France

France
Douce France taught the world just how sweet life should be.


The French wrote the book on la vie en rose and gave the world champagne and camembert, de Beauvoir and Debussy, the Tour de France and the Tour Eiffel. There's a term for their seductive lifestyle - Douce France (Sweet France) and you'll find yourself using it often.
Although the ubiquity of Levis and Le Big Mac flusters the country's cultural purists, anything from a year in Provence to a weekend in Paris will explain why half the world grows dreamy over stalking Cyrano's streets or picnicking Manet-style sur l'herbe.
When To Go
Spring offers the best weather to visitors, with beach tourism picking up in May. Temperatures aren't too bad in autumn, although the short days mean limited sunlight and the cold starts to make itself felt towards the end of the season, even along the C?te d'Azur. Winter means playing in the snow in France's Alps and Pyrenees, though the Christmas school holidays send hordes of tadpoles in uniform scurrying for the slopes. Mid-July through to the end of August is when most city dwellers take their annual five weeks' vacation to the coasts and mountains, and the half-desolate cities tend to shut down a bit accordingly. The same happens during February and March.

Full Name
French Republic
Capital City
Paris
Area
547,030 sq km
211,208 sq miles
Population
60,400,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Daylight Saving Start
last Sunday in March
Daylight Saving End
last Sunday in October
Languages
French (official)
French is the official language and spoken by everyone; regionally however you will come across Flemish, Alsacian, Breton, Basque, Catalan, Proven?al and Corsican as well.
Catalan (other)
Basque (other)
Breton (other)
Corsican (other)
Religion
86% Roman Catholic, 8% Muslim, 2% Protestant 1% Jewish, 3% unaffiliated
Currency
Euro (€)
Electricity
230V 50HzHz
Electric Plug Details
European plug with two circular metal pins

Country Dialing Code
33