France• France is situated between Germany and Spain, and

it’s capital is called Paris.

• The population of France is almost 70 million people!

• The national anthem is called ‘La Marseillaise’ (Click to Listen)• Let’s find out more about France...!

FranceParis, the Capital

You couldn't possibly visit Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Even if you do not want to visit this world famous structure, you will see its top from all over Paris. The tower rises 300 meters tall (984 ft); when it was completed at the end of the 19th century it was twice as high as the Washington Monument, at the time the tallest structure in the world.

Originally a royal palace, the Louvre became a public museum at the end of the 18th century. It is located in the 1st arrondissement,

Venus of Miloat the heart of Paris.

There are about 35.000 objects on display, spread out over three wings of the former palace. The museum has a diverse collection ranging from the antiquity up to the mid 19th century. A large part of the collection consists of European paintings and sculptures. Other rooms contain Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Oriental art. There is also a section with 'Objects d'Art', where objects such as clocks, furniture, china and tapestries are displayed.

Some of the most famous works of art in the museum are the Venus of Milo, the Nike of Samothrake, the Dying Slave by Michelangelo and of course Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

A Religious siteNotre Dame de ParisThe site of the Notre dame is the cradle of Paris and has always been the religious centre of the city. The Celts had their sacred ground here, the Romans built a temple to worship Jupiter. A Christian basilica was built in the 6th century and the last religious structure before the Notre-Dame construction started was a Romanesque church.

ConstructionBishop Maurice de Sully started the construction in 1163. The Cathedral was to be built in the new gothic style and had to reflect Paris's status as the capital of the Kingdom France. It was the first cathedral built on a monumental scale and became the prototype for future cathedrals in France, like the cathedrals of Amiens, Chartres or Rheims, just to name the most famous.

The BuildingGargoyleIt took until 1345 before the cathedral was completed, partly because the design was enlarged during construction. The result is an overwhelming building, 128m long (420 ft) with two 69 meter tall towers (226 ft).

France has many vineyards where they grow grapes.

The grapes are used to make wine.

In each town there are patisseries so you can get bread and cakes. Yum!

In winter there are lots of places to go skiing in France.

France is famous for its cheese, perfume and cars.

Complete an outline Map of France. Mark on the regions and the main cities. Using your Atlas, find and write down one fact about the following:

The ClimateNatural VegetationAgriculture, Forests and FishingTransportRich and Poor