Main Rivers:
The five major rivers which cross France are:
The Garonne, which crosses the Pyrénées and the rest of the south west to end in the Atlantic;
The Loire, the longest river in the country flows from the Massif Central to the Atlantic;
The Rhine, whose origins are in the Swiss Alps, and constitutes a natural border between Alsace and Germany;
The Rhône, which connects Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean sea via the Alps;
The Seine, coming from Burgundy, flowing through Paris and into the Channel.
Main Mountains:
A important and spectacular part of France is covered by mountains:
The well-known Alps with the famous Mont Blanc, the highest peak of France at 4807 meters;
The Jura, North from the Alps (there is a county called Jura in Franche Comté);
The Pyrénées form the border between France and Spain (the highest peak is 3404 meters high);
and Massif Central in the center of France, well known for its volcanoes such as the Puis du Dôme.
IV. Climate:
France is a country where diversity is a key word, and this from several points of view; its regions and landscapes, its people, its accents and also its climates.
Indeed, even though France has a tempered climate, we can observe substantial changes in the weather conditions from North to South.
French tempered climate is devided into three main types; the oceanic, the continental and the Mediterranean climate (overseas Departments excepted).
West of France:
The climate in this part of France is oceanic, which means that winters are cool and summers quite mild. Either near the Channel or even down south in the Atlantic coast, the temperature in winter seldom goes below 0°C..
Summers are generally cool but they tend to be warmer on the South West Coast.
Rain quantities are more or less identical in the South and in the North; their frequency and intensity vary though, with it raining less frequently in the south but in a more intensive way.
Inland:
The more we go inland, the less we feel the ocean’s influence.
Summers are generally warmer and winters cooler.
The average temperature in Paris is 5°C in January and 20°C in August, whereas, in Starsbourg, in the summer, temperatures vary between - 2°C in the winter and 26°C in August.
There is an disproportioned repartition of rain given that it rains more in summer than in winter but the number of rainy days is higher in winter.
Mediterranean coast :
Winters in this area of France are very similar to winters in the Atlantic coast but summers in the Mediterranean are drier and hotter.
Most of the rain falls in winter.
In the summer, it rarely rains, but the weather is more stormy and often leads to flooding.
In summer, temperatures normally go beyond 25 - 30°C.
Mountain climate :
The climate in the mountains is affected by their elevation. Temperatures are commonly low in winter, below 0°C.
It frequently snows, and temperatures also vary with sunny conditions.
The weather in the mountains is changeable, especially in the summer.
V. Gastronomy:
France is one of the most visited country in the world not only for its monuments and landscapes but also and especially, for its quality of life.
Food, for example, is a real culture in France. Everywhere in France, from the tiny village to the large cities, the French take the time to eat and drink well.
French food is famous all around the world and has inspired many foreign chefs.
French food markets can be found in most towns and villages in France, selling fresh bread, cheese, herbs, spices and seafood just to name a few. Any visitor to France should take some time out from their day and visit one of these street markets. A real flavour of the French lifestyle can be gained here.
Meals can last forever in France and are normally an excellent occasion to gather the whole family.
There are some typical French dishes which are consumed everywhere in France during some festivals and special occasions, such as snails and oysters for new year’s eve.
In addition to this, each region has its specialities, some of which are well known everywhere.
Wine plays a huge part in French meals; indeed each course goes with one specific type of wine.
Bordeaux red wines, côtes de provence rosés and burgundy white are some of the numerous French wines famous in France and abroad.
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