9781422277980

FRANCE AT A GLANCE

Flag of France After the Ukraine and Russia, France is the third largest country in Europe. It is

although Germany is now one of France’s closest allies. The flag dates back to the Revolution of 1789 and is one of the most recognizable in the world. Called the tricolore, it is said to represent liberty, equality, fraternity, signifying the Republican ideal.

composed of a wide variety of landscapes, including four upland areas: the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Massifs of Brittany and the Central Plateau. The large lowland areas are drained by rivers such as the Garonne, Rhône, Loire, and Seine. France has had a long history: the earliest conquerors were the Romans in 50 BEC . and the latest were the Germans who invaded in both World Wars,

ABOVE: Parisian cafés, such as this one, have always been popular with painters, writers, and philosophers, including great artists such as Pablo Picasso, Georges Bataille, and Robert Desnos. 8