Map of FRANCE Elisa Silvestri Davide Pedersoli Benedetta

Map of FRANCE: Elisa Silvestri, Davide Pedersoli, Benedetta Farì, Matar Thiam : 2^A School: Erbusco (BS)

CHOOSE YOUR TRAVEL COMPANIONS: 1. Elisa Silvestri: She is tall and beautiful, Elisa has got long brown hair and brown eyes. 2. Benedetta Farì: She is small and beautiful, Benedetta has got long, brown hair and brown eyes. 3. Davide Pedersoli: He is small. Davide has got short, brown hair and brown eyes and he wears glasses. 4. Matar Thiam: He is small. Matar has got black short and very curly hair. He has got brown eyes and he is African.

Means of trasport FROM: Brescia TO: Paris MEANS OF TRASPORT: car TRIP DURATION: 9, 23 Hours FROM: Paris TO: Strasbourgh MEANS OF TRASPORT: train TRIP DURATION: 2, 04 Hours FROM: Strasbourgh TO: Marseille MEANS OF TRASPORT: plane TRIP DURATION: 1, 25 Hours

THE COUNTRY IN EUROPE

Description of the State Where is it ? France is in western Europe. To the west it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean To the northwest it is the English Channel that separates it from Great Britain To the northeast it borders with Belgium and Luxembourg To the east it borders with Germany, Switzerland Italy To the south it is washed by the Mediterranean Sea and borders with Spain Also part of France are: - Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean Sea - Some former French colonies: Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean, South America French Guiana, Réunion in the Indian Ocean, French Polynesia with Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean

What are its physical features? The French call their country the "hexagon" for its six-sided form. France has a wide variety of landscapes from mountain ranges in the south to large coastal plains in the northwest The most recent mountain ranges are: - the Pyrenees to the south bordering with Spain - reaches up to 3, 000 meters - the Alps to the south-east bordering with Italy. In the Alps is the Mont Blanc - 4, 810 meters high - which is the highest peak in Western Europe - the Jura chain to the east bordering with Switzerland The lower mountain ranges are older. They are: - The Central Massif in the center-south - The Vosges to the east bordering with Germany - The Ardennes plateau in the north - The Armoric Massif to the west in Brittany The plains are mostly of alluvial nature. They are very extensive and cover more than half of the territory. ……………. France also has a large river system that mainly consists of : - the Rhine, which is the natural border with Germany, - the Seine running through meanders from the center of France, passing through Paris, to the Channel where it flows through a large estuary - the Rhône starting from the Swiss Alps crossing the Lake Geneva and opening with a large delta in the Gulf of Lyon near Marseille. The lakes are few and the most important is Lake Geneva shared with Switzerland.

What is its government form? How many people live there? What language do they speak? What religions do the follow? France is a constitutional Republic with a semi-privileged regime. The population is about 67 million. The official language is French, but there are several local languages such as Basque, Breton, Catalan, and Alsatian Dutch. We find the following religions: Catholic (88 %), Protestant (2%), Muslim (5 -10%), Jewish (1%), other religions (4%) What are the most important cities and how many people live there? France is a highly urbanized country. In 2011 its most populated cities were Paris (12, 292, 900), Lyon (2, 182, 482), Marseille (1, 721, 031), Toulouse (1, 250, 251), Lille (1, 159. 547), Bordeaux (1, 140, 668), Nice (1, 003, 947), Nantes (884, 275), and Strasbourg (763, 739).

Map of the city

What are the most important economical activities? Paris hosts almost 20% of the population of France (about 10 million inhabitants) and is the largest economic, political, cultural and artistic center in France. About a quarter of all national production is concentrated in Paris. The main activities concern the following sectors: mechanical, automotive (Peugeot and Renault), chemical, electrical, food and agricultural, editorial, cinematic, high fashion, jewellery and tourism. Paris is the heart of the banking and financial activities of the country, and is also home to multinationals which have established their headquarters here. Paris is also a river port of high importance thanks to the navigability of the Seine. The city is served by three airports and is the main railway and road hub of France.

What are its traditions? June 21 st: The 1982 music festival is one of the events that Parisians expect all year long not only for the atmosphere that is created but above all because it marks the beginning of summer. Every year on June 21 there are many concerts in the streets, squares, gardens. . Jazz, soul, funk, rock, reggae, pop, classical music and many other genres. In less than 20 years, the Festival has become a worldwide event and one of the symbols of cultural union between countries and peoples. July 14 th: It is the takeover of the Bastille and the most important national holiday. It has been celebrated since 1880. In 1789 French citizens attacked and conquered the prison as a symbol of the ancient regime. That marked the beginning of the French Revolution. On this day a military parade is held in Paris, from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde passing through the Champs-Élysées. In the evening in most municipalities you can watch fireworks, take part in dancing and attend concerts. Flea Markets: Walking on flea markets is a habit in Paris that has been handed down since ancient times when the first junk dealers spent the night on the hunt for clothing, furniture, and abandoned items to resell to the market. At the flea market you can find: armchairs, souvenirs, prints, suitcases, writing utensils, cutlery, and everything else that can be collected. . A FLEA MARKET in France

The city What are its main features? Paris is divided into 20 units, called "arrondissement". They are autonomous administrative districts, each with its own city hall and its mayor. Topographically the arrondissements are spiraled around the city, starting from its geographical center, to the crown of the boulevardon the outskirts. The arrondissements do not always correspond to a single district. Paris is divided into two by the river Seine: the “rive gauche” (left bank) and the “rive droite” (right bank). These two parts of the city are distinct for their architectural and cultural features: - the right bank to the north is the economic, political and financial center of Paris. - the left bank to the south is the cultural and romantic part of Paris The Seine also welcomes two islands: the Île de la Cité and the Île Saint-Louis. Paris has a natural obstacle that is Montmartre hill, 129 meters high, and for this reason it has evolved with a circular shape.

What are its most important monuments? The Eiffel Tower: The Eiffel Tower is the most famous monument in the world, the symbol of Paris and named after its designer Gustave Eiffel. Every year it is visited by over 5 and a half million tourists. It was inaugurated in 1889 (built in less than two years) at the "Exposition Universelle". It is the tallest monument in Paris, 320 meters high, built in pure iron, weighing 10, 000 tons. On windy days on the top of the tower, 12 cm swings may also occur. To climb to the top there are two possibilities: the 1665 steps or two transparent elevators. The structure is divided into three levels open to the public, accessible both by elevator and stairs. To the southeast of the tower a large lawn stretches from which one time the first balloon flights started.

Arc de Triomphe: "Arc de Triomphe" is located at the beginning of the "Champs-Elysees" boulevard, at the heart of the Place de l'Etoile in Paris. The arch was designed by Jean Chalgrin and built by two architects in 1806 to celebrate Napoleon Bonaparte's victories during his wars. The monument is 50 meters high and 45 meters wide. It is the second arc of triumph, in great order in the Inside its walls there are the names of the 558 French generals, some of which are emphasized to indicate world. those who died in battle. In 1920 the tomb of the Unknown Soldier was placed at the base of the arch and a perennial flame is burning in memory of the First World War. Underneath the arc is also an underground museum containing objects belonging to Napoleon Bonaparte, memorabilia of the First World War and historical documents concerning the arch itself.

Bastille: Bastille was a Paris prison known formally as "Bastille Saint-Antoine". The takeover of the Bastille of July 14 th 1789 marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The square on which "Bastille Saint Antoine" was built is today one of the most popular places. At the center of the square stands the "Colonne de Juillet" (Column of July). The column was erected in 1840 as a monument to the memory of the victims of the revolution. At the top of the bronze stem, 47 m high, is the golden statue of the Genius of Liberty.

What are its most important museums? LOUVRE : The Louvre has a long history dating back more than eight centuries ago, hosting today what can be considered one of the world's leading museums. The first structure of this immense palace was designed by Filippo Augusto around 1200 as the stronghold of Paris. The Louvre hosts extraordinary masterpieces (paintings, sculptures, etc. ) of artists from all over the world and of all time, including: Botticelli, Correggio, Raffaello, etc. Let's remember that Francesco I bought the Leonardo’s Monna Lisa in 1673 that was exposed to the public. The underground entrance of the museum is covered by the pyramid designed by the architect Ioeh Ming Pei in 1980 during a period of great architectural novelties.

ORSAY MUSEUM The Orsay Museum in Paris is placed in a prestigious location opposite the Louvre Museum, and it is famous around the world for its collection of masterpieces of Impressionism and post-Impressionism. The works of the great masters of this artistic currents include: Edouard Manet, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Rousseau, Vincent Van Gogh, etc. The museum is located in a former railway station restored and built in the place where the old “D’Orsay" palace stood. LA BIBLIOTEQUE NATIONALE The "National Library of France" is the most important library in France and is one of the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Paris in the Tolbiac district in the 13 th arrondissement. It contains a physical collection of thirty million volumes and also has a digital library. It was founded as a royal library, at the Louvre, by Charles V. It was open to the public in 1692 for the will of Louis XIV.

Are there any local festivals? There are many sporting events, such as: - "Prix d'Amerique", one of the world's leading horse racing competitions held in Vincennes - The Six Nations Rugby Tournament - the "Roland Garros" red tennis tournament - "Tour de France“ arriving in Paris in July. At the end of September until mid-October, the most important Paris Motor Show is held. Finally, concerts, exhibitions, festivals dedicated to every kind of art and events such as Opéra ballets, Odeon theatre and operas at Opéra Bastille are held throughout the year.

What is it food specialty? Ratatouille is a typical French dish made from mixed stewed vegetables: aubergines, zucchini, carrots and peppers that are cooked together and seasoned with tomatoes. INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE 1 eggplant 2 zucchini 2 peppers 1 carrot 1 onion 1 clove of garlic 150 gr of cherry tomatoes 100 ml of olive oil (extra virgin olive oil) Q. b. salt and pepper - Finely chop the onion, then put it together with the peeled garlic clove in a pan in which you have also put the oil and soften it. - Wash, clean and cut the cubed vegetables. - Transfer the vegetables into the frying pan, then proceed with the others and let them cook on a moderate heat with the lid for about 15 minutes. - In the meantime wash and cut, or prepare the tomato past. - Now set salt and pepper, add the tomatoes, stir well and cook for another 10 minutes. - Your ratatouille is ready, served warm or lukewarm with some fresh basil leaves.

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