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franceFind out more
Country towns
Much of France consists of open country, where most working
people earn a living from farming. one in every five French
people lives and works in the countryside. the farming
communities spread out around small market towns, which
provide markets, banks, restaurants, stores, and supermarkets.
Each town contains a mairie—the offices of the local government
administration. the mairie often overlooks the central square,
where people meet to talk and perhaps enjoy a game of boules.ChartrEs
France is a mainly roman Catholic
country. there are churches in
every village, and cathedrals in the
cities. the cathedral of Chartres, in
northern France, was completed
in 1260. It is famous not only for its
fine architecture, but also for its
magnificent stained-glass windows.
there are 176 windows, covering
a total area of 28,000 sq ft
(2,600 sq m), the equivalent
of 10 tennis courts.A patisserie specializes in
sweet, delicious pastries, and
produces a wide range for its
customers every day.The town square
is the traditional spot
for games such
as boules
or petanque,
French versions
of lawn bowling.FrEnCh CuIsInE
French cooks are considered among the
best in the world. there are numerous
good restaurants, even in very small
towns, and the quality of ordinary
daily food is very high. Food
specialists who take great pride in
their work produce outstanding
cooked meats, pastries, and bread,
including the famous stick-shaped
baguette. French cheeses, such as
Camembert, are eaten
all over the world.PErFuME and FashIon
two of France’s best-known industries are the
manufacture of perfume and haute couture, or
high fashion. Many of the most famous and most
expensive brands of perfume are French. French
designers dominated fashion for most of the
20th century. the Paris collections, shown in
the spring of each year, are the most important
of the international fashion shows and are
attended by designers from all over the world.
they set the trends which the rest of
the world will follow.The extract of scented
flowers, such as lavender,
is a major ingredient
in perfume.Europe
Europe, history of
French revolution
napoleon bonaparte
normansIn fine weather, café owners
put tables and chairs out on the
sidewalks so their customers can
eat and drink in the open air.The 176 luminous stained-glass
windows of Chartres Cathedral
(right) attest to the talents of
Chartres craftworkers.tour dE FranCE
Cycling is an enormously popular
pastime in France. the world’s most
famous cycling race is the tour de
France (tour of France), which takes
place every summer. the route
follows public roads covering
about 2,200 miles (3,500 km),
primarily in France and Belgium,
but briefly in four other countries.
the race takes place over 26 days,
and the world’s best cyclists take part.US_221_FRANCE_3.indd 221 21/01/16 4:59 pm