France is the largest country of Western Europe in area. Paris, the capital of France and largest city in the country, ranks as one of the world’s great cities.
For hundreds of years, Paris has been a world capital of art and learning.

Its university is over 800 years old, and is one of the largest in the world.
Paris attracts artists and writers of all nationalities. Many great artists have produced their finest masterpieces there.

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.

This country has been synonymous with romance for longer than your grandmother cares to remember, so whether you visit Paris or the Pyrenees, the Côte d’Azur or an auberge de jeunesse, be sure to keep your fantasies in check, your expectations in line and your joie in your vivre.

France, officially French Republic nation in western Europe,bounded on the north by the English Channel, the Strait of Dover, and the North Sea;on the north-east by Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany; on the east by Germany, Switzerland, and Italy; on the south-east by the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by Spain; and on the west by the Bay of Biscay .France is around hexagonal in shape, with an extreme length from north to south of about 965 km (600 mi) and a maximum width of about 935 km (580 mi). The capital and largest city is Paris. The republic of France includes ten overseas possessions. These include the overseas departments of French Guiana, in South America; Martinique and Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean; and Réunion, in the Indian Ocean. Territorial collectivities and dependencies include St Pierre and Miquelon, Mayotte, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, the French Southern and Antarctic Territories, and Wallis and Futuna Islands. France, a Texas-sized landmass, is one of the world’s most significant countries, and a major industrial power.

Acclaimed for its art, fine wines, great museums, outstanding food, culture and style, it is also blessed with some of the finest soil and vineyards on the planet.

It is the world’s leading tourist destination, and Paris, the capital city, is considered by many the most beautiful metropolis in the world, and is certainly the most visited city in Europe.