital city, has a great historic centre that is dominated by its spectacular astronomical clock. The Royal Salt Factory in Arc-et-Senans is on the UNESCO list and a great example of industrial architecture. There are beautiful châteaux in Arlay, Gy and Fabulys. ::::::Lorraine Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see i_9 Located between the Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and the Alsace and the Champagne, the Lorraine is one of the most charming regions of France. It's gently rolling hills with vineyards that produce some very good white wines, the rugged countryside of the Vosges, its stylish cities such as Metz and Nancy make it an ideal place to come to for a relaxing holiday. The northern part of the region is dominated by the valleys of the Meuse, Meurthe and Moselle rivers. Metz is located on the banks of the Moselle, Nancy is in the valey of the Meurthe. Hattonchatel and Verdun are in the Meuse region. Verdun is mostly famous because some of the most gruesome fighting of the first world war took place in and around the city. The road from Bar-le-Duc to Verdun is known as La Voie Sacree because it was used to bring new soldiers and new weapons to the battlefields in Verdun. It safed France from a total defeat, but many, many soldiers died. In the south the Vosges offer great outdoor opportunities. Epinal is the most important city in the area. :::::::::Meribel Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see x A view of Meribel Michael Broom Smith Meribel was founded by Scotsman Colonel Peter Lindsay in 1938 when he built the first lift (a 31-seater fixed rope sled that was installed above Les Allues). His aim was to create a purpose built ski resort, which remained faithful to the mountains that surrounded it. Though Méribel has grown into one of the great ski resorts and is at the heart of the largest and, for many, the finest ski area in the world, it has remained faithful, to this day, to Peter Lindsay's aims. All the buildings in the town are constructed in the traditional Savoyarde style from wood and stone, making Méribel one of the most attractive ski resorts in France. There is something for everyone in Méribel, convivial bars and every type of restaurant, from the Michelin Starred to the simple, offering crêpes and traditional Savoyarde cuisine. For non-skiers and skiers alike there are plenty of non-skiing diversions. There are many scenic walks around Méribel and Mottaret and many of the mountain restaurants can be accessed from the gondolas. The village sits at the heart of the Three Valleys ski area in the world and is without doubt the largest and finest linked ski area in the world. The area is naturally blessed with good snow falls and, along with 1,200 snow cannons, skiing is virtually assured from Christmas through to the beginning of May. The ski area is truly inexhaustible and with 600km of pistes in the Three Valleys (600km in Meribel), there is something for every standard of skier. The valleys are superbly linked, with Val Thorens under an hour away and Courchevel even closer. So whether you are looking for beautifully groomed pistes, bumps, steeps, or out of the way off-piste runs you will find it in the Trois Vallées. Sightseeing flights can be taken from the Altiport. There is the Olympic Ice Rink, swimming pool, a bowling alley, fitness centre, squash courts, snow-mobiling and shops of every kind. Useful web sites www.meribel.net - official tourist office site www.merinet.com - unofficial site for everything Meribel :::::::::Moulins Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo Moulins is the capital of the Allier département (postal code 03) in the Auvergne region. It is a fairly provincial town, surrounded by a very green landscape of hilly fields and woods. The town is build on the eastern bank of the Allier river. There are about 40 000 inhabitants and one of the main activities (on top of the various administrations) is tourism. The town is about one thousand years old and was the capital of the Bourbonnais Duchy, at the time of the kings. Its is the origin of the last French king dynasty. It features numerous historical monuments dating back to the Middle Ages. Most of them are concentrated in the medieval centre, around the "Jacquemart" (the clock tower with its automatons ringing each quarter), the "Malcoiffée" dungeon and the cathedral. Though the town has had better times, it is now getting busier and several investments have been made to better accomodate the visitors. There are two museums: one is the archeological museum, in the old Renaissance palace of the Duchess Anne of Beaujeu, while the second, in a former barrack on the western bank of the river, shows scene (theater) costumes. The eastern and western banks of the river are linked by the Règes-Morte bridge. Damaged during Second World War, but now restaurated, it is still an important monument in the heart of the inhabitants. It has the particularity to have been build with a mortar mixed with egg whites! The gothic cathedral is mostly famous for its treasure which includes a rare medieval masterpiece: the tryptic of the "Maitre de Moulins". It is a religious painting in three parts, with vivid colours and delicate characters, considered one of the finest French paintings of the late Middle Age. Other churches are also presenting a religious or historical interest, such as the main roman church of Yzeure, the sister town on the hill east of the city. Moulins also provides some very decent restaurants and hotels. It can be reached by train (the station is at the crossing of the Grenoble-Lyon-Nantes and the Paris-Clermont-Ferrand-Béziers lines). But there is also a motorway, the former national road 7, also known as the "holiday road" by most Frenchs. Unfortunately, there is no nearby airport with regular flights. The region around the town is also particularly appealing, especially for amateurs of bicycle, horse riding or walking tours. The hundreds of small villages scattered over the country are as many base camps for excursions in the nature. Another particularity of this area is the incredible density of castles, the highest in France. A lot of them can be visited and some propose accomodation. For any specific information on hotels, guest rooms, restaurants, etc., visitors should have a look at the official tourism office: www.pays-bourbon.com. |
| Grazie a www.imondonauti.it |
| __________________Francia Itinerario 1 I castelli della Loira in bicicletta in 8 gg. di Flavia Daneo Foto di Bananiele Punto di partenza e arrivo: Parigi Lunghezza: 610 km circa Durata: 8 gg. Mezzo di trasporto: auto/treno e bicicletta Difficoltà: nessuna Prezzo: € 800 euro circa (costo hotel a partire da 35-40 euro per la camera doppia) A breve distanza da Parigi la Valle della Loira è una delle mete privilegiate da coloro che amano unire la visita di splendide testimonianze architettoniche (castelli) a luoghi naturali incantevoli. Per tre secoli (XV-XVIII sec.) la valle della Loira fu il luogo prediletto dell'aristocrazia francese che qui costruì scenografici edifici lungo il fiume o entro amene vallate sempre attenta a non creare disarmonie con il paesaggio circostante. L'itinerario proposto è pensato per coloro che vogliono visitare la zona approfittando della possibilità di percorrere vari tratti in bicicletta; chi opterà per l'auto ovviamente diminuirà i tempi di soggiorno. Primo giorno: Parigi - Blois (150 km circa) Da Parigi, Gare d'Austerlitz, si raggiunge in treno Blois (150 km; 1 ora e 30 min.), piacevole cittadina medievale famosa per il suo castello dove convivono diversi stili architettonici, dal medievale al gotico, al rinascimentale, al classico. A Blois conviene pernottare poiché in un raggio di 20 km si trovano alcuni dei più bei castelli della valle della Loira. L'hotel du Bellay (rue des Minimes 12) ha comode doppie così come il familiare hotel Le Savoie (rue Ducoux 6). Si possono noleggiare biciclette da Cycle Leblond, Levee des Tuileries 44 o in rue Porte Coté 4 (a partire da 6-7 euro costo noleggio giornaliero per gite libere). Secondo giorno: Blois - Beauregard - Cheverny - Troussay - Blois (35 km circa) Percorrendo la D765, dopo appena 6 km si giunge al castello di Beauregard (XVI-XVII sec.) nascosto nella foresta di Russy e circondato da campi che stendono a vista d'occhio. Proseguendo per la medesima strada si arriva al castello di Cheverny (10 km) che risale agli inizi del '600. Splendidamente arredato con i mobili originari, l'elegante edificio in purissimo stile Luigi XIII compare anche nei fumetti di capitan Haddock. A 3 km da Cheverny ecco il castello di Troussay, elegante residenza rinascimentale, un castello di dimensioni ridotte immerso tra boschi e vigneti. Si torna a Blois ripercorrendo la strada dell'andata o imboccando la D 956. Terzo giorno: Blois - Chambord - (Villesavin) - Blois (32 km circa senza deviazioni) Il magnifico castello di Chambord Il magnifico castello di Chambord, il più grande e famoso castello della Loira, si trova sul torrente Cosson, affluente di sinistra della Loira - ©Bananiele La D33 porta al castello di Chambord che si trova a 16 km a est di Blois. Iniziato nel 1519 dal re Francesco I che non lo vedrà ultimato, il castello di Chambord è il più grande e spettacolare dei castelli della Loira. Famoso, al suo interno, lo scalone a doppia spirale che permetteva di salire e scendere le scale senza mai incontrarsi. Il castello è immerso nella foresta di Boulogne, vasta riserva di caccia (54 kmq) solo parzialmente accessibile. Da maggio a settembre si può assistere, presso le scuderie, a spettacoli d'arte equestre. Non lontano da Chambord il castello di Villesavin, residenza di J. Le Breton, sovrintendente di Chambord, più che un castello è una villa di campagna intima e raccolta. Se si è in bicicletta si può percorrere una strada che, attraversando diagonalmente la campagna, sbocca poco oltre Beauregard e da lì imboccare la D 956 che riporta a Blois. Volendo pernottare nei pressi di Chambord si può prenotare all'Hotel du Parc (Huisseau sur Cosson, 4 km da Chambord, camere piccole ma pulite, costo 34 euro la doppia; cucina ottima 17,50 euro per un pasto). Quarto giorno: Blois - Chaumont - Amboise (74 km circa) Si attraversa la Loira e si imbocca la D751 (20 km); all'incrocio con rue du Villane Neuf inizia il sentiero che conduce al castello di Chaumont. Lungo la riva della Loira alcune strade secondarie consentono di arrivare a Chaumont tranquillamente in bicicletta. Costruito su una collina sulla sponda del fiume, il castello di Chaumont è quello che più assomiglia a un castello feudale anche se fu più volte rimaneggiato nel corso dei secoli, "derestaurato" nel 1948 e privato degli interventi ottocenteschi nel 1991. Nel pomeriggio con il treno (20 min.) o in auto (34 km) si raggiunge Amboise, pittoresca cittadina che si stende ai piedi del castello fortificato. Dal ponte sulla Loira si può godere di uno dei più suggestivi panorami sulla città. Ad Amboise visse, su invito di Francesco I, Leonardo da Vinci (Le Clos Lucé), qui sepolto (Cappella di Saint-Hubert). Ad Amboise si può pernottare a prezzi economici all'hotel Les Platanes o all'hotel La Breche (rue J. Ferry 26), un po' più caro. Vicino alla stazione ferroviaria (rue de Blois 21) si possono noleggiare bici. Quinto giorno: Amboise - Chanteloup - Chenonceau - Amboise (20 km circa) Terrazze a Santorini Il castello di Chenonceaux, del XIII secolo, oltre al torrione comprendeva anche un mulino costruito su piloni piantati nello Cher - ©Bananiele A 2,5 km da Amboise si raggiunge la bizzarra pagoda di Chanteloup dalla cui sommità si gode di una bellissima vista della valle della Loira. Da qui si prosegue per giungere al castello di Chenonceau, 10 km a sud-est di Amboise, uno dei gioielli architettonici del Rinascimento francese. Il castello di Chenonceau è il tipico castello delle favole con i suoi archi che scavalcano il fiume Cher, il ponte levatoio, le torri e gli incantevoli giardini. Sesto giorno: Amboise - Tours - Villandry - Tours (57 km circa) Percorrendo la D751 in brevissimo tempo si giunge a Tours, città estesa ma anche piacevole da girare a piedi soprattutto se ci si limita al centro storico che ruota attorno a place Plumerau e alla cattedrale gotica di S. Gatien. Non ci sono problemi per pernottare a Tours: ci sono due ostelli (Le Foyer, rue Palissy 16; Auberge de Jeunesse, Av. d'Arsonval, Parc de Grandmont), numerosi alberghi economici (hotel Vendome, rue Salengro 24, vicino alla stazione, o hotel Voltaire, rue Voltaire 13, vicino alla Loira) e alberghi un po' più cari ma dotati di camere ampie (hotel Colbert, rue Colbert 78). Noleggio bici da Amster Cycles (rue du Rempart 5) o da Melomania (rue Colbert 109). Tours è un punto di partenza eccellente per visitare i castelli di Villandry (17 km), Azay-le-Rideau (26 km), Langeais (24 km) e Chinon (46 km). Le maggiori distanze consigliano l'uso della bici solo a chi è più allenato mentre gli altri possono optare per l'auto o il treno (Villandry 10-20 min., Azay-le Ridau 35 min., Langeais 20-30 min., Chinon 1 ora). Da Tour a Villandry che è la località più comoda da raggiungere in bici (km 17) si può percorrere la D 88 e la D 288, un po' più lunghe ma meno trafficate della D7. Il castello di Villandry è famosissimo per i suoi giardini che si estendono per 7 ettari e ricreano i tipici giardini all'italiana del Rinascimento. Settimo giorno: Tours - Langeais - Azay-le-Rideau - Chinon - Tours (110 km circa) Il castello di Azay-le-Rideau Il castello di Azay-le-Rideau, che si specchia nel fiume, fu costruito su un'antica fortificazione medioevale - ©Bananiele Da Tours percorrendo la N152-E60 si giunge a Langeais con il suo castello, splendido esempio di architettura militare quattrocentesca. Imboccando la strada che attraversa la Loira si giunge quindi al castello di Azay-le Rideau (26 km) costruito su un'isola del fiume Indre. Se Chenonceau è il castello delle favole, Azay-le-Rideau è il castello delle fate, circondato dall'acqua e immerso nella natura, un luogo incantato e armonioso che non mancherà di affascinare il visitatore. Proseguendo lungo la D751 che attraversa la campagna, dopo altri 20 km circa si giunge a Chinon il cui castello massiccio e turrito contrasta con la grazia di quello di Azay-le-Rideau. Molto piacevole anche la visita al quartiere medievale che si stende ai piedi del castello, con case a graticcio e torrette angolari. Da Chinon si torna a Tours ripercorrendo la D751 (46 km). Ottavo giorno: Tours - Parigi (235 km) Comodamente in treno in 70 min. con il TGV (treno ad alta velocità) o in 2 ore e 30 min. con un diretto. Alcuni indirizzi e numeri utili... Ringraziamo per segnalazioni e aggiornamenti all'itinerario: Susanna (aggiornamento prezzi ) ::::::::::::Francia Itinerario 2 Alla scoperta delle più belle cattedrali gotiche di Francia: 5 itinerari di 1 g. da Parigi di Flavia Daneo Coloro che visitando Parigi hanno avuto modo di apprezzare la Cattedrale di Notre-Dame, capolavoro dell'arte gotica, e la Sainte Chapelle, gioiello del medesimo stile architettonico, potrebbero approfondire la loro conoscenza dell'architettura gotica francese con la visita di alcune spettacolari Cattedrali che si trovano a relativamente piccola distanza dalla capitale e che si possono comodamente visitare in treno partendo da Parigi e tornando a Parigi nella stessa giornata. Itinerario 1: Partendo da Parigi, Gare de Montparnasse, si giunge a Chartres (km 88), cittadina che sorge sulla riva destra dell'Eure. Dalla stazione si attraversa place Semard e ci si immette in Av. de Beauce; attraversata place du Chatelet e place Moulin si è già in vista della magnifica cattedrale di Notre-Dame (1194-1225), capolavoro dell'arte gotica, armoniosa ed equilibrata a tal punto da poter essere definita "classica". Nel complesso monumentale della chiesa hanno particolare importanza le facciate dei due bracci del transetto, con grandiosi portali riccamente ornati di sculture, le famose statue-colonne che appartengono alla prima fase della scultura gotica francese. Il nuovo sistema costruttivo permette di sostituireil tratto di parete compreso tra pilastro e pilastro con vetrate che inondano la chiesa di luce, e le vetrate della cattedrale di Chartres costituiscono un meraviglioso complesso di vetri medievali che rappresenta la più fedele trasposizione dell'ideale dell'abate Suger di Saint-Denis: "Nobile risplende l'opera, ma l'opera che alta risplende deve rischiarare le menti così che vadano per luci vere al vero lume di cui Cristo è porta". Itinerario 2: Si parte dalla Parigi, Gare du Nord e si arriva alla Gare du Nord di Amiens (131 km, 1 ora e 20 min.- 2 ore). Imboccata rue de Noyon si oltrepassa place Goblet e si prende sulla destra rue V. Hugo che porta alla cattedrale di Notre-Dame, la più grande di Francia e la più perfetta delle chiese gotiche. I tre portali della facciata sono in perfetta corrispondenza con la suddivisione interna delle navate; adorni di una profusione di sculture che si ispirano solitamente al tema del Giudizio Universale e ad altri episodi evangelici, sono tre perchè il tre è il numero perfetto della teologia medievale in quanto evoca il mistero dell'unità e trinità divina. La ricerca della leggerezza, per ottenere un effetto di immaterialità, raggiunge livelli inusitati all'interno: arcate di 18 m di altezza, volta di 42 m con pilastri molto sottili. Itinerario 3: Si parte da Parigi, Gare de l'Est e si arriva a Reims (156 km, 1 ora e 30 min.). La stazione ferroviaria si trova a circa 1 km a nord ovest della cattedrale di Notre-Dame (attraversata place Colbert si imbocca rue Thiers e poi, a destra, Cours Langlet che porta alla cattedrale) dove, per secoli, furono incoronati i re di Francia e dove l'ideale dell'architettura gotica trova forse la sua realizzazione più perfetta. Archi rampanti, contrafforti, timpani, pinnacoli, torri, guglie sono tutti elementi della nuova tecnica costruttiva che danno slancio all'edificio mentre all'interno, lo sguardo è attratto contemporaneamente verso l'alto (slancio verticale dei pilastri, archi, ogive) e verso il fondo (profondità del coro e dell'abside) uniti in mirabile unità stilistica. Itinerario 4: Da Parigi, Gare du Nord, si arriva a Beauvais (79 km, 40 min. circa). Imboccata rue de Malerbe che prosegue in rue Carnet, si svolta a sinistra per rue St. Pierre che conduce alla cattedrale di Saint Pierre. Il fortissimo impulso verticale caratteristico dell'architettura gotica raggiunge un'espressione di insuperabile audacia nel coro della cattedrale che raggiunge, con lo slancio di tutti i suoi elementi strutturali, la straordinaria altezza di 48 metri. Itinerario 5: Da Parigi, Gare du Nord, si arriva a Laon (km 140 km, 1 ora e 15 min.). La stazione ferroviaria è un po' decentrata rispetto alla cattedrale per raggiungere la quale bisogna imboccare Av. Carnet). Costruita dal 1160 contemporaneamente alla cattedrale di Notre-Dame di Parigi, la cattedrale di Laon è una delle opere capitali del Medioevo e uno dei più antichi monumenti gotici. Compiuta nel giro di due secoli, essa presenta tuttavia un aspetto straordinariamente omogeneo ed unitario. Notevole è la facciata in cui si fondono, con felicità artisticamente rara, imponenza e preziosa eleganza. :::::::::::Francia Itinerario 3 Normandia e Bretagna di Maurizio Trucco Punto di partenza: Chamonix Punto di arrivo: Sènè Lunghezza: ca. 2600 km Durata: 11 gg. Mezzo di trasporto: 4x4 con roulotte Difficoltà: nessuna Prezzo: 1300 euro circa Scoprire la Normandia e la Bretagna vuol dire intraprendere un viaggio nel tempo, sulla terra dove sbarcarono i Vichinghi nel X sec., venendo a contatto con le loro fiere tradizioni, le loro immense campagne verdi e le loro fitte foreste. Normandia, inoltre, è anche sinonimo di "Sbarco" legato a quel tragico e storico D-Day della II Guerra Mondiale, ossia all'invasione via mare delle truppe Alleate che prese il via proprio su queste nordiche spiagge. La Bretagna, invece, è il paese del mare e dei boschi, immersa in scenari idilliaci dove, incastonati come gioielli, si possono visitare moltissimi siti archeologici millenari. Primo - secondo giorno: Chamonix Il nostro viaggio in camper prende il via nella meravigliosa ed incantevole cittadina di Chamonix, subito dopo aver superato il traforo del Monte Bianco, uno dei maggiori centri alpini della Francia e luogo ideale per trascorrere delle tranquille e rilassanti vacanze lontane dal vorticoso mondo delle nostre città. Ci immergiamo nel suo verde dirompente, passeggiando nei boschi del fondo valle e pedalando in mountain bike sugli impervi sentieri che si snodano fra gole e ruscelli. Riguardo i luoghi naturalistici da visitare, c'è veramente l'imbarazzo della scelta. Non ci facciamo sfuggire la traversata del Monte Bianco in funivia, la più lunga del mondo (costo 7 euro a persona). Il primo tratto ci conduce fino a 2310 metri per poi arrivare fino all'Aiguille du Midi (3842 m) dove possiamo godere di un panorama stupendo a 360° che spazia dal Mont-Blanc du Tacul (4228 m) al Mont Maudit (4465 m) ed alla cime del Monte Bianco (4807 m). Successivamente, presi dalla maestosità del luogo, facciamo un'escursione ai piedi del Mar de Glaces, un ghiacciaio lungo 14 km, usufruendo di un curioso trenino a cremagliera (stazione ferroviaria di Chamonix, costo 10 euro) che ci permette anche di visitare un caratteristico Museo Alpino, situato a 1840 m. Passiamo il resto del soggiorno a Chamonix, visitando il suo incantevole centro dall'aria tirolese, la cui piazzetta principale presenta una bellissima chiesa settecentesca ed il monumento a Balmat che nel 1786 compi per primo, insieme a Paccard, l'ascensione al Monte Bianco. E' possibile pernottare all' Hotel Alpina (Av. Du Mont Blanc, tel. 50534777 (circa 70 euro la camera doppia) Terzo giorno: Chamonix - Versailles (km 850 circa) A malincuore ci distacchiamo da questo luogo paradisiaco ma il nostro itinerario prosegue oltre, in direzione della lontana Parigi prevedendo come sosta, invece che la capitale francese, la mitica Versailles. Qui facciamo una approfondita visita alla famosa Reggia, mossi dalla curiosità verso quella grandiosità e maestosità architettonica conosciuta solamente sui banchi di scuola e tanto decantata. Il cancello d'onore, il Salone di Diana, il Salone dell'Abbondanza dove venivano accolti gli artisti, la Camera della Regina, sono tutte meraviglie che fanno parte di questo magnifico Castello e strettamente legate alla storia francese dei suoi Re e Regine. Quarto giorno: Versailles - Rouen (km 12 circa) Riprendiamo il nostro cammino in direzione di Rouen, luogo famoso per il rogo di Giovanna d'Arco e per essere la città del famoso Flaubert, lo scrittore francese del romanzo Madame Bovary. Viaggiando sempre su stradine secondare e lontani dal traffico caotico dei grandi centri urbani, attraversiamo verdissime praterie che sembrano dipinte su enormi tele, punteggiate da bellissime abbazie secolari ed affiancate dal corso lento e sornione della Senna che, tra l'altro, attraversiamo molte volte usufruendo di caratteristici ponti ricchi di storia. Non ci lasciamo sfuggire la visita all'Abbazia di St. Georges, con il suo imponente torrione di difesa e le sue torri gotiche, incastonate nel verde dei giardini sottostanti. Approfittiamo dell'enorme piazzale a disposizione per passare la notte all'interno della nostra caravan, immersi in canti di uccelli e sotto il fresco offerto da alberi secolari. Per pernottare ci fermiamo all'Hotel Viking Meublé ( 21 quai du Havre, tel. 35703495, 60 euro circa la doppia). Quinto giorno: Rouen - Honfleur - D'ues sur Mer - Cabourg - Arromanches (km 190 circa) Il giorno dopo facciamo tappa presso l'incantevole porticciolo di Honfleur, tipico villaggio fiabesco. Il suo centro è un dedalo di viuzze racchiuse fra case strette le une alle altre, costruite in ardesia, dove è dolce passeggiare osservando gli esercizi architettonici degli edifici. Il suo porticciolo è un trionfo di barche da diporto e piccoli pescherecci che ogni giorno rientrano al calar del sole. C'è un formidabile gioco di colori che rende il paese molto caratteristico ed unico nel suo genere. Forse proprio a causa di questa sua unicità che è stato, da sempre, considerato il luogo di ritrovo per gli artisti, specialmente nei secoli passati. Passata Honfleur si entra ufficialmente in Normandia, viaggiando sempre fra verdi vallate divise fra loro da lunghi filari d'alberi o fitte siepi, metodo tipico del luogo per delimitare le proprietà. Passiamo a D'ues sur Mer per secoli considerato porto sicuro, ma ormai completamente insabbiato e subito dopo incontriamo Cabourg, antica stazione balneare della Belle Epoque ma ancora oggi molto apprezzata dai vacanzieri francesi. Questo tratto di costa è anche famoso per lo sbarco avvenuto nella II Guerra Mondiale da parte dei soldati alleati: da qui è partita la lenta liberazione dell'Europa dal dominio nazista. Per questo motivo s'incontrano molti musei, grandi e piccoli, intitolati alla Grande Guerra, ma vale la pena visitare quello che si ritiene il principale e situato direttamente sulle spiagge interessate all'azione: Arromanches. Arriviamo presso questo piccolo villaggio dall'alto della sua scogliera da dove possiamo ammirare chiaramente quello che resta dell'imponente porto artificiale edificato dagli Alleati per permettere ed attuare lo sbarco di migliaia di mezzi pesanti e di soldati. Questo porto era formato da centinaia di enormi piattaforme galleggianti, ancorate ed unite fra loro, per formare una vera e propria via di sbarco veloce. Si apprende appieno l'enorme sforzo ingegneristico ed umano dell'opera visitando il Museo dello Sbarco che mostra grandi plastici unitamente a fotografie e filmati d'epoca inerenti la grande azione militare. Passeggiamo lungo l'enorme spiaggia, resa ancor più grande dalla complicità del mare che si ritira per diversi chilometri seguendo orari ben precisi e dettati dal flusso delle maree, e visitiamo i resti delle enormi e vecchie piattaforme belliche staccatesi dall'ancoraggio sul fondo ed ormai arenate, godendo di un magnifico tramonto da cartolina. Tra i possibili pernottamenti segnaliamo l'Hotel De la Tour 3 quai Tour, tel. 31892122 e il Camping La Briquire, km 3,5 a sud-ovest per la strada do Pont-l'Eveque, tel. 31890852 Sesto giorno: Arromanches - Roche D'otre - Domfront - Mont St. Michel (km 250 circa) Da Arromanches riprendiamo l'itinerario passando per la spettacolare Roche D'otre, uno scorcio di paradiso in terra, una voragine profonda più di 120 m che racchiude, sul fondo, un ruscello coperto da una vegetazione fittissima, ed attraversando la città castello di Domfront costruita sul granito e ricca di palazzi settecenteschi, per arrivare a fine tappa presso il mitico Le Mont St.Michel. Passiamo la notte sostando sul piazzale adiacente all'entrata. In alternativa si può optare per Hotel Du monton blanc (tel. 33601408) o per l' Hotel Duesclin (tel. 33601410), circa 80 euro la camera doppia. Settimo giorno: Mont St. Michel - St. Malo - Cap Frehel - St. Malo (km 250 circa) Dedichiamo tutta la mattinata alla visita di rito. Entriamo da una grande porta lignea, a livello del mare, e notiamo subito che il primo tratto del percorso interno è affollato da una miriade di negozi di souvenir, bar e bazar. Lo choc è forte ed assimilabile allo scenario che si presenta al visitatore che entra a San Marino, ma superati i primi 100 m si inizia a godere della magnificenza del luogo e della sua architettura di pietra antica. Arrivati quasi in cima al percorso si entra nella parte alta del complesso attraverso una porticina tagliata a misura d'uomo, come ultima difesa da antichi invasori, oltre la quale inizia la visita al complesso del Monastero. Indubbiamente il luogo più spettacolare risulta l'alto chiostro, considerato dagli antichi monaci come loro punto di meditazione e preghiera. Da questa posizione si gode di un panorama sconcertante sul mare che circonda il Monastero, arricchito dall'affascinante fenomeno delle frequenti alte e basse maree. Lasciamo St.Michel per proseguire alla volta di St.Malo, antica città corsara che, con le sue splendide mura di cinta, ci offre l'entrata ufficiale in Bretagna, con le vaste campagne verso est e l'immensità del mare verso ovest. St.Malo divenne, in antichità, la roccaforte del Re di Francia mentre nel 1944 fu presa di mira dai bombardamenti bellici, fortunatamente non intaccando il suo meraviglioso centro storico che offre ancora tutta una serie di edifici settecenteschi e la Cattedrale di St. Vincent. Ci allontaniamo dal paese passando per il porticciolo ed attraversando il grande ponte che s'inarca sull'estuario del fiume Rance, proseguendo sulla costa fino ad incontrare un curioso cartello che indica una deviazione per Les Pierres Sonnantes. Lo seguiamo arrivando in breve tempo all'interno di un micro-porto da dove si distacca un sentierino, a ridosso delle sponde del fiume che ci conduce, dopo un centinaio di metri, a uno slargo con dei grandi messi neri. Sono queste le cosiddette "Pietre Sonanti", tipo di roccia classificata fra le più dure al mondo, denominate così perché, se colpite con delle schegge della stessa pietra producono un suono metallico, chiaro e forte. Fenomeno naturale molto strano che, personalmente, ritrovai di eguale entità, battendo fra loro pietre raccolte sulla collina di Timbain, piccola altura immersa nel grande mare di dune del Grand Erg Orientale, del versante tunisino. Concludiamo la tappa giornaliera sostando presso Cap Frehel, promontorio a picco sul mare, dove il vento fa da padrone e da dove si può godere di un panorama fantastico scorgendo, lontane, le isole di Brehat e quella di Jersey, la più' grande della Manica. Per pernottare torniamo a St. Malo (Hotel Central Grand Rue, tel. 99408770; Hotel Albatros, 1 Pl. Duguesclin, tel. 99404711; Camping Le Nicet a Paramé, km 5 nord est, tel. 90402632). Ottavo giorno: Cap Frehel - Treguier - penisola di Crozon - Treguier (km 200 circa) Decidiamo di effettuare una bella escursione a piedi costeggiando la scogliera ricca di fiori e considerata oasi naturale. Il nostro itinerario prosegue toccando varie località bretoni e raggiungendo la più settentrionali di esse: Treguier. Questo caratteristico borgo nasce a seguito della fondazione del monastero di Val Trecor, nel VI sec.. Visitiamo la Cattedrale di St. Tugdual, con la sua architettura gotica, e la casa dello scrittore J.E. Renau, ricca di reperti e manoscritti. Ci addentriamo nella penisola di Crozon, con la sua alta costa rocciosa che racchiude la baia di Brest e di Douarnenez e ritorniamo a Treguier per pernottare (Hotel Aigue Marine, 5 Rue M.Berthelot, tel. 96924939, costo della doppia 60 euro circa). Nono giorno: Treguier - Brest - Ile di Molane - Ile D'ouessant - Pointe de Penhir - Douarnenez (km 300 circa) Da Treguier raggiungiamo Brest. Qui un traghetto porta i visitatori a Le Conquiet da dove, con dei piccoli battelli, si può arrivare a Ile di Molane, nel bel mezzo di un piccolissimo arcipelago. Da qui, con un po' di fortuna, si può usufruire del passaggio di un peschereccio che si dirige verso l'Ile D'ouessant (si spendono circa 20 euro per persona). Questo tratto di mare è molto insidioso per via delle forti correnti e del vento costante, ma vale indubbiamente la pena di vivere questa piccola avventura per visitare la minuscola isola lunga circa 8 km e larga poco più di 4 km, posta all'interno del parco naturale d'Armorique. Gli abitanti dell'isola vivono una vita a parte, dedita all'allevamento degli ovini ed alla pesca, alternata alla coltivazione del grano. Un piccolo angolo di paradiso completamente isolato dalla nostra vita frenetica di tutti i giorni. Riguadagnata la terra ferma, si prosegue attraversando Pointe de Penhir adagiata su di un tavolato alto 70 m a strapiombo sull'Oceano, da dove si gode do una vista mozzafiato e di una scogliera sempre battuta da un vento struggente. Avvertiamo emozioni forti immersi in una natura altrettanto selvaggia ed imponente. Passiamo la notte presso il grazioso campeggio di Douarnenez (Camping Trézulien, Treboul, km 3 a ovest, tel. 98741230, 6 euro a persona. In alternativa si può optare per l'Hotel Bretagne, 23 Rue Duguay Trouin, tel. 98923044) piccolo villaggio della costa, con un animato porticciolo pieno di piccoli pescherecci dediti alla pesca delle sardine ed aragoste. Svegliandosi presto la mattina è possibile visitare l'affollato mercato del pesce dove si acquistano delle enormi aragoste e del pesce freschissimo ed invitante. Decimo giorno: Douarnenez - Pointe Duraz - Quimper - Carnac (km 260 circa) Il giorno dopo ripartiamo alla volta di Pointe Duraz, la punta della Cornovaglia che si tende nell'Oceano, e non ci facciamo sfuggire l'esperienza di toccare il punto più occidentale d'Europa, proprio dove arrivano i violenti spruzzi di un mare in continuo ribollio. L'immancabile faro scruta l'immenso orizzonte e la piccola isola di Sein, mentre un complice sole rosso fuoco ci regala un tramonto indimenticabile. Tappa d'obbligo a Quimper, capitale della Cornovaglia, dove ci perdiamo tra le viuzze del centro storico che ci accoglie con le sue casette perfettamente conservate ed i suoi negozi che offrono meravigliosi lavori in ceramica. Si respira un'aria rinascimentale ed ovunque si ode musica celtica, creando tutt'intorno un'atmosfera da Higlander. L'ultima tappa di questo meraviglioso viaggio la effettuiamo visitando l'ampia zona archeologica di Carnac, favorendo dei servizi offerti dall'apposito attrezzatissimo camping (Camping La Grande Metaire, km 2,5 a nord est in riva allo stagno di Kerloquet, tel. 97522401 in alternativa si può pernottare all'Hotel Armoric, 53 Av. De la Poste, tel. 97521347). Approfittiamo della visita archeologica per effettuare a piedi gli spostamenti da un sito ad un altro, distanti fra loro alcuni chilometri, e visitiamo, per primo, il lungo allineamento di Menhir di Kerzerho ed il grande monumento circolare Cromelech di Crucuno, che presenta la caratteristica di avere una pesantissima copertura sostenuta da 22 menhir, ricca di incisioni ed usata in antichità come luogo sacro. In ogni caso, il luogo più spettacolare della zona va identificato nei 1099 menhir disposti in 11 file che si trovano a Le Menec. Il mistero avvolge questa disposizione ciclopica e molte sono state le ipotesi degli studiosi che si sono succedute nel tempo, ma mai nessuna è stata confermata ufficialmente, mentre si spazia dall'ipotesi di luogo sacro e tempio a quella di enorme cimitero. Undicesimo giorno: Carnac - Vannes - Sènè (km 300 circa) Sulla via che ormai volge al termine non saltiamo la visita alla cittadina di Vannes, ricca di fascino e di edifici molto raffinati, unitamente ad una passeggiata nel vicino porto di Séné con le sue abitazioni bretoni costituite da muri bianchi e porte blu. Ma il tempo è tiranno e dobbiamo, ormai, veramente dirigerci sulla via del ritorno in Italia. Durante il lungo rientro ci culliamo sui ricordi di tutti quei meravigliosi luoghi che abbiamo visitato e tutte le esperienze vissute immersi in un mondo molto particolare che, ripensandoci bene, a volte sembrava una perfetta trasposizione nella realtà delle famose pagine fumettistiche di Asterix ed Obelix. Potenza della nostra fantasia o del particolare fascino del mondo bretone e normanno ? :::::::::::ncia Itinerario 3 Quattro giorni a Parigi (anche con figli al seguito) di Ottavia Fortunato Punto di partenza e arrivo: Parigi Durata: 4 gg. Mezzo di trasporto: In alternativa: metropolitana - taxi - bicicletta Difficoltà: nessuna Parigi non ha bisogno di presentazioni. Ricca di fascino e di superbi monumenti, di musei tra i maggiori del mondo e di nuove architetture, la capitale francese è famosa anche per la sua "gioia di vivere", la frizzante vita mondana, la possibilità di fare shopping sfrenato (ci sono oltre 30.000 boutique dove acquistare di tutto, dal sofistificatissimo abito di alta moda all'abbigliamento d'avanguardia). Al di fuori dei luoghi comuni, è pur vero che tutto è organizzato per ammaliare ed affascinare a partire dai suoi luccicnti boulevards per arrivare ai suoi angoli segreti, ai suoi caffè, ai suoi lungosenna dove perdersi tra le decine e decine di bancarelle che vedono libri e stampe di sapore antico. Situata nella Francia settentrionale e più precisamente nella regione dell'Ile-de-France, Parigi ha un'estensione di oltre 100 kmq e una popolazione di oltre 11 milioni di abitanti se consideriamo l'area metropolitana. Ciò significa che solo una minima parte di essa ha la fortuna di risiedere entro gli antichi confini della Ville de Paris, mentre gli altri vivono nei sobborghi, in anonimi edifici di recente costruzione. Divisa in 20 arrondissements (quartieri), è attraversata dalla Senna che la divide in Rive Gauche, più intellettuale ed aristocratica, e Rive Droite, più mondana e borghese. Ma anche in questo contesto bisogna ammettere che la città ha perso molto della sua identità...Comunque, al di là delle parole, vale molto di più il consiglio di passare qualche ora seduti al tavolino di un caffè guardando la gente passare: al piacere della sosta unirete quello, assai istruttivo, di veder scorrere davanti ai vostri occhi i personaggi più disparati, quelli che alla fin fine fanno di Parigi una città cosmopolita dall'indiscusso fascino. Una premessa è d'obbligo: quattro giorni a Parigi sono pochissimi. Parigi è una città che richiede, per essere visitata almeno superficialmente, almeno 7-10 giorni, ma anche se ci state per 1 mese di seguito state pur certi che non riuscirete ad esaurire le molteplici bellezze che sarà in grado di offrirvi... Detto questo, poichè un week end di pochi giorni è ormai alla portata di tutti ed una visita alla ville lumiere merita sempre per quanto breve essa sia, ecco alcuni spunti per riuscire a vedere luoghi imperdibili e fare anche qualche piccola esperienza inconsueta. L'itinerario è stato pensato in modo particolare per chi decide di visitare la capitale francese con figli al seguito, ma ciò non toglie che le tappe principali siano valide anche per chi piccolo non è. Il tempo estremamente limitato rende obbligatorio l'uso della metropolitana che è, senza ombra di dubbio, il mezzo più rapido e pratico per spostarsi a Parigi. 15 linee e 400 stazioni consentono infatti di raggiungere in breve tempo qualunque monumento di interesse turistico e di muoversi evitando gli inevitabili rallentamenti che si avrebbero percorrendo le strade di superficie. Nessun punto della città dista più di 500 m da una stazione della metropolitana, riconoscibilissime perchè recano una M inserita in un cerchio o, meglio ancora, sono segnalate da un cartello art nouveau in ferro battuto. A ciò aggiungete che girare con la metro è semplicissimo: basta scegliere la direzione orientandosi facendo riferimento a uno dei due capolinea (per scaricarvi la piantina del metro potete guardare qui: www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/carteparis.php). E se i bambini hanno bisogno di fare pipì, niente paura: presso molte stazioni troverete bagni pulitissimi (offerta libera). Aggiungiamo anche che viaggiare nel metro di Parigi è tranquillo e sicuro; unica accortezza, state attenti ai borseggi, più frequenti nelle stazioni maggiormente affollate e più turistiche. In alternativa potete prendere in considerazione anche l'uso del bus (www.busparisiens.free.fr). Vi sono 55 linee urbane e 138 suburbane e un'efficiente servizio notturno chiamato Noctambus e Noctilien. I biglietti consentono di usare sia metro che bus e quindi può essere interessante usare entrambi i mezzi a seconda delle necessità (le tariffe variano in base alla suddivisione in otto zone di Parigi e periferie. Se decidete di usare molto i mezzi pubblici e di soggiornare a Parigi più a lungo, prendete in considerazione l'acquisto della Carta Orange. Portatevi una fototessera e comperate il tagliando settimanale che ha validità da venerdì al venerdì successivo. Oppure comperate i carnet da 10 biglietti; se non li utilizzerete tutti, metteteli da parte per la prossima volta che tornerete a Parigi perchè non hanno scadenza). In caso di necessità potrete optare anche per un taxi (www.taxi.paris.net) ma ricordate che i tragitti sono in genere più lunghi e scomodi a causa dei percorsi obbligati della viabilità e al traffico non sempre scorrevole. Tenete anche presente che raramente i taxi si fermano se chiamati con un cenno di mano dalla strada (radiotaxi: tel. 01 49361010 per i taxis bleus, tel. 01 47394739 per i taxis G7). Se siete più sportivi e non temete di respirare lo smog cittadino un'alternativa interessante è quella di noleggiare una bicicletta. Vi sono alcune piste ciclabili e nel costo di noleggio sono compresi assicurazione, casco, catena e seggiolino per i più piccoli qualora vi sia necessario (www.paris-velo-rent-a-bike.fr). Primo giorno: Notre Dame - lungo Senna - Sainte Chapelle-Saint Germain de Pres - Quartiere latino - Pantheon Partiamo da una vista sulla Senna e dalla Chiesa di Notre Dame. A Notre Dame bisogna assolutamente andarci perchè Notre Dame è Parigi. La cattedrale di Notre Dame, situata al centro dell'Ile-de-la-Cité, è uno dei capolavori dell'arte gotica ed è stata iniziata nel 1163, anno a cui risale il coro, la parte più antica. La facciata principale è dominata da due grandi torri quadrangolari alte circa 70 m e da uno splendido rosone con vetrate del XIII sec. Nella parte inferiore si aprono tre portali: al centro il portale del Giudizio Universale, quello della Vergine a sinistra, e quello di Sant'Anna a destra. L'interno, lungo 130 m, è costituto da tre splendide navate che, nel corso dei secoli, hanno visto matrimoni regali (tra gli altri, quello tra Francesco re di Francia e Maria Stuarda) ed incoronazioni tra cui quella ad imperatore di Napoleone (1804). Victor Hugo dedicò alla cattedrale il famoso romanzo Notre Dame de Paris ed altrettanto famosi sono diventati i gargoyles, i mostri mitologici ornamentali in pietra che si affacciano dai cornicioni. Li potrete vedere da vicino salendo sulle torri della cattedrale: avrete così l'opportunità di cogliere magnifiche vedute sulla Senna e sui ponti che l'attraversano... Oltre Notre Dame, il lungoSenna è animato da numerosissime bancarelle che vendono libri antichi e d'occasione, vecchie cartoline, foto e manifesti, un vero paradiso per gli amanti del genere. Avviatevi verso l'Ile-Saint-Louis e il ponte omonimo: nobili edifici del XVII e XVIII sec., cortili e giardini appartati, librerie antiquarie, negozietti dall'atmosfera d'altri tempi introducono ad uno dei punti più pittoreschi della città. L'Ile-Saint-Louis è da visitare senza fretta, per assaporare con calma i molteplici scorci sulla Senna. (Se avete tempo, un giro lungo la Senna sui caratteristici battelli è senz'altro piacevole. I bateaux-mouches sono in genere affollatissimi e pieni di turisti, meglio i batobus che fermano davanti ai principali monumenti e vi consentono, acquistando il biglietto giornaliero, di scendere e salire a vostro piacimento. www.bateaux-mouches.fr; www.batobus.com). Si torna brevemente indietro per raggiungere la Sainte Chapelle, più uno scrigno e un gioiello che uno dei maggiori monumenti gotici di Parigi e della Francia. Venne costruita nel 1246 da San Luigi per custodire le reliquie della Corona di spine di Cristo ed è composta da due ambienti sovrapposti illuminati da splendide e preziose vetrate del XIII sec. Sono 15 e coprono una superficie di ben 618 mq: un vero trionfo di luce. La Sainte Chapelle costituisce senz'altro, per chi la visita, una vera emozione, accresciuta dal fatto che non ci si aspetta tanta meraviglia: dapprima si entra nell'austero Palazzo di Giustizia, poi si visita la cappella inferiore dalle basse volte dipinte con un cielo stellato, poi si imbocca un'angusta scaletta che porta alla cappella superiore e...si resta senza parole! Le pareti, sfondate dalle altissime vetrate, sembrano perdere ogni residua materialità e la volta sembra galleggiare su questa apoteosi di luce e colore. Dalla Sainte Chapelle, imboccando Bvd. St. Michel e poi rue St. Sulpice e rue de l'Ancienne Comédie potete fermarvi a mangiare al ristorante Procope, fondato nel '600 da un gentiluomo palermitano. A seconda dei piatti spenderete dai 20 ai 45 euro a persona, ma potrete dire di aver mangiato nello stesso luogo dove mangiavano Robespierre, Danton e Marat... Usciti da Procope, percorrete Cour de Commerce St. Andrè (qui c'è anche la casa dove abitò Guillotin, l'inventore della ghigliottina che da lui prese il nome) fino a Cour de Rohan. Vi troverete davanti tre incantevoli cortiletti su cui si affacciano belle case cinquecentesche, uno degli angoli di Parigi altrove ormai completamente scomparsi. Poco lontano c'è place Saint Germain de Pres, centro dell'affascinante quartiere ritrovo privilegiato dei tanti italiani che vivono a Parigi. Qui si respira ancora un'aria di provincia ed è piacevole perdersi lungo le sue stradine e scoprire le sue piazzette o ripensare agli intellettuali che qui amavano incontrarsi: Sarte, Simone de Beauvoir, Juliette Greco, ma anche Picasso ed Andy Warhol. Da visitare la chiesa romanica di St. Germain, la più antica di Parigi. Nel piccolo giardino a fianco c'è il busto del poeta Apollinaire, opera di Picasso. Alla fine del lungo Bvd. St. Germain si entra nel Quartiere latino, storica zona di Parigi che deve il suo nome al fatto che vi si insegnava, per l'appunto, il latino, qui lingua ufficiale fino alla Rivoluzione francese. E' questa infatti la zona in cui sorge la Sorbona, l'università parigina che già in epoca medioevale attirava torme di dotti e filosofi da tutta Europa. La Sorbona, oggi sede della facoltà di Lettere e Scienze, è un edificio grandioso così come grandioso è il vicino Liceo Louis Le Grand che vide, nelle sue aule, nomi prestigiosi come quelli di Moliere, Hugo e Baudelaire. Cosa da non sottovalutare: vista la grandissima presenza di studenti, la zona offre un'ampia scelta di ristorantini dove poter mangiare a prezzi umani. Percorrete anche rue Galande e dintorni, zona ricca di curiosità minori: un pozzo per le esecuzioni capitali (al civico 50), e la più piccola casa di Parigi (al n. 39 di rue de Bucherie). Si può terminare questa prima giornata parigina al Pantheon, sacrario dei grandi di Francia, dove sono sepolti Voltaire, Rousseau, Zola, Dumas ma anche i premi Nobel Pierre e Marie Curie e l'inventore dell'alfabeto per ciechi Braille. Secondo giorno: Jardin des Tuileries - Place de la Concorde - Champs Elysee - Arco di Trionfo - Defense - Torre Eiffel Partiamo dal Louvre e attraversiamo gli incantevoli Jardin des Tuileries, una volta parco del Palazzo Reale delle Tuileries e perfetto esempio di giardini alla francese. Il giardino iniziò a prendere forma nel 1563 e fu ripreso ed abbellito da Le Notre, l'artefice del parco di Versailes, esattamente un secolo dopo. Il viale centrale, lungo circa 1 km, è affiancato da vaste aiuole adorne di grandi vasi e di statue del '600, '700 e '800. Tra queste, le sculture dedicate ai fiumi del mondo. Se la giornata è mite, è senz'altro magnifico passeggiarvi con calma e arrivare a Place de la Concorde con il suo obelisco che molti secoli fa faceva da sentinella al tempio egizio del dio Ammone a Tebe. Durante la Rivoluzione, nell'angolo nord-est della piazza era collocata la ghigliottina e qui molti aristocratici ebbero tagliata la testa (il nome della piazza, Concordia, allude proprio alla concordia ritrovata dopo il periodo del Terrore). Una passeggiata lungo gli Champs-Elysee, una delle strade più famose al mondo, è obbligatoria sia per chi visita Parigi per la prima volta sia per chi ci è già stato e vuole dare un'occhiata alle ultime tendenze modaiole e alle mille vetrine che vi si affacciano. Si può ben dire che questo è il salotto di Parigi, sempre capace di regalare momenti di fascino e di suggestione. Percorriamo dunque i quasi 2 km degli Champs-Elysee, traduzione francese degli omerici campi elisi a ricordo dello stato in cui si trovava questa area prima della sua trasformazione. Adesso, soprattutto lungo il lato della strada con i numeri pari, si alternano negozi di alta moda e profumerie, grandi magazzini e concessionarie d'auto, cinema multisala e discoteche (per gli amanti delle ore piccole al civico 102 c'è Le Queen, dove fare l'alba con i dj più famosi. E' un locale eclettico e il giorno migliore per farci una capatina è il lunedì). Chiude questa spettacolare prospettiva l' ottocentesco Arco di Trionfo voluto da Napoleone a celebrazione delle vittorie della Grande Armata. Qui è sepolto il Milite Ignoto, qui furono issati i cavalli di San Marco rubati da Napoleone a Venezia e portati nella capitale francese. Potete salire lungo una bella scala a chiocciola fino alla terrazza panoramica per avere un colpo d'occhio d'eccezione su Parigi e sui dodici viali che si diramano dalla piazza sottostante. Dopo l'Arco di Trionfo entriamo nella avenue de la Grande Armée e proseguiamo lungo la Via Trionfale fino alla Defense, il quartiere che deve il suo nome ad una scultura che ricorda la difesa di Parigi assediata da prussiani. Se prima ci trovavamo in piena epopea ottocentesca ora ci troviamo di colpo immersi nella città del futuro: 30 edifici a forma di torre si elevano su una piattaforma di 1200 metri per 250. I mezzi di trasporto si muovono su un livello (quello inferiore) e gli uomini camminano su un altro livello (quello superiore). L'architettura più impressionante è il Grande Arche (www.grandearche.com), un'enorme cubo cavo di 110 m per lato, davanti e sotto il quale ognuno di noi si sentirà davvero piccolo piccolo... Se ieri abbiamo visitato Notre Dame, uno dei simboli di Parigi, oggi dedichiamo parte del pomeriggio alla Torre Eiffel (www.tour-eiffel.fr), altro must della capitale francese anzi, il suo simbolo più conosciuto (la possiamo raggiungere comodamente in metro partendo dalla Defense; fermata metro: Bir-Hakim). Un vero totem di "lamiera e bulloni", fieramente osteggiato dagli intellettuali parigini al momento della sua costruzione. Alta 320 m, è stata fino al 1930 l'edificio più alto del mondo e venne eretta da Gustave Eiffel in soli 816 giorni in occasione dell'Esposizione Universale del 1889. Si può salire in ascensore ad ognuna delle tre piattaforme che la compongono: la prima a 57 m da terra, la seconda a 125, la terza a 274, ma potete salire anche usando le scale per gustarvi lentamente la vista che va via via facendosi sempre più ampia. Inutile dire che il panorama che si ammira dalla piattaforma più alta è davvero magnifico ed amplissimo! La vista spazia per un raggio di 90 km e la vista di Parigi di notte, illuminata, sarà uno dei più bei ricordi che il turista porterà con sè al suo ritorno a casa! (Per gli incontentabili e per coloro che vogliono fare anche qualche foto panoramica con Torre Eiffel inclusa consigliamo una puntata alla Tour Montparnasse, fermata metro: Montparnasse-Bienvenue, dalla quale, a detta di molti, si può godere del miglior panorama parigino). Terzo giorno: Museo del Louvre o Museo d'Orsay Oggi non può mancare la visita ad uno dei grandi Musei per cui Parigi è giustamente conosciuta in tutto il mondo. Un po' di cultura museale non guasta mai. Se decidete di visitare il Louvre (www.louvre.fr; biglietti in prevendita su www.louvre.fnacspectacles.com; si possono acquistare anche presso determinate fermate del metro o nei punti vendita che si trovano all'interno di alcuni grandi magazzini tipo Auchan, Virgin Megastore, Carrefour, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette ecc.) è meglio che vi mettiate ai piedi un paio di scarpe comode: camminerete tra kilometri di pitture, sculture ed opere d'arte di inestimabile valore e alla fine non desidererete altro che sprofondare in una poltrona per un po' di meritato riposo. E' impossibile pensare di visitare "tutto" il Louvre in una volta sola. La cosa migliore è decidere anticipatamente quali sono i nostri interessi principali (pittura italiana del 1400 oppure del 1500, pittura fiamminga o spagnola, arte greca o dell'antico Egitto ecc.) e scegliere di conseguenza un numero limitato di sale da gustare fino in fondo, senza avere la pretesa di vedere "tutto" (anche perchè, alla fine, vi accorgerete comunque di aver visto solo una minima parte dei milioni di pezzi conservati nel museo). Con ragazzini al seguito una buona scelta sarebbe quella di portarli a vedere le Antichità egizie (statue colossali di faraoni, sfingi e mummie, si sa, impressionano sempre) senza tralasciare alcuni capolavori dell'arte greca come la Nike di Samotracia (così magari imparano che Nike in greco significa Vittoria e non è solo il marchio di alcune scarpe) o dell'arte etrusca come il Sarcofago degli sposi di Cerveteri. Imperdibili poi alcuni grandi capolavori della pittura italiana: la Gioconda di Leonardo, il magnifico ritratto di Baldassar Castiglione di Raffaello, le Nozze di Cana di Paolo Veronese, ma anche meravigliose opere di Andrea Mantegna, Sandro Botticelli, Tiziano, Caravaggio ecc. In alternativa potete decidere di vedere l'affascinante Museo d'Orsay (www.musee-orsay.fr). Ex stazione ferroviaria, l'edificio è stato ristrutturato e riaperto circa vent'anni fa e adesso ospita i grandi capolavori dell'Impressionismo. Qui troverete le opere immortali di Manet, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec e moltissimi altri geni della pittura dell'Ottocento. Le collezioni sono organizzate secondo un criterio cronologico e quindi potrete facilmente muovervi tra le 42 sale di cui si compone il museo. Tra un capolavoro e l'altro potrete mangiare qualcosa sia sedendovi a uno dei due ristoranti interni sia gustando qualcosa più rapidamente al mezzanino. Se poi preferite fare una visita mirata e sostanzialmente completa potete chiedere di essere accompagnati nel vostro giro da una guida. Per finire la giornata in modo davvero superbo vi consigliamo una gita in mongolfiera! I bambini ne saranno entusiasti e voi potrete accontentarli senza spendere grosse cifre (5-6 euro a bambino, 10-12 euro ad adulto). La mongolfiera (Ballon Entelsat) si trova in Parc Andre-Citroen (tel. 01 44262000) e consente di vedere Parigi da un'altezza di circa 150 m. Ricordate che, quando c'è vento, le ascensioni sono sospese. Quarto giorno: Disneyland Paris Dopo un giorno dedicato alla cultura, oggi è obbligatorio dedicare una giornata piena ai ragazzini. Cosa c'è di meglio di una visita a Disneyland Resort Paris? Dysneyland Resort Paris dista una trentina di km da Parigi ed è facilmente raggiungibile con i mezzi della metropolitana extraurbana (RER A; capolinea Marne-Le Vallè). in circa mezz'ora. Aperto nel 1992, dopo un periodo di difficoltà dovuto ad un numero complessivo di presenze inferiori a quelle previste, cambiò nome passando da quello di Euro Disney all'attuale per venire incontro alle esigenze di un pubblico europeo, ben diverso da quello americano. E' un vasto parco dei divertimenti a tema suddiviso in due grandi aree: Walt Disney Studios e il Parco Disneyland. Walt Disney Studios è dedicato essenzialmente al cinema e agli effetti speciali che nel cinema trovano la loro massima applicazione. Si può assistere a spettacoli di stuntemen o imparare i trucchi del mestiere dei disegnatori di cartoni animati. Qui potrete trovare il Rock'n'Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, super montagne russe che si snodano al ritmo della musica del leggendario gruppo rock. Walt Disney Studios sono meno frequentati di altri settori e questo fa sì che ci siano meno code per accedere alle varie attrazioni. Tenete però presente che, per le sue caratteristiche, è più adatto a bambini grandicelli o a ragazzini. Parco Disneyland sorge attorno al castello fatato della Bella Addormentata ed è diviso in quattro settori: Fantasyland, Frontierland , Adventureland e Discoveryland . Fantasyland è il più adatto ai piccini: è il regno delle fiabe con attrazioni che vanno dalla nave pirata con Peter Pan al labirinto di Alice nel paese delle meraviglie, al bosco di Biancaneve e i sette nani o al amatissimo elefantino Dumbo dalle grandi orecchie a sventola. A Frontierland si entra nel Far West mentre i ragazzini meno paurosi potranno avventurarsi nella Casa dei fantasmi. Adventureland è, come dice il nome, il regno dell'avventura. Qui, gli amanti delle emozioni forti potranno salire sulle montagne russe di Indiana Jones. Discoveryland è dedicato allo spazio e al futuro: potrete capire cosa si prova ad essere lanciati nello spazio su una fantascientifica navetta spaziale o avventurarvi nel mondo di Guerre stellari. Le varie attrazioni aprono alle 10 del mattino anche se i cancelli del Parco aprono prima quindi, a meno che non decidiate di pernottare all'interno del parco, cercate di arrivare verso quest'ora in modo da evitare le lunghe code che cominciano a svilupparsi nelle ore di punta. Per la gioia di grandi e piccini lungo le strade si possono incontrare comparse vestite con i costumi dei personaggi più famosi di Disney: Paperino, Pippo, Pluto, Minnie e, naturalmente, Topolino. Inoltre, ogni giorno alle 16, lungo Main Street si tiene una parata con carri sui cui potrete vedere tutti i personaggi delle grandi favole disneyane: Biancaneve e i 7 nani, Aladino, Cenerentola... E' il regno della fantasia, capace di affascinare adulti e bambini. E adesso, alcuni consigli pratici: se decidete di pernottare all'interno del parco, optate per un albergo economico (tanto ci starete pochissimo perchè i bambini vi costringeranno a stare fuori fino all'ultimo) e vicino alle attrazioni principali. Sia che pernottiate a Disneyland Paris che a Parigi portate con voi qualche panino e della frutta da mangiare per pranzo: il cibo, all'interno del parco e nei vari ristoranti, è costoso. Un suggerimento supplementare riguarda l'acqua: portatevene a sufficienza da fuori perchè acquistare l'acqua è carissimo. Anzi, se deciderete di mangiare al ristorante, non fatevi scrupolo di chiedere che vi venga portata dell'acqua di rubinetto in caraffa. Anche i francesi fanno così per evitare di pagare i prezzi esorbitanti che vengono richiesti per una bottiglia di minerale. NUMERI UTILI Polizia tel. 17 Ambulanza tel. 15 Emergenze mediche tel. 18 Ospedali www.aphp.fr |
| Questo articolo è rilasciato sotto i termini della
GNU Free Documentation License Esso utilizza materiale tratto da http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francia Cronologia/Autori: http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Francia&action=history FranciaDa Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.
La Francia o Repubblica francese (in francese, France o République française) è uno stato dell'Europa occidentale, confinante con Belgio, Lussemburgo, Germania, Svizzera, Italia, Monaco, Andorra, e Spagna. È uno dei membri fondatori dell'Unione Europea e membro del G8.
[modifica] Storia
I confini della Francia moderna coincidono molto con quelli dell'antico territorio della Gallia, abitata dai Galli, una popolazione celtica. I Galli vennero sottomessi nel I secolo AC dai Romani, con i quali si fusero adottandone linguaggio e cultura. Anche il Cristianesimo mise radici, nel II e III secolo DC. Le frontiere orientali della Gallia, lungo il Reno, vennero invase dalle tribù germaniche nel IV secolo, principalmente dai Franchi, dai quali deriva l'antico nome di "Francie", il nome moderno, "Francia" deriva dal nome del dominio feudale dei re Capetingi di Francia, attorno a Parigi (vedi Île-de-France). Anche se la monarchia francese viene spesso datata al V secolo, l'esistenza continua della Francia come entità a sé stante inizia con il IX secolo e la divisione dell'Impero Franco di Carlomagno in una parte orientale e una occidentale. La parte orientale può essere vista come l'inizio di quella che oggi è la Germania, quella occidentale come la Francia. I discendenti di Carlomagno governarono la Francia fino al 987, quando Ugo Capeto, duca di Francia e conte di Parigi, venne incoronato re di Francia. I suoi discendenti iniziarono la dinastia dei Capetingi, che governò la Francia fino al 1792, quando la rivoluzione Francese fondò una Repubblica, in un periodo di cambiamenti sempre piú radicali che iniziò nel 1789. Napoleone Bonaparte (al secolo Buonaparte) prese il controllo della Repubblica nel 1799, autoproclamandosi Imperatore nel 1804. Le sue armate si impegnarono in diverse guerre attraverso l'Europa, conquistarono molte nazioni e fondarono nuovi regni, guidati dai familiari di Napoleone. A seguito della sua sconfitta nel 1815, la monarchia venne restaurata in Francia, per essere successivamente abolita legislativamente e sostituita dalla Seconda Repubblica francese. La Seconda Repubblica finì quando il nipote del primo Imperatore, Luigi Napoleone Bonaparte, venne eletto Presidente e proclamò un Secondo Impero. Meno ambizioso dello zio, il secondo Napoleone venne anch'egli spodestato, e la Repubblica tornò per la terza volta. Anche se vincitrice nella Prima e nella Seconda guerra mondiale, la Francia soffrì gravi perdite in termini di vite, impero, benessere, forza lavoro e grado di nazione dominante. Dal 1958, ha costruito una democrazia presidenziale (nota come Quinta Repubblica) che non ha ceduto alle instabilità sperimentate nei precedenti regimi parlamentari. Negli ultimi decenni, la riconciliazione e la cooperazione della Francia con la Germania si è rivelata centrale per l'integrazione economica dell'Europa, compresa l'introduzione dell'Euro nel gennaio 1999. Oggi, la Francia è in prima fila tra gli stati europei che cercano di sfruttare lo slancio dato dall'unione monetaria per portare avanti la creazione d'un apparato politico, di difesa e di sicurezza europeo più unificato ed efficace. La Francia è anche uno dei cinque membri permanenti del Consiglio di Sicurezza delle Nazioni Unite.
[modifica] Politica
La costituzione della Quinta Repubblica venne approvata tramite referendum il 28 settembre 1958. Essa rafforzava fortemente l'autorità dell'esecutivo in relazione al Parlamento. In base alla costituzione, il Presidente viene eletto direttamente per un mandato di 5 anni (in origine 7 anni). L'arbitraggio presidenziale assicura il regolare funzionamento dei poteri pubblici e la continuità dello stato. Il Presidente nomina il Primo Ministro, presiede il gabinetto, comanda le forze armate e conclude i trattati. L'Assemblea Nazionale (Assemblée Nationale) è il principale corpo legislativo. I suoi deputati sono eletti direttamente con mandato di 5 anni, tutti i seggi vengono votati ad ogni elezione. I senatori vengono scelti da un collegio elettorale per un mandato di 6 anni (prima 9 anni), e un terzo del senato viene rinnovato ogni 2 anni (prima ogni 3). Il potere legislativo del Senato è limitato; l'Assemblea Nazionale ha l'ultima parola in caso di disaccordo tra le due camere. Il governo ha una forte influenza sulla stesura dell'ordine del giorno del Parlamento. Vedi anche:
[modifica] Divisioni amministrative
La Francia è divisa in 22 regioni (in francese: région), che sono ulteriormente suddivise in 100 dipartimenti (in francese départements), di cui 4 d'oltremare. I dipartimenti sono numerati (principalmente in ordine alfabetico) e i numeri vengono usati ad esempio per i codici postali o le targhe automobilistiche. Tra parentesi sono indicati i capoluoghi.
I dipartimenti sono ulteriormente suddivisi in 342 zone (in francese arrondissements). I dipartimenti d'oltremare sono ex-colonie che ora godono d'uno status simile a quello della Francia Europea o metropolitana. Sono considerati una parte della Francia (e dell'UE) piuttosto che territori dipendenti. I paesi e territori d'oltremare formano parte della Repubblica francese, ma non sono parte del territorio europeo della Repubblica o dell'area fiscale dell'UE. Continuano ad usare il Franco francese del pacifico come valuta, che non è stata influenzata dalla sostituzione del franco francese con l'euro nel 2002. Le collettività territoriali hanno uno status a metà tra i dipartimenti d'oltremare e i territori d'oltremare. La Francia inoltre mantiene il controllo su numerose piccole isole dell'Oceano Indiano e dell'Oceano Pacifico, comprese Bassas da India, Isola Clipperton, Isola Europa, Isole Glorioso, Isola Juan de Nova, Isola Tromelin. Si veda anche Isole sparse nell'Oceano Indiano [modifica] Geografia
Le maggiori città francesi
La Francia possiede un'ampia varietà di paesaggi, che vanno dalle pianure costiere a nord e ad ovest, dove la Francia confina con il Mare del Nord e l'Oceano Atlantico, fino alle catene montuose dei Pirenei a sud e delle Alpi a sud-est; in comproprietà con l'Italia si trova su questa catena il Monte Bianco (4.810 m), la cima più alta delle Alpi, ma che comunque non è il tetto del continente: (la montagna piú alta d'Europa è il monte Elbrus (5.642 m), in Russia, nella catena del Caucaso). Nel mezzo si trovano altre regioni elevate, come il Massiccio Centrale o le montagne dei Vosgi, e vasti bacini fluviali come quelli della Loira, del Rodano, della Garonna e della Senna. Le principali città della Francia sono:
Vedi anche:
[modifica] Economia
L'economia francese combina un'estesa imprenditoria privata, con un sostanziale, ma in declino, intervento governativo. Ampi tratti di terra fertile, l'applicazione delle tecnologie moderne e i sussidi, si sono combinati per rendere la Francia il principale produttore agricolo dell'Europa Occidentale. La Francia è uno dei pochi paesi europei dove l'energia eolica, solare e geotermica sono molto sviluppati; l'energia idraulica produce ma è ormai poco considerata come quella del carbone; è molto sviluppata l'energia nucleare che produce il 30% dell'autosufficienza energetica. Il governo mantiene una considerevole influenza sui segmenti chiave del settore delle infrastrutture, con quote di maggioranza in ferrovie, elettricità, aeronautica, e telecomunicazioni. Ha comunque gradualmente rilasciato il controllo su questi settori fin dai primi anni '90. Il governo sta lentamente vendendo le sue partecipazioni in France Télécom, Air France, e nei settori assicurativo, bancario e della difesa. La Francia si unì ad altri 10 paesi UE per lanciare l'euro il 1 gennaio 1999, valuta che ha rimpiazzato completamente il franco francese all'inizio del 2002.
[modifica] Demografia
La lingua ufficiale è il francese. Esistono diverse lingue locali (basco, bretone, catalano, corso, olandese (fiammingo), alsaziano, occitano), ma il governo francese e il sistema scolastico ne hanno scoraggiato l'uso fino a poco tempo fa. Le lingue regionali vengono ora insegnate in alcune scuole, anche se il francese rimane l'unica lingua ufficiale in uso dal governo, locale o nazionale.
[modifica] ReligioneA seguito della
Dichiarazione dei diritti dell'uomo e del cittadino del
1789, la
Francia garantisce la
libertà di religione come diritto costituzionale. Una legge del
1905
istituisce la separazione di chiesa e stato e proibisce al governo di
riconoscere, stipendiare o sussidiare qualsiasi
religione. Nella situazione precedente, stabilita nel
1801-1808
dal
Concordat, lo stato appoggiava la
Chiesa cattolica, la
Chiesa luterana, la
Chiesa calvinista e la
Religione ebraica e forniva l'insegnamento scolastico delle suddette
(per ragioni storiche, questa situazione vige ancora nell'Alsazia-Mosella). Vedi anche:
[modifica] Curiosità
[modifica] Cultura
Il governo sta considerando la soppressione del lunedì di Pentecoste come festività pubblica (nel 2005 non lo fu, il caso rimane sospeso per il 2006).
[modifica] Voci correlate
[modifica] Classifiche internazionali
[modifica] Organizzazioni internazionaliLa Francia è membro di: Consiglio d'Europa, EBRD, NATO, OCDE, OSCE, PC, UE [modifica] Collegamenti esterni
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
La Francia confina a N con il Mare del Nord, a NE con Belgio, Lussemburgo e
Germania, a E con Germania, Svizzera e Italia, a S con il Mar Mediterraneo e
Francia, a O con l’Oceano Atlantico e a NO con il Canale della Manica.
Affacciandosi su quattro mari, le coste francesi raggiungono uno sviluppo di
3400 km, notevolmente superiore a quello dei confini terrestri che è di 2000
km. I massicci più importanti della Francia sono quello Armoricano (Francia
nord-occidentale) e quello Centrale (Francia centro meridionale), minori
sono quelli delle Ardenne, Vosgi, Morvan e Mausen. Più giovani
geologicamente sono gli imponenti rilievi delle Alpi (con il Monte Bianco),
il Giura e i Pirenei. Mancano alla regione francese vaste ed uniformi
pianure mentre sono frequenti le zone di ondulazioni dolci e lievi. Notevoli
i corsi d’acqua che attraversano la Francia: il Reno e i suoi affluenti
alsaziani, la Senna e i suoi numerosi confluenti, la Marna e la Mosa quasi
priva di affluenti. Il Massiccio Centrale dà origine alla Loira, il più
lungo fiume francese; ad est del Massiccio Centrale scorre il Rodano con il
suo copioso affluente Saona e con i due riguardevoli fiumi alpini Isére e
Durance. Nella zona più meridionale del sistema alpino scendono fiumi
torrenziali alpini e mediterranei mentre verso il golfo del Leone
defluiscono quelli che scendono dai Pirenei.
http://www.paesionline.it/europa/francia_marsiglia/hotel_alberghi_marsiglia.asp
|
| Thanks to www.travelpuppy.com |
| Paris &
Ile-de-France Paris & Ile-de-France - TravelPuppy.com Paris Paris is one of the world’s great cities with a practically endless amount of things to do, it rewards repeated and extended visits. Despite the massive size of the city, Paris is also an easily navigable destination as the city centre itself is relatively compact and all areas of Paris are connected by a highly efficient transport system, with the famous Paris Metro an attraction in itself. Paris boasts more than 80 museums and over 200 art galleries. La Carte is a pass providing free admission to about 60 national and municipal museums in and around the Paris area. The périphérique and boulevard circulaire ring roads roughly follow the line of the 19th-century city walls and within them are most of the well-known sights, shops and entertainments. Beyond the ring roads is an industrial and commercial belt, then a broad ring of suburbs, mostly of recent construction. Central Paris contains fine architecture from every period in a long and rich history, together with every amenity known to science and every entertainment yet devised. The oldest neighbourhood is the Île-de-la-Cité, an island on a bend in the Seine where the Parisii, a Celtic tribe, settled in about the 3rd century BC. The river was an effective defensive moat and the Parisii dominated the area for several centuries before being displaced by the Romans in about 52 BC. The island is today dominated by the newly renovated cathedral of Notre-Dame. Beneath it is the Crypte Archéologique, housing well-mounted displays of Paris’ early history. Having sacked the Celtic city, the Gallo-Romans abandoned the island and settled on the heights along the Rive Gauche (Left Bank), in the area now known as the Latin Quarter (Boulevards St Michel and St Germain). The naming of this district owes nothing to the Roman city: when the university was moved from the Cité to the left bank in the 13th century, Latin was the common language among the 10,000 students who gathered there from all over the known world. The Latin Quarter remains the focus of most student acivity,the Sorbonne is located here, and there are many fine bookshops and commercial art galleries. The Cluny Museum houses some of the finest medieval European tapestries to be found anywhere, including ‘The Field of the Cloth of Gold’. At the western end of the Boulevard St Germain is the Orsay Museum, a superb collection of 19th and early 20th century art located in a beautifully restored railway station. The other Left Bank attractions include the Panthéon, the Basilica of St Séverin, the Palais and Jardin du Luxembourg, the Hôtel des Invalides (containing Napoleon’s tomb), the Musée Rodin and St-Germain-des-Prés. Continuing westwards from the Quai d’Orsay past the Eiffel Tower and across the Seine onto the Right Bank, the visitor encounters collection of museums and galleries known as the Trocadéro, a popular meeting place for young Parisians. A short walk to the north is the Place Charles de Gaulle, known to Parisians as the Étoile and to tourists as the site of the Arc de Triomphe. It is also at the western end of that most elegant of avenues, the Champs-Élysées (Elysian Fields), which is once again famous for its cafes, commercial art galleries and sumptuous shops, rather than the dowdy airline offices and fast food joints that took it over for much of the 1980s and early 1990s. At the other end of the avenue, the powerful axis is continued by the Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries and finally the Louvre. The Palais du Louvre has been extensively reorganised and reconstructed, the most controversial addition to the old palace being a pyramid with 673 panes of glass, which juxtaposes the ultra-modern with the classical façade of the palace. The best time to see the pyramid is after dark, when it is illuminated. The Richelieu Wing of the palace was inaugurated in 1993, marking the completion of the second stage of the redevelopment programme. In 1996, a labyrinth of subterranean galleries, providing display areas, a conference and exhibition centre, design shops and restaurants was opened. North of the Louvre are the Palais Royal, the Madeleine and l’Opéra. To the east is Les Halles, a shopping and commercial complex built on the site of the old food market. It is at the intersection of several métro lines and is a good starting point for a tour of Paris. There are scores of restaurants in the maze of small streets around Les Halles. Every culinary style is available at prices to suit every pocket. Further east, beyond the Boulevard Sébastopol, is the postmodern Georges Pompidou Centre of Modern Art also known as the ‘Beaubourg’. It provides a steady stream of surprises in its temporary exhibition spaces (which, informally, include the pavement outside where lively and often bizarre street-performers gather) and houses a permanent collection of 20th-century art. In the Marais district, are the Carnavalet and Picasso Museums, housed in magnificent town houses dating from the 16th and 18th centuries respectively. Still further east, the magnificent Bibliothèque François Mitterrand, one of the world’s most spectacular libraries, can be reached via a new métro connection (ligne 14) whose beautiful high-tech trains alone (they are constructed mainly of glass) are worth the trip. One of the best known districts in Paris, Montmartre, became almost unbearably popular and crowded after the success in 2001 of the Hollywood blockbuster Moulin Rouge. A funicular railway operates on the steepest part of the Montmartre hill, taking people to the outlandish Sacré-Coeur, a love it or hate it chocolate box architectural creation. Local entrepreneurs have long capitalised on Montmartre’s romantic reputation as an artist’s colony and if visitors today are disappointed to find it a well-run tourist attraction, they should bear in mind that it has been exactly that since it first climbed out of poverty in the 1890s. The legend of Montmartre as a dissolute cradle of talent was carefully stage-managed by Toulouse-Lautrec and others to fill their pockets and it rapidly transformed a notorious slum into an equally notorious circus. An earlier Montmartre legend concerns St Denis. After his martyrdom, he is said to have walked headless down the hill. The world’s first Gothic cathedral, St Denis, was constructed on the spot where he collapsed. Just north of Belleville (a working-class district that produced Edith Piaf and Maurice Chevalier) at La Villette, is one of Paris’ newer attractions, the City of Science and Technology. The most modern presentation techniques are used to illustrate both the history and the possible future of man’s inventiveness; season tickets are available. One of the great pleasures of Paris is the great number of sidewalk cafes, now glass-enclosed in wintertime, which extends people-watching to a year-round sport in any part of the city. There are as many Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants as there are French cafes. North African eating places also abound, and dozens of American Tex-Mex eateries are scattered throughout the city. Bric-a-brac or brocante is found in a number of flea markets (marché aux puces) on the outskirts of town, notably at the Porte de Clignancourt. There are several antique centres, Louvre des Antiquaires, Village Suisse, etc) where genuine antique furniture and other objects are on sale. Amongst the larger department stores are the Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette near the Opéra, the Bazar Hôtel de Ville (BHV) and the Samaritaine on the Right Bank and the Bon Marché on the Left Bank. The remains of the great forests of the Île-de-France (the area surrounding Paris) can still be seen at the magnificent châteaux of Versailles, Rambouillet and Fontainebleau on the outskirts of Paris. The capital’s nightlife has never looked healthier. The ‘beautiful people’ may have moved on to Menilmontant, but the bustling streets of Bastille are still a nocturnal playground for far more than just the tourists. Menilmontant itself rewards visitors prepared to venture beyond the guidebooks to discover the vibrant, hip, twenty-something scene. Disneyland Resort Paris The Disneyland Resort Paris, open year-round, lies to the east of the capital, a complete vacation destination located at Marne-la-Vallée , 32km (20 miles) from Paris. Disney’s European venture has become one of the continent’s most popular attractions. The site has an area of 1943 hectares (5000 acres), one-fifth the size of Paris, and includes hotels, a campsite, restaurants, shops and a golf course, and has as its star attractions the Disneyland Paris Theme Park and Walt Disney Studios. Inspired by previous theme parks, Euro Disneyland features all the famous Disney characters plus some new attractions especially produced to blend with its European home. The site is easily accessible by motorway, regional and high-speed rail services, and by air. ____________ France Business France Business Overview - TravelPuppy.com France Economy France has the fourth-largest economy in the world, after the USA, Germany, Japan, and has an annual per capita income of US$23,000. France has a wide industrial and commercial base, covering everything from agriculture to light and heavy industrial concerns, the most advanced technology and a burgeoning service sector. It is also Western Europe’s leading agricultural nation with over half of the country’s land area devoted to farming. Wheat is the most important crop, maize, sugar beet and barley are also produced in large quantities. The country is self-sufficient in these (which are produced in sufficient surplus for major exports) and the majority of other common crops. The livestock industry is expanding rapidly. France is one of the world’s leading wine producers. Despite the widespread belief in some quarters that French agriculture is inefficient, the sector has regularly turned in good profit margins and a sound export performance. French companies are prominent in many industries, particularly steel, motor vehicles, aircraft, mechanical and electrical engineering, chemicals, textiles, and food processing. In advanced industrial sectors, France has one of the world’s largest nuclear power industries, which meets nearly three-quarters of the country’s energy requirements, and is a world leader in computing and telecommunications. The service sector is dominated by tourism, which has long been a major foreign currency earner, although financial services have also grown rapidly since the early 1990s. Recent economic policy has been characterised by a gradual relinquishing of state holdings in ‘strategic’ industries as well as a steady reduction in government spending. Economic growth has been sluggish for the last 2.5 years, and is still below 1 per cent. France suffers from a relatively high unemployment rate of 9 per cent, which is climbing again after several years of decline. France was a founder member of the European Community and has benefited greatly from its participation. It was also a founder member of the European Monetary Union and adopted the euro upon its inception. The EU, especially Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain and the UK, accounts for the bulk of French trade. Outside the European Union, the USA and Japan are its principal trading partners. Business Etiquette Conservative clothes are generally worn at business meetings in France. Prior appointments are expected and the use of business cards is usual. While a knowledge of French is a distinct advantage in business dealings, it is considered impolite to start a conversation in French and then have to revert to English. Business meetings tend to be formal and business decisions are taken only after lengthy discussion, with many facts and figures to back up sales presentations. Business entertaining is usually in restaurants. Avoid the holiday period of mid July to mid September for business visits. Office hours Generally Monday-Friday 0900 hrs -1200 hrs, 1400 hrs -1800 hrs. Commercial Information The following organisations can offer advice: Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris, 27 Avenue de Friedland, 75382 Paris, Cedex 08 (telephone number: (1) 5565 5565, fax number: (1) 5565 7668, e-mail: del-paris@ccip.fr, website: www.ccip.fr) Centre de Renseignements des Douanes, 84 rue d’Hauteville, 75498 Paris (telephone number: (0825) 308 263, fax number: (1) 5324 6830, e-mail: crd-ile-de-france@douane.finances.gouv.fr website: www.douane.gouv.fr) and Assemblée des Chambres Francaises de Commerce et d’Industrie, 45 Avenue d’iena, 75116 Paris, Cedex 16 (telephone number: (1) 4069 3700; fax number: (1) 4720 6128, e-mail: mailto:contactsweb@acfci.cci.fr). Conferences/Conventions Paris is the world’s leading conference city, with the total amount of seating available of over 100,000 seats, exceeding that of any rival city. Also in demand are the Riviera towns of Nice and Cannes, the Acropolis Centre in Nice being the largest single venue in Europe, other centres are Lyon, Strasbourg and Marseille. The Business Travel Club (CFTAR) is a government-sponsored association of cities, departments, convention centres, hotels and other organisations interested in providing meeting facilities and incentives with over 80 members. Enquiries should be made through the French Government Tourist Office, which in several cities has a special department for business travel, these include London, Frankfurt/M, Düsseldorf, Milan, Madrid and Chicago. The following organisation can offer advice: Maison de la France, Conference and Incentive Department, 178 Piccadilly, London W1J 9AL (telephone number: (020) 7399 3521, fax number: (020) 7493 6594, e-mail: rachel.sobel@franceguide.com, website: www.franceguide.com). _____________France General Info France General Information - TravelPuppy.com Capital: Paris Area: 543,965 sq km (210,025 sq miles). Population of France: 59,481,919 (official estimate 2002). Population of Paris: 2,125,246 (1999). Population Density: 109.3 per sq km Geography: France, the largest country in Europe, is bordered to the north by the English Channel (La Manche), the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, the east by Germany, Switzerland and Italy, to the south by the Mediterranean (with Monaco as a coastal enclave between Nice and the Italian frontier), the southwest by Spain and Andorra, and the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Corsica, southeast of Nice, is made up of two départements. The country offers a spectacular variety of scenery, from the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrénées to the attractive river valleys of the Loire, Rhône and Dordogne and the flatter countryside in Normandy and on the Atlantic coast. The country has some 2900km (1800 miles) of coastline. Government: Republic since 1792. Head of State: President Jacques Chirac since 1995. Head of Government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin since 2002. Language: French is the official language in France, but there are many regional dialects. Basque is spoken as a first language by some people in the southwest, and Breton by some in Brittany. Many people, particularly those connected with tourism in the major areas, will speak at least some English. Religion: Approximately 77% Roman Catholic with a Protestant minority. Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are widely used, adaptors recommended. _____________France Getting Around - Internal Travel France Internal Travel - Getting Around France - TravelPuppy.com Air Air France flies between Paris, from both Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports, and around 45 cities and towns. It also connects regional airports. For information, contact Air France (telephone number: (08) 2082 0820 (omit the 0 when dialling from abroad) or (0845) 359 1000 (within the UK only) . Details of independent airlines may be obtained from the French Government Tourist Office (see Contacts section). Sea There are almost 9000km (5600 miles) of navigable waterways in France, and all of these present great opportunities for holidays. The main canal areas are the north, where most of the navigable rivers are connected with canals, the Seine (from Auxerre to Le Havre, but sharing space with commercial traffic), the east, where the Rhine and Moselle and their tributaries are connected by canals, in Burgundy, where the Saône and many old and picturesque canals crisscross the region, the Rhône (a pilot is recommended below Avignon), the Midi (including the Canal du Midi, connecting the Atlantic with the Mediterranean), and Brittany and the Loire on the rivers Vilaine, Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe and the connecting canals. Each of these waterways offers a magnificent variety of scenery, a means of visiting many historic towns, villages and sites and, because of the slow pace (8kph/5mph), an opportunity to learn much about rural France. Cruising boats may be chartered with or without crews, ranging in size from the smallest cabin cruiser up to converted commercial barges (péniches), which can accommodate up to 24 people and require a crew of 8. Hotel boats, large converted barges with accommodation and restaurant, are also available in some areas, with a wide choice of price and comfort. For further information, contact the national or regional tourist board. State-run car ferries known as ‘BACs’ connect the larger islands on the Atlantic coast with the mainland and they also sail regularly across the mouth of the Gironde. The island of Corsica is served by ferries operated by the Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Mediterranée (SNCM), BP 90, 13472 Marseille Cedex 2 (telephone number: (0891) 701 801, fax number: (4) 9156 3586, e-mail: corso@sncm.fr. Services run from Marseille, Toulon and Nice to Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio and Bastia on the island. Rail French Railways (SNCF) operate a nationwide network with 34,200km (21,250 miles) of line, over 12,000km (7500 miles) of which has been electrified. The TGV (Train à grande vitesse) runs from Paris to Brittany and southwest France at 300kph (186mph) and to Lyon and the southeast at 270kph (168mph). The SNCF is divided into five systems (East, North, West, Southeast and Southwest). The transport in and around Paris is the responsibility of a separate body, the RATP at 54 quai de la Rapée, 75599 Paris (telephone number: (1) 4468 2020). This organisation provides a fully integrated bus, rail and métro network for the capital. Rail tickets There are various kinds of tickets, including Family and Young Person’s Tickets, offering reductions which can usually be purchased in France. In general, the fares charged will depend on what day of the week and what time of the day one is travelling, timetables giving further details are available from SNCF offices. It is essential to validate (composter) tickets bought in France by using the orange automatic date-stamping machine at the platform entrance. There is a range of special tickets on offer to foreign visitors, they usually have to be bought before entering France and some are only available in North America, others are unique to Australia and New Zealand. There are also special European Rail and Drive packages. For more information, contact your local French Government Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section). Motorail Services are operated from Boulogne, Calais, Dieppe and Paris to all main holiday areas in both summer and winter. Motorail information and booking is available from Rail Europe (telephone number: (08705) 848 848. Road Traffic drives on the right. France has over 9000km (5600 miles) of motorways/(autoroutes, some of which are free whilst others are toll-roads (autoroutes à péage). Prices vary depending on the route, and caravans are extra. There are more than 28,500km (17,700 miles) of national roads (routes nationales). Motorways bear the prefix ‘A’ and national roads ‘N’. Minor roads (marked in yellow on the Michelin road maps) are maintained by the départements rather than by the Government and are classed as ‘D’ roads. It is a good idea to avoid travelling any distance by road on the last few days of July/first few days of August and the last few days of August/first few days of September, as during this time the bulk of the holiday travel takes place and the roads can be jammed for miles. A sign bearing the words Sans Plomb on a petrol pump shows that it dispenses unleaded petrol. The Bison Futé map provides practical information and is available from the French Government Tourist Office. Bus Information on services may be obtained from local tourist offices. Local services outside the towns and cities are generally adequate. Car hire A list of agencies can be obtained at local tourist offices, Syndicats d’Initiative or Offices de Tourisme. Fly-drive arrangements are available through all the major airlines. French Railways (SNCF) also offer reduced train/car hire rates. Caravans These may be imported for stays of up to 6 months. There are special requirements for cars towing caravans which must be observed and cars towing caravans are prohibited to drive within the boundaries of the périphérique (the Paris ring road). Contact the French Government Tourist Office for more information. Regulations The minimum age for hiring a car in France ranges from 21 to 25 depending on the company, some companies may also include additional charges for drivers under 25. The maximum age limit is generally 70. Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, and 130kph (81mph) on motorways. Visitors who have held a driving licence for less than two years may not travel faster than 80kph (56mph) on normal roads, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways and 110kph (68mph) on motorways. The police in France can and do fine motorists on the spot for driving offences such as speeding. Random breath tests for drinking and driving are common. Seat belts must be worn by all front- and rear-seat passengers. Under-10s may not travel in the front seat. Priorité à droite: particularly in built-up areas, the driver must give way to anyone coming out of a side-turning on the right. The priorité rule no longer applies at most roundabouts and the driver should now give way to cars which are already on the roundabout with the signs vous n’avez pas la priorité or cedez le passage, but watch for signs and still exercise great caution. All roads of any significance outside built-up areas have right of way, known as Passage Protégé, and will normally be marked by signs consisting either of an ‘X’ on a triangular background with the words ‘Passage Protégé’ underneath, or a broad arrow, or a yellow diamond. A red warning triangle must be carried for use in the event of a breakdown. All headlamp beams must be adjusted for rightside driving by use of beam deflectors or (on some cars) by tilting the headlamp bulbholder. For further details on driving in France, a brochure called The Traveller in France is available from French Government Tourist Offices and must be ordered by telephone (see Contact Addresses section). It contains a section on motoring. Documentation A national driving licence is acceptable. An international sign, distinguishing your country of origin (eg GB sticker or plate), should be positioned clearly on the vehicle. EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card. Without it, insurance cover is limited to the minimum legal cover in France; the Green Card tops this up to the level of cover provided by the car owner’s domestic policy. The car’s registration document must also be carried. Urban Urban public transport is excellent. There are comprehensive bus systems in all the larger towns. There are also tramways, trolleybuses and an underground in Marseille, trolleybuses, an underground and a funicular in Lyon, and automated driverless trains in Lille, where there is also a tramway. There are tramway services in St Etienne and Nantes and trolleybuses in Grenoble, Limoges and Nancy. The systems are easy to use, with pre-purchase tickets and passes. Good publicity material and maps are usually available. Paris The RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) controls the underground (métro), rail (RER) and bus services in and around Paris. The public transport network is split into several different fare zones and a single ticket will allow travel on any of the systems within that zone (although interchange is only permitted on the métro and RER, and not on buses). Some other useful transport links provided by the RATP include: Orlybus and Roissybus (special buses operating to Orly airport and Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport) Orlyval (rail service linking RER stations of Antony and Orly airport) and Montmartre funicular (special railway connecting the foot of Montmartre to the top, near the Sacré-Coeur church). Métro This was built during the Paris Exhibition in 1900. Its dense network of 14 lines in the central area makes the métro the ideal way to get about in Paris. Trains run from approximately 0530 hrs -0115 hrs. Rail RER (fast suburban services) operate five main lines connecting most areas of the capital. There is also an extensive network of conventional suburban services run by French Railways (SNCF), with fare structure and ticketing integrated with the other modes of public transport. Bus A comprehensive network operates within Paris. Services include PC buses that run around the outskirts of Paris, Noctambus services which run through the night, Balabus services which run between La Défense and the Gare du Lyon, navigating around La Seine and major tourist attractions; Monmatrobus services that run from Pigalle to Mairie du XVIII Jules Joffrin via Montmartre. Sightseeing tourist buses l’Opentour and Paris Trip. Special tickets Disneyland Passeport offers a combined ticket price of RER travel and entrance fee to the theme park at a reduced rate. Paris Visite Pass offers superb value for money with a choice of unlimited travel on the entire RATP network (métro, RER, bus etc) for a period of one to five days. A variety of discounts are available wih the pass such as reduced prices at certain museums, cinemas, restaurants and shops. Paris transport tickets can be bought in the UK from Allo France (telephone number: (08702) 405 903). All other tickets can be purchased from the RATP Tourist Office at 54 quai de la Rapée, 75599 Paris (telephone number: (1) 4468 2020 or (08) 9268 7714 (within France only) or from 50 of the métro stations, all mainline railway stations and certain banks. Children under 4 years of age travel free on buses and underground, while children between 4 and 11 years travel half price. Taxi Day and night rates are shown inside each taxi. There are extra charges on journeys to and from racecourses, stations and airports and for luggage. Private car Parking is now prohibited in many areas in the centre of Paris. Otherwise there are parking meters or parking time is restricted (zone bleue). Car parks charging a fee are plentiful all over the city and on the outskirts. _______________ France Getting There - International Travel France International Travel - TravelPuppy.com Air The national airline is Air France (AF). Many airlines operate to France, including an increasing number of low-cost airlines from the UK. Departure tax: None. France’s principal international airports are detailed below: Note: Facilities at the airports listed below are all of a high international standard and include bank/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants and bars. There are also small airports with some international flights at Biarritz, Caen, Deauville (St Gatien), Le Havre, Montpellier, Morlaix, Rennes and Quimper. Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Also known as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, (website: www.adp.fr) is 23km (14 miles) northeast of the city, travel time is approxd 40 minutes. Taxis are readily available and journeys to the centre cost around €38. An airport limousine service can also be hired for approximately €90. Roissybus services operate from the airport to Place de l’Opéra between 0545 hrs - 2300 hrs every 15 minutes. The Fare is approximately €8 and takes approximately 1 hour. Air France coaches run from Étoile via Porte Maillot, from Montparnasse via Gare de Lyon and from Orly Airport to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle. Services run every 12-20 minutes and take 40-50 minutes. Fares are approximately €11. The airport is also easily accessible by train on the RER B line or SNCF with connecting ADP shuttle bus. Paris-Orly (ORY) Paris-Orly is 14km (9 miles) south of Paris. Coaches and buses run to the city every 12 minutes, travel time is approx 25 minutes, from outside Orly Ouest. Taxis are available. RER B and C trains run every 15 minutes via Saint-Michel and the travel time is approx 30 minutes. Bordeaux (BOD) (Merignac) Bordeaux Airport is 12km (8 miles) west of the city. Coaches, buses and taxis to the city are available. Lille (LIL) (Lesquin) Lille Airport is 12km (8 miles) southeast of the city. Coaches and taxis are available to the city. Lyon (LYS) (Lyon-Saint-Exupéry) Lyon (LYS) (Lyon-Saint-Exupéry) is 25km (15 miles) east of the city. Coaches or taxis are available to the city. Marseille (MRS) (Marseille-Marignane) Marseille (MRS) (Marseille-Marignane) is 30km (19 miles) northwest of the city. A coach service departs to the city and taxis are available. Nice (NCE) (Nice-Côte d’Azur) Nice (NCE) (Nice-Côte d’Azur) is 6km (4 miles) west of the city. Buses depart every 20 minutes. Taxis to the city are available. Nantes (NTE) Nantes (NTE) is 15km (9 miles) south of the city. Trains and buses depart frequently to the city. Strasbourg (SXB) Strasbourg (SXB) is 16km (10 miles) southwest of the city travel time is approx 15-30 minutes. Trams and taxis are available to the city. Toulouse (TLS) (Blagnac) Toulouse (TLS) (Blagnac) is 10km (6 miles) northwest of the city. Buses to the city depart every 20 minutes. Taxis are available to the city. Facilities at the airports listed above are all of a high international standard and include bank/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants and bars. There are also small airports with some international flights at Biarritz, Caen, Deauville (St Gatien), Le Havre, Montpellier, Morlaix, Rennes and Quimper. Sea The following companies run regular cross-channel services: P&O Stena Line (tel: (08705) 202 020) from Dover to Calais (travel time approx 1 hour 15 minutes) P&O Portsmouth (telephone number: (08705) 202 020) from Portsmouth to Le Havre (travel time approx 5 hours 30 minutes during the day and eight hours at night) and from Portsmouth to Cherbourg (travel time approx five hours during the day and eight hours at night). Seafrance (telephone number: (08705) 711 711 from Dover to Calais (travel time – 1 hour 30 minutes). Hoverspeed Fast Ferries (telephone number: (0870) 240 8070, e-mail: reservations@hoverspeed.co.uk, from Dover to Calais (travel time approx 50 minutes by seacat) and from Newhaven to Dieppe (travel time – 2 hours 15 minutes by seacat). Brittany Ferries (telephone number: (08703) 665 333) from Plymouth to Roscoff (travel time approx 6 hours), from Portsmouth to St Malo (travel time approx 8 hours 45 minutes to the UK, 11 hours to France), from Portsmouth to Caen (travel time approx six hours) and from Poole to Cherbourg (travel time approx 4 hours 15 minutes by ferry or, in the high season, 2 hours 15 minutes by seacat). Condor Ferries (telephone number: (01202) 207 207) from Poole and Weymouth to St Malo (via Guernsey and Jersey) (travel time approx 4 hours 30 minutes and 5 hours 30 minutes respectively), from Guernsey to St Malo (travel time approx 2 hours 40 minutes) and from Jersey to St Malo (travel time approx 1 hour 10 minutes). These companies offer a variety of promotional fares and inclusive holidays for short breaks and shopping trips. Passenger and roll-on/roll-off ferry links to and from North Africa, Corsica and Sardinia are provided by Southern Ferries/Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Mediterranée (SNCM) (website: www.sncm.fr) (see Getting Around section). Rail International trains run from the channel ports and Paris to destinations throughout Europe. For up-to-date routes and timetables, contact French Railways (SNCF) (telephone number: (1) 5342 0000) or in the UK, Rail Europe (telephone number: (08705) 848 848). The Channel Tunnel Eurostar is a service provided by the railways of France, Belgium, and the UK, operating direct high-speed trains from London (Waterloo International) to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It takes 3 hours from London to Paris (via Lille). When the high-speed rail link from London through Kent to the tunnel is fully operational (January 2007), the travel time between the two capitals will be reduced to 2 hours 15 minutes. The Eurostar trains are equipped with standard-class and first-class seating, buffet, bar and telephones, and are staffed by multi-lingual, highly-trained personnel. The pricing is competitive with the airlines, and seats range from Premium First and Business to Standard. Children aged between 4 and 11 years benefit from a special fare in first class as well as in standard class. Children under 4 years old travel free but cannot be guaranteed a seat. Wheelchair users and blind passengers together with one companion get a special fare. For further information and reservations, contact Eurostar (telephone number: (0870) 600 0792 (travel agents) or (08705) 186 186 (public; within the UK) or +44 (1233) 617 575 (public outside the UK), Rail Europe (telephone number: (08705) 848 848). Travel agents can obtain refunds for unused tickets from Eurostar Trade Refunds, 2nd Floor, Kent House, 81 Station Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD. Complaints and comments may be sent to Eurostar Customer Relations, Eurostar House, Waterloo Station, London SE1 8SE (telephone number: (020) 7928 5163, e-mail: new.comments@eurostar.co.uk). General enquiries and information requests must be made by telephone. Road There are numerous and excellent road links with all neighbouring countries. Eurolines (52 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0AU, telephone number: (08705) 143 219) and National Express (Ensign Court, 4 Vicarage Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3ES, telephone number: 08705 808 080) run regular coach services to France from the UK. The Channel Tunnel All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel in shuttle trains running between the two terminals, one near Folkestone in Kent, with direct road access from the M20, and one just outside Calais with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13). Each shuttle is made up of 12 single and 12 double deck carriages, and vehicles are directed to carriages depending on their height. There are facilities for cars and motorcycles, minibuses, coaches, caravans, campervans and other vehicles over 1.85m (6.07ft). Bicycles are also provided for and passengers generally travel with their vehicles. Heavy goods vehicles are carried on special shuttles with a separate passenger coach for the drivers. Terminals and shuttles are well-equipped for disabled passengers. The passenger terminal buildings contain a variety of shops, restaurants, bureaux de change and other amenities. Journey time is about 35 minutes from platform to platform and around approx one hour from motorway to motorway. Eurotunnel runs up to four passenger shuttles per hour at peak times, 24 hours per day. Services run every day of throughout the year. For further information about departure times of shuttles at the French terminal, contact Eurotunnel Customer Information in Coquelle (telephone number: France (3) 2100 6543). Motorists pass through customs and immigration before they board, with no further checks on arrival. Fares are charged according to length of stay and time of year and whether or not you have a reservation. The price applies to the car, regardless of the number of passengers or size of the car. Promotional deals are frequently available, especially outside the peak holiday seasons. Tickets may be purchased in advance from travel agents, or from Eurotunnel Customer Services in France or the UK with a credit card. For further information, brochures and reservations, contact Eurotunnel Customer Services UK, Customer Relations Department, Saint Martin's Plain, Cheriton, Folkestone, Kent CT19 4QD (telephone number: (08705) 353 535). ______________ France History France History - TravelPuppy.com After the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, Gaul was settled by Germanic peoples from the east. After the collapse of the Visigothic Merovingian kingdom, Gaul in the eighth and ninth centuries became the heart of Charlemagne’s Frankish empire, which stretched from the Pyrénées to the Baltic. During the following centuries, the area under the control of the French kings gradually increased, although it was not until the reign of Louis VI (1108-37) that royal authority became more than an empty theory in parts of France, whose rulers were vassals in name only. Among the most powerful of these were the Dukes of Normandy who had, by the mid-12th century, acquired England and western France. In 1328, the direct line of the Capetian royal house became extinct and one of the claimants to the throne was Edward III of England. The resulting intermittent conflict, known as the Hundred Years’ War, was not resolved until the final English defeat in 1453. The period of French recovery is associated with the reign of the astute Louis XI (1460-83) and by the time of his death the area of France was much as it is today. During the late 15th and 16th centuries, France was again distracted by foreign adventures, including the Italian Wars and several other grandiose pan-European schemes initiated by François I, and internal troubles including the Wars of Religion. This latter conflict was ended by the accession of the gifted Henry IV, a Protestant-turned-Catholic. Henry was assassinated in 1610, but his work of building up the power of the French state continued under the administrations firstly of Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin and subsequently the long reign of the ‘Sun King’, Louis XIV (1643-1715), by which time the country had replaced Spain as the major European power. The 18th century was a period of great colonial expansion, and France again became involved in conflicts with England and this time over their possessions in the New World. The reign of Louis XV (1715-74) was in general a time of great prosperity in France, but the age also witnessed a widening gap between rich and the poor. The inequality of the taxation system, in particular the aristocratic and clerical exemption from the taille (tax), the lack of political representation for the increasingly wealthy middle class and the inefficiency and profligacy of central government were but three of the underlying causes of the French Revolution of 1789 which overthrew Louis XVI. One of the great driving issues of the Revolution, the equality of the individual before the law, proved to be a significant, often decisive source of political contention in Europe for the next century. The Government of the last years of the 18th century was very unstable, unpopular and impoverished, and was overthrown in 1799 by a rising army commander named Napoleon Bonaparte. After five years as consul, Napoleon was declared Emperor and embarked on a military campaign to establish a French empire in Europe. Defeat at Trafalgar at the hands of Nelson in 1805 left Britain in command of the sea, but on land Napoléon scored a series of stunning victories over the next seven years, defeating the Prussians, Austrians and Russians. By 1812, the French empire extended beyond France to take in northwest Italy and the Low Countries, while the Confederation of the Rhine, Switzerland, Spain and the Grand Duchy of Warsaw were dependent states. Napoléon’s fortunes went into decline after the ill-fated invasion of Russia in April 1812 in which 600,000 men, were driven back westwards and destroyed six months later. Napoléon was forced into exile, his armies and empire dismantled by the Austrians and British. He temporarily escaped imprisonment and returned to France, where he was welcomed as a hero. This brief ‘Hundred Days’ came to an end when Napoléon, his previous military prowess much diminished by time and physical infirmity, was defeated at Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington. With the end of Napoléon, the monarchy was restored and remained until the uprising of 1848 led by workers and radical students. Although the insurrection was crushed within a few months, the monarchy was again overthrown and the Second Republic declared. Four years later, the army intervened and instituted the Second Empire with Louis Napoléon (a nephew of the first Emperor Napoléon) as Emperor, seizing dictatorial power. The Second Empire (1852-70) further expanded France’s colonial possessions, while at home the repression was eased during the 1860s. In 1870, the regime obtained a popular mandate by referendum. France now faced a new enemy in the emerging power of Germany. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1 ended in defeat for the French and the annexation of Alsace-Lorraine by the Germans. The Third Republic, which was established in France after 1871, maintained an uneasy peace with its new powerful neighbour and sought succour in the Entente Cordiale with Britain. As events proved, the elaborate diplomatic designs of the late 19th and early 20th century in Europe were too fragile to guarantee peaceful co-existence in Europe. The interlocking network of treaties and alliances finally collapsed in August 1914 following the assassination of Grand Duke Ferdinand in Sarajevo. This was the trigger for World War I. Like all the main protagonists, France lost huge numbers of troops to the conflict, as the gap between military technology and tactical thinking led to unprecedented mass slaughter. As one of the eventual victors, France recovered Alsace-Lorraine as a result of the Treaty of Versailles and introduced a new electoral system, still under the Third Republic, based on proportional representation. The inter-war years saw the election of a series of socialist governments and an increasing preoccupation with Germany and the deteriorating European situation. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, France, which had previously committed itself to an alliance with the Poles, declared war on Germany. The Third Republic collapsed with the German invasion of 1940, after which France endured 4 years of Nazi occupation. During this period, the country was divided between a northern government under direct German control based in Paris, and the collaborationist Vichy administration, led by World War I leader Marshal Pétain, and based in the southern spa town of the same name. In 1946, two years after liberation from Nazi rule, the Fourth Republic was established, but came to an end in 1958 as a result of the Algerian crisis. Then a French colony, Algeria was wracked by a civil war which caused bitter divisions from top to bottom in French society and ultimately destabilised the government. The Fifth Republic which followed has lasted from 1958 up until the present day. The constitution that underpins it is characterised by the strong executive powers vested in the presidency, typified by the first holder of the office, General de Gaulle, the wartime leader of the anti-Nazi government in exile. The Fifth Republic was itself almost overthrown in 1968 by a radical alliance of students and industrial workers. By way of reaction, conservative presidents and centre-right majorities in the National Assembly governed France throughout the 1970s. But in 1981, the Socialist François Mitterrand won the presidential election, the first time the party’s candidate had been victorious. In May 1988, he was re-elected for a second term. Under ‘Ton-ton’ (Uncle) Mitterrand and his conservative Gaullist successor, Jacques Chirac , the French pursued their customary activist and occasionally maverick foreign policy. Its major commitment is to the European Union, and especially relations with Germany. After some initial uncertainty about the consequences of German reunification in 1991, the Franco-German axis has continued to be the driving force behind the EU’s progress towards economic and political harmonisation. France has also been, a keen proponent of EU expansion. France is still active in almost every other part of the world. This arises from a combination of historical reasons, colonies and a self-image as a nuclear and world power, coupled with a desire to confront a perceived Anglo-American pursuit of global hegemony. French suspicions of the USA are a common feature of the international diplomatic environment. In no case was this more apparent than the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of Iraq, to which the French were the leading opponent. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, with the power of veto, the French carry decisive influence in that forum and used it to the full. The French position was widely supported by the other Security Council members, but has caused a major diplomatic rift with the United States and (to a lesser extent) Britain. The French continue to maintain a significant economic and military presence in some of their former colonies, especially in Africa where there has been a number of military interventions, and substantial influence in many others. The principal economic instrument was the ‘Franc Zone’ under which many francophone African countries, mainly in West Africa, linked their currencies to the French Franc. France remains a principal player in events in places as far apart as Rwanda, Algeria and the Pacific island group of New Caledonia. It has also been engaged, in conjunction with other allied forces, in Lebanon, Kuwait (during the Gulf War) and in the Balkans. The intervention in New Caledonia, initially a counter-insurgency operation against pro-independence guerrillas, later became especially controversial owing to the use of the islands as a base for French nuclear tests in 1995. The resumption of the tests countermanded an existing moratorium imposed by President Mitterand and attracted huge public and international criticism. The test programme was ended permanently in January 1996. The decision to resume testing was one of the first decisions taken by Mitterand’s successor, the centre-right Gaullist Jacques Chirac. Formerly both mayor of Paris and Prime Minister, Chirac had succeeded Mitterand as president in 1995 after a narrow victory over the Socialist challenger Lionel Jospin. Chirac is now in his ninth year as president after winning the most recent presidential election in 2002, which will keep him in office until 2009. This latter poll was notable for the strong performance of the neo-fascist Front National (FN) leader Jean-Marie le Pen, who came second in the first round of voting. There has always been an extreme right current in post-war French politics, from the Poujadiste movement of the 1950s, through the post-imperial pieds noirs of the 1960s to the present-day FN (formed in 1972) with its focus on crime and immigration shared with other successful European far-right parties. 2002 also saw the centre-right, operating under the umbrella banner of the Union for a Presidential Majority, regain control of the national Assembly, bringing to an end five years of “co-habitation”. A new government took office under premier Jean-Pierre Raffarin. Co-habitation, the situation where the presidency and the national assembly are in the hands of different parties, was virtually unknown in French politics until the Mitterand era. Since then, it has become relatively common, between 1997 and 2002, the national assembly was controlled by Parti Socialiste (PS) under Lionel Jospin. (Jospin later contested the 2002 presidential election for the Socialists, coming a humiliating third behind the national front. In 2002, the umbrella grouping Union for a Presidential Majority, secured a majority for the centre-right in the national assembly, bringing co-habitation to an end for the time being. ___________France Public Holidays France Public Holidays - TravelPuppy.com Year 2007 January 1 April 9 May 1 May 8 May 17 May 28 July 14 August 15 November 1 November 11 December 25 New Year’s Day Easter Monday Labour Day 1945 Victory Day Ascension Whit Monday Bastille Day Assumption Nov 1 All Saints’ Day Remembrance Day Christmas Day Note: In France during the months of July and August are traditionally when the French take their holidays. For this reason, the less touristic parts of France are very quiet during these months, while the coastal resorts, especially in the south, are very crowded . _____________France Social Profile France Culture and Social Profile - TravelPuppy.com Food and Drink France has a more varied and developed cuisine than any other country with possibly the exception of China. The simple, delicious cooking for which France is very famous is found in the old-fashioned bistro and restaurant. There are two distinct styles of eating in France. One is of course gastronomy (haute cuisine), widely known and honoured as a cult with rituals, rules and taboos. It is rarely practised in daily life, mainly because of the cost and the time which must be devoted to produce it. The other is family-style cooking, often just as delicious as its celebrated counterpart. Almost all restaurants offer two types of meal, à la carte (extensive choice for each course and more expensive) and le menu (a set meal at a fixed price with dishes selected from the full à la carte menu). At simple restaurants, the same cutlery will be used for all courses. The bill (l’addition) will not be presented until it is asked for, even if clients sit and talk for half an hour after they have finished eating. Many restaurants close for a month during the summer, and a day a week. It is always wise to check that a restaurant is open, particularly on Sunday. Generally speaking, mealtimes in France are strictly observed. Lunch is as a rule served from 1200 hrs to 1330 hrs, dinner usually from 2000 hrs -2130 hrs, but the larger the city, the later the dining hour. Dishes include: tournedos (small steaks ringed with bacon), châteaubriand, entrecôte (rib steak) served with béarnaise (tarragon-flavoured sauce with egg base); and gigot de présalé (leg of lamb roasted or broiled) served with flageolets (light green beans) or pommes dauphines (deep-fried mashed potato puffs). Other dishes include: brochettes (combinations of cubed meat or seafood on skewers, alternating with mushrooms, onions or tomatoes); ratatouille niçoise (stew of courgettes, tomatoes and aubergines braised with garlic in olive oil), pot-au-feu (beef boiled with vegetables and served with coarse salt), and blanquette de veau (veal stew with mushrooms in a white wine/cream sauce). In the north of France (Nord/Pas de Calais and Picardy), fish and shellfish are the star features in menus, oysters, moules (mussels), coques (cockles) and crevettes (shrimps) are extremely popular. In Picardy, duck pâtés and ficelle picarde (ham and mushroom pancake) are popular. In the Champagne-Ardenne region, there are the hams of Rheims and sanglier (wild boar). Among the fish specialities in this area are écrevisses (crayfish) and brochets (pike). Alsace and Lorraine are the lands of choucroute (sauerkraut) and kugelhof (a special cake), quiche lorraine and tarte flambée (onion tart). Spicy and distinctive sauces are the hallmark of Breton food, and shellfish is a speciality of the region, particularly homard à l’armoricaine (lobster with cream sauce). Lyon, the main city of the Rhône Valley, is the heartland of French cuisine, though the food is often more rich than elaborate. A speciality of this area is quenelles de brochet (pounded pike formed into sausage shapes and usually served with a rich crayfish sauce). Bordeaux rivals Lyon as gastronomic capital of France. Aquitaine cuisine (in the south west of France) is based on goosefat. A reference to ‘Périgord’ will indicate a dish containing truffles. Basque chickens are specially reared. In the Pyrénées, especially around Toulouse, visitors will find salmon and cassoulet, a hearty dish with beans and preserved meat. General de Gaulle once asked, with a certain amount of pride, how it was possible to rule a country which produced 365 different kinds of cheese, some of the better known are Camembert, Brie, Roquefort, Reblochon and blue cheeses from Auvergne and Bresse. Desserts include: soufflé grand-marnier, oeufs à la neige (meringues floating on custard), mille feuilles (layers of flaky pastry and custard cream); Paris-Brest (a large puff-pastry with hazelnut cream), ganache (chocolate cream biscuit); and fruit tarts and flans. The tourist office publishes a guide to restaurants in Paris and the Île-de-France. Wine is by far the most popular alcoholic drink in France, and the choice will vary according to region. Cheap wine (vin ordinaire) can either be very palatable or undrinkable, but there is no certain way of establishing which this is likely to be before drinking. Wines are classified into AC (Appellation Contrôlée), VDQS (Vin delimité de qualité superieure), Vin de Pays and Vin de Table. There are several wine-producing regions in France some of the more notable are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire, Rhône and Champagne. In elegant restaurants, the wine list will be separate from the main menu, but in less opulent establishments will be printed on the back or along the side of the carte. The waiter will usually be glad to advise an appropriate choice. In expensive restaurants, this will be handled by a sommelier or wine steward. If in doubt, try out the house wine, this will usually be less expensive and will always be the owner’s pride. Coffee is always served after the meal, and will always be black, in small cups, unless a café au lait (or crème) is requested. Liqueurs such as Chartreuse, Framboise and Genepi (an unusual liqueur made from an aromatic plant) are available. Many of these liqueurs, such as eau de vie and calvados (apple brandy) are very strong and should be treated with respect, particularly after a few glasses of wine. A good rule of thumb is to look around and see what the locals are drinking. Spirit measures are usually doubles unless a baby is specifically asked for. There is also a huge variety of aperitifs available. A typically French drink is pastis, such as Ricard or Pernod. The region of Nord/Pas de Calais and Picardy does not produce wine, but brews beer and cider. Alsace is said to brew the best beer in France but fruity white wines, such as Riesling, Traminer and Sylvaner, and fine fruit liqueurs, such as Kirsch and Framboise, are also produced in this area. The wines from the Champagne region of the Montagne de Rheims district are firm and delicate (Vevenay Verzy), or full-bodied and ful-flavoured (Bouzy and Ambonnay). The legal age for drinking alcohol in a bar/cafe is 18. Minors are allowed to go into bars if accompanied by an adult but they will not be served alcohol. Opening hours depend on the proprietor but generally bars in major towns and resorts are open throughout the day and some may still be open at 0200 hrs. Smaller towns tend to shut earlier. There are also all-night bars and cafes. Shopping Special purchases in France include lace, crystal glass, cheeses, coffee and, of course, wines, spirits and liqueurs. Arques, the home of Crystal D’Arques, is situated between St Omer and Calais, en route to most southern destinations. Lille, the main town of French Flanders, is known for its textiles, particularly fine lace. Most towns have fruit and vegetable markets on Saturday. Hypermarkets, enormous supermarkets which sell everything from foodstuffs and clothes to hi-fi equipment and furniture, are widespread in France. They tend to be situated just outside of town and all have parking facilities. Shopping hours: Department stores are open Monday-Saturday 0900 hrs-1830 hrs. Some shops are closed between 1200 hrs-1430 hrs. Food shops are open 0700 hrs -1830/1930 hrs. Some food shops (particularly bakers) are open Sunday mornings, in which case they will probably close Monday. Many shops close all day or Monday afternoon. Hypermarkets are normally open until 2100 hrs or 2200 hrs. Special Events For details of events and festivals throughout France, contact the French Tourist Office. The following is a selection of special events occurring in France in 2005: Until February 3rd Nativity, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris January 8th-9th Kandahar - Alpine Skiing World Cup January 15th-March 8th Dunkerque Carnival January 28th-February 5th International Film Festival. February 12th-27th Nice Carnival April 10th Marathon, Paris May Jazz Under the Apple Trees (one of Normandy’s most important annual music events), Coutances May 21st-22nd Monaco Grand Prix June 21st Summer Solstice and Music Festivals, countrywide July Tour de France July 13th-14th Bastille Day Celebrations September27th-October 10th International Festival of Theatre, Music and Literature, Limosin. Social Conventions: Handshaking and, more familiarly, kissing both cheeks, are the usual forms of greeting. The form of personal address is simply Monsieur or Madame without a surname and it may take time to get on first-name terms. At more formal dinners, it is the most important guest or host who gives the signal to start eating. Meal times are often a long, leisurely experience. Casual wear is common but the French are renowned for their stylish sportswear and dress sense. Social functions, some clubs, casinos and exclusive restaurants warrant more formal attire. Evening wear is normally specified where required. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on most beaches but naturism is restricted to certain beaches and the local tourist offices will advise where these are. Smoking is prohibited on public transport and in cinemas and theatres. Tobacconists display a red sign in the form of a double cone. A limited choice of brands can be found in restaurants and bars. Tipping A 12 to 15% service charge is normally added to the bill in hotels, restaurants and bars, but it is customary to leave small change with the payment and more if the service has been exceptional. Other services such as washroom attendants, beauticians, hairdressers and cinema ushers expect tips. Taxi drivers expect 10 to 15% of the meter fare |