France has 26 régions: 21 of these are in the continental part of metropolitan France, one is Corse on the island of Corsica (although strictly speaking Corse is in fact a "territorial collectivity", not a région, but is referred to as a région in common speech), 4 are overseas. The région are further subdivided into 100 départements.
Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the North Sea, and from the Rhine River to the Atlantic Ocean; it is bordered by the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. The French Republic also shares land borders overseas with Brazil, Suriname, and the Netherlands.
Dirigisme came to be highly contested in the 1980s, with complaints of bureaucracy and lack of reactivity to new challenges. As a result the government largely retreated from economic intervention; Dirigisme has now essentially receded. Despite significant reform and privatization over the past 15 years, the government continues to control a large share of economic activity: Government spending, at 53% of GDP in 2000, is the highest in the G-7. Labour conditions and wages are highly regulated. The government continues to own shares in corporations in a range of sectors, including banking, energy production and distribution, automobiles, transportation, and telecommunications.
France has a system of civil law, but jurisprudence plays an important role similar to that of case law. France uses a civil law system; that is, law arises primarly from written statutes; judges are supposed not to make law, but to merely interpret it (though the amount of judge interpretation in certain areas makes it equivalent to case law). Many fundamental principles of French Law were laid in the Napoleonic Codes. Basic principles of the rule of law were laid in the Napoleonic Code: laws can only address the future and not the past (ex post facto laws are prohibited); to be applicable, laws must have been officially published (see Journal Officiel).
Today, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a more unified and capable European political, defence and security apparatus.
Due to its numerous overseas departments and territories scattered on all oceans of the planet, France possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the world, covering 11,035,000 km² (4,260,000 sq. miles), just behind the EEZ of the United States (11,351,000 km² / 4,383,000 sq. miles), but ahead of the EEZ of Australia (8,232,000 km² / 3,178,000 sq. miles). According to a different calculation cited by the Pew Research Center, the EEZ of France would be 10,084,201 km² (3,893,532 sq. miles), behind the United States (12,174,629 km² / 4,700,651 sq. miles), but ahead of Australia (8,980,568 km² / 3,467,416 sq. miles) and Russia (7,566,673 km² / 2,921,508 sq. miles).
The May 1958 seizure of power in Algiers by French army units and French settlers opposed to concessions in the face of Arab nationalist insurrection led to the fall of the French government and a presidential invitation to de Gaulle to form an emergency government to forestall the threat of civil war. Swiftly replacing the existing constitution with one strengthening the powers of the presidency, he became the elected president in December of that year, inaugurating France's Fifth Republic.
Membership in France's labour unions accounts for less than 10% of the private sector workforce (in 2003, 8.2% of the workforce) and is concentrated in the education, manufacturing, transportation, and heavy industry sectors. Most unions are affiliated with one of the competing national federations, the largest and most powerful of which are the CGT, FO, and CFDT.
Following the seizure of the (then separate) English, Irish and Scottish thrones by the Dutch prince William of Orange in 1688, the anti-French "Grand Alliance" of 1689 inaugurated more than a century of intermittent European conflict in which Britain would play an ever more important role, seeking in particular to keep France out of the Netherlands (the Dutch provinces and the future Belgium, then under Spanish rule).
On the eve of the French Revolution of 1789, France was a predominantly rural country ruled by an absolute monarch and the aristocracy under the now-called ancien régime, very backwards in many ways (for instance, torture was considered an appropriate means of extracting confessions in criminal trials; there was no freedom of religion, except that Protestantism was tolerated...). The ideas of the Enlightenment had however begun to permeate the educated classes of society.
France has an important aerospace industry (lead by Airbus Industrie) and is the only European power to have its own national space centre. France is also the most energy independent Western country due to heavy investment in nuclear power, which also makes France the smallest producer of carbon dioxide among the seven most industrialised countries in the world. Large tracts of fertile land, the application of modern technology, and EU subsidies have combined to make France the leading agricultural producer in Western Europe.
The gouvernement, or cabinet, is headed by the Prime Minister of France. It has at its disposal the civil service the government agencies and the armed forces. (The term "cabinet" itself is rarely used in this sense, even in translation, as it is used in French to mean a minister's private office. In French, the word gouvernement can refer to government, but generally refers to the cabinet.)
As France is the most popular touristic country in the world, tourism is a significant contributor to the French Economy. In the 1960s the government heavily promoted the development of skiing in the French Alps through the development of new high level resorts including some of the World's most extensive.
The official language spoken in France is French. Several regional languages (including Basque, Breton, Catalan, Corsican, Dutch (Flemish), Alsatian, Occitan and Oïl languages) are also occasionally understood and spoken, mostly by elderly people, but the French government and public school system discouraged the use of any of them until recently. The regional languages are now taught at some schools, though French remains the only official language in use by the government, local or national.
While France continues to revere its rich history and independence, French leaders increasingly tie the future of France to the continued development of the European Union (EU). During President Mitterrand's tenure, he stressed the importance of European integration and advocated the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty on European economic and political union, which France's electorate narrowly approved in September 1992.
1.
French Holiday Home Vacation rentalsFrench holiday home-Holidays in France- location de gites de prestige dans le Sud ... Holiday ... TWENTYMAN. Domaine St.Henry. Laurac le Grand. 11270 - France ...
2.
Holiday Homes France - Spain - Italy - PortugalFind your Holiday Homes in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal and other various ... Holiday Homes for Sale in EUROPE. Sell Your Holiday Home. Holiday Homes FORUM ...
3.
Holiday Homes France for self catering vacation rentals of French ...Holiday Homes France offers a superb choice of vacation properties in all areas ... Welcome to Holiday Homes France. www.hhfrance.com ...
4.
French holidays vacations in France - self catering gites French villas ...... gites, vacation villas, cottages, French holiday homes and holidays in France. ... holiday home or villa direct with the owner or their agent in France. ...
5.
Buy Property in France | PropertyIndex.comIdyllic Holiday Home France - browse property hotspots and buy direct from owners, agents and developers. Find your dream home now
6.
Holiday Home France on eBay.co.ukeBay.co.uk offers great deals on items related to Holiday Home France. ... Mobile Home / Caravan Camping Holidays South of France, ends Oct-15 20:56 BST. ...
7.
France Gites, France cottages, self catering holiday cottages villas ...Annuaire de Gites de vacances en France, locations entre particuliers à la campagne ou sur la côte; des gîtes de qualité en toute région
8.
Book luxury private villas with swimming pools | JamesVillas.co.ukRent luxury, exclusive private villas with swimming pools in Europe. Book villas, flights, ferries and Eurostar tickets here for your luxury villa holiday to Europe.
9.
French villas rentals; ideas for top French villa holidays... deals on a self catering holiday home in France ... French Holiday Homes. Greek Islands. South of France. Mediterranean Holidays. English Holidays ...
10.
Holiday homes & cottages in France,Holiday Rentals Home: World > Europe > France Holiday homes & cottages. Destination ... of the best regions to take a rental gite in France for wine tasting holidays. ...
11.
Holiday Villas in France | French Riviera Holiday Villas ...Late Holiday Deals. New Holiday Homes. Holiday Ideas. Golf Holidays. Ski Holidays. Advertise With Us ... Holiday Home | Tarn-et-Garonne | Midi-Pyrenees | France ...
12.
Camping France and French Campsites with French Freedom HolidaysCamping France, French Freedom offer great value mobile home holidays and ... France Holidays | Camping France Resorts | Mobile Homes France | Holiday France ...
13.
Holiday homes France holiday cottages FranceHoliday home France: Rent a holiday cottage or holiday home. ... Holiday homes and holiday cottages in France. Home. My Choice. Terms & Conditions. Service ...
14.
Gite.com: holiday homes in France | French gites, vacation houses ...Gite.com is your source for holiday homes, vacation rentals, and self-catering holidays in France. Find villas, gites, cottages, & apartments from our hand-picked ...
15.
Holiday home in france - MAISON DES PECHEURS, 3 BOULEVARD CHANZY, LE ...Holiday home in france - MAISON DES PECHEURS, 3 BOULEVARD CHANZY, LE BLANC. Two Bedrooms (+ sofa bed) 1 Bathroom and 1 WC off Bedroom. In Loire valley Near River ...
16.
Holiday Homes Europe, France, Italy, SpainFind your Holiday Homes in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal and other various countries that suits you best. ... Historic refurbished village home in Hidden Tuscany ...
17.
Provence & Cote D'Azur, South of France- self catering holiday gites ...Self catering holiday homes, gites, cottages, studio apartments, villas and mobile homes for rent and bed and breakfast accommodation in Provence, South of France
18.
Pet Friendly Holidays France - Holiday Rentals suitable for pets... friendly holiday homes and villas are available in many areas of France and are ... Holiday Home | Western Loire | France ... Holiday Home | Herault | France ...
19.
French Holiday Villas France Vacation Rentals, Holiday homes, gites ...Holiday Villas in France, Holiday Homes, Villas and apartment rentals, French ... This holiday home in France can accommodate up to five people and has fully ...
20.
Holiday Homes In France ~ holiday homes to rent in France. www-holiday ...Home | Search | Travel Links | Cheap Ferry Prices | Advertise | Contact Us ... France is one of the most popular holiday destinations for us Brits, due to a ...
21.
Holiday homes in FranceCharente holiday home near Cognac & Royan provides excellent self catering ... Chateau holidays in SW France near Castillonnes.The Chateau stands in 8 acres, ...
22.
Villa Holiday Homes - France... holiday. Browse through our collection of villas and holiday homes to ... France - Aquitaine & Dordogne - This detached holiday home which sleeps 6 people ...
23.
** Villas, Houses, Gites, Cottages and Apartments to Rent in France **To find your holiday home to rent in France please scroll down the locations ... Below is a selection of holiday homes in France that can be rented direct from ...
24.
Holiday home rentals and lets in FranceHoliday home rentals and lets in France. Worldwide holiday homes online. Search Results for France ... Friendly Holidays. Search all holiday lets. Destination ...
25.
Mobile Holiday Homes In France - Siblu Exclusif... a range of static caravans and mobile holiday homes for sale in their exclusive parks throughout France ... home. You need to upgrade your Flash Player ...
26.
Europe Family Camping Mobile Home Holiday Campsite France Spain... holidays are specialists in providing luxury family camping and mobile home holidays ... mobile homes. lodges & chalets. camping holidays. luxury mobile homes ...
27.
Holiday Rentals in France - Houses, Farmhouses and Gites to rent for a ...... holiday homes, chalets and farmhouses to rent in France for ... to select the region in which you want to rent a holiday home. ... Holiday home France ...
28.
French Holiday homes Vacation Rentals & Cottages in France - Rent ...... d'Azur Rent holiday homes and cottages in France, Provence, Cote ... France holiday homes France Camping France holidays Provence Cote d'Azur holiday home ...
29.
Self-catering holiday homes France, holiday homes Spain, Holidays ...Property for sale in France. Property for sale in Spain, Italy and America ... Home page Holiday accommodation B&B/Hotels for sale exchange links ...
30.
Mobile home holidays in France and mobile homes for hire in the South ...Caravan and Mobile Home holiday in France for your next mobile home holiday ... Why book your next mobile home holidays in France through an agent when you can ...
31.
French Holiday Home Vacation rentalsFrench holiday home-Holidays in France- Vacation rentals,LOVELY LANGUEDOC FARMHOUSES in southwest of France ... Holiday Home France. Dans le département de ...
32.
Holiday Home to let in France, AveyronSelf catering holiday Home to rent in France, Mid-Pyrenees, Aveyron, Nant. ... Holiday homes to rent worldwide for skiing, beach, golf, walking, hiking and ...
33.
French Holiday Homes, Gites De France, Villas in France.French Holiday homes, Gite De France, Cottages and Villas to rent in France ... Home - Advertise - Search - Help - Contact us - Add or update your property ...
34.
World One CallPortal featuring European-wide holiday accommodations, guides, and properties for sale. ... holiday home in France. Holiday homes in France and Spain. Bed and ...
35.
Private holiday homes and holiday rentals France. Rental property ...Home | Renter Login| Contact us | Help | Owner login | Join. Home ... Here are the available holiday homes for rental in France. Les Trois Epis (Ref: 22107) ...
36.
Mobile Holiday Homes Brittany France... Home Holidays Brittany ... Trio Holidays En France at Camping du Quinquis offers an ... Mobile Home Holidays Southern Brittany France. Web Design by The ...
37.
Private holiday homes for rent & mobile homes for hire in the South of ...... holiday home rentals and mobile homes for hire in the South of France for your next mobile home ... self drive mobile home holiday in France through an agent ...
38.
Luxury Holiday Homes FranceSiblu Exclusif can offer luxury holiday homes in France for great value. ... more and more time at your holiday home in France and missing the home comforts? ...
39.
Holiday home rentals and lets in France (Page 3)Holiday home rentals and lets in France (Page 3) Worldwide holiday homes online. ... Elderly Friendly Holidays. Search all holiday lets. Destination Guides ...
40.
Find A Cheap Holiday Home Bargainlate deal page where properties have been reduced ... pool | Last minute villa holidays in Portugal holiday | Holiday home in France ...
Holiday Home France and France online resources.