It is hard to generalise about France. As Charles de Gaulle, the war time leader of the anti-Nazi government in exile once remarked, ‘how could one describe a country which has 365 kinds of cheese?' Yet there is something about this magnificent land which draws millions of francophiles back year after year for a taste of la vie française.
Could it be the chic boulevards of Paris, the sparkling ski slopes of the Alps, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches, a dusty game of boules, or coffee and croissants in an undiscovered village? Or perhaps it is a tour of the majestic châteaux of the Loire that appeals, the glamorous jet-set lifestyle of the Mediterranean, or a relaxing picnic in Provence, where the air is fragrant with wild herbs and lavender? Consider also the delights of other lesser-known regions such as Franche-Comté, Gascony or Berry, deep in the green heart of France – regions firmly rooted to the land, whose sleepy villages offer visitors a chance to sample the true douceur de vivre of provincial France and the unspoilt and rugged atmosphere of the island of Corsica, described as ‘a mountain in the sea'.
There is no denying that France is a land of great contrasts, offering an endless choice of enticing destinations, a rich diversity of landscapes, cuisines, climates and peoples, with an exceptional cultural heritage.
France's fight for the 'equality of the individual before the law' during its 1789 revolution is still engraved in the French spirit. The revolutionary motto 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity' is included in the constitution and the French national heritage and the storming of the Bastille on 14 July is still celebrated each year with a mixure of solemn military parade and easy going dancing and fireworks. Eager to avoid the destruction caused by the 1914 and 1949 world wide wars ever again, France was a founding member of the European Union. It continues to be a driving force behind the EU's progress towards economic and political harmonisation and has been a keen proponent of EU expansion. Beyond that, France is still active in almost every other part of the world. This arises from a combination of historical reasons (colonies and a self-image as a nuclear and world power), coupled with a desire to confront a perceived Anglo-American pursuit of global hegemony.
