France: A Country to (Re)discover...

Every year, more than 7 million tourists travel to France to admire its beauties and to enjoy, for a while, the "French way of life." As current tourism figures prove, France remains very appealing.

Its history dates back to the most ancient times. Thousands of monuments and museums attest to a rich past. And each region of France conceals its own treasures, even if it means struggling sometimes to preserve them.

Famous Neolithic caves attest that, some hundred thousand years ago, organized life and society developed in the southern part of France. Later on, Celtic tribes decided to settle in this country which would provide them abundant food. Then, the Romans, attracted by the charm of this land, also brought their own contribution to the richness and variety of "Gaul." The Romans are, in a sense, the foundation of French history. It took a while for Gaul to become France. With the powerful French Kings, France has experienced war and peace, splendour and misery, but has finally been able to master its destiny. Today it is a respectful republic, a land of freedom where many people wish to live.

France is not a large country. Yet everyone who has the opportunity to visit some of its regions is amazed by the variety of landscapes: fertile plains, high or gentle mountains, forests, seas, ocean… It seems that God has gathered on this small piece of land all the treasures on Earth.

Of course, food and wine, famous and renowned throughout the world, must be mentioned. Each region offers its own specialties. Whether you explore Brittany, Alsace, Provence or other places, one point remains unquestionable: local food and local wine are always different and are always a pure delight.

There is much more to say about France, country of romance, country of everbursting ideas, country of fashion.