Geographically, the main part of France is located in Western Europe and borders on countries such as Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Principality of Monaco, Italy, Andorra and Spain. The western and northern parts of the country have access to the Atlantic Ocean, and the southern part – to the Mediterranean Sea. See France abbreviations.
The island part of France is represented by Corsica, in addition, France has over 20 overseas departments, together with which the country’s area is 643,400 km².
The most significant peak in Western Europe – Mont Blanc (4810 meters) is located on the territory of France, in the Alps, in addition, there are mountains of medium height in the country – these are the Vosges, the Massif Central and the Jura. The Jura mountain range, for example, is located on the border with Switzerland and is geologically connected to the Alps. However, the Jura mountains have, in comparison with them, a lower height and consist of limestone rocks. And in the southwestern part of the country, near the Spanish border, there is the Pyrenees mountain range, in which, unfortunately, you will not find such picturesque places as, for example, in the Alps.
Most of the rivers of France are related to the Atlantic Ocean basin, whose sources are in the Massif Central, the Alps and the Pyrenees. The largest rivers in France are: the Seine (775 kilometers long), the Garonne (650 kilometers), the Loire (1020 kilometers) and the Rhone (812 kilometers).
According to 800zipcodes, the climate of the European part of France is temperate maritime, while approaching temperate continental in its eastern part and subtropical in the southern regions.
The summer period in France is characterized by low rainfall, the average air temperature from June to August is +24 °C. The winter months in France are usually rainy and the air temperature averages +7°C.
Annual rainfall in France ranges from 600 to 1000 millimeters, although in some areas these numbers can rise to 2000 millimeters.
Famous ski resorts in France: Espace Killy, Chamonix, Three Valleys, Paradiski, Megeve, Courchevel, Alpe d’Huez.
Famous beach and medical resorts in France: Evian-les-Bains, Normandy, Corsica, Vichy, Burgundy, Brittany, Biarritz.
French cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the world due to the tenderness of the taste of most dishes, as well as their variety and elegance of design.
In France, they like to experiment in the course of cooking, every highly professional chef considers it his duty to create original, in some ways even unique dishes based on traditional recipes.
Different regions of the country have their own culinary specialties.
Burgundy is famous for its richest selection of cheeses and wines, as well as the world-famous Dijon mustard, which, according to local residents, can only be cooked correctly in this region of France.
While in Normandy, you should definitely try Camembert cheese, as well as Norman Calvados (apple vodka), valued for its unique taste. Provence will delight guests with a traditional fish dish – bouillabaisse.
The cuisine of Brittany includes many fish dishes, as well as dishes containing oysters. There are more than 12 varieties of this mollusk. The best time for tasting oysters is from September to April inclusive. Of the pastries, the Breton flan “Far” is the most popular, it includes salted butter, prunes or raisins, in addition, it is worth trying Breton pancakes baked from buckwheat or wheat flour. The best drinks for this dish are considered to be apple cider, as well as an alcoholic drink – Shushen, made on the basis of honey.
In the southern provinces of France ( Provence, Languedoc, Gascony ), a large amount of hot spices, onions and garlic are used in the preparation of dishes.
And Alsatian cuisine includes many dishes with the addition of cabbage, pork.
With all the many differences in the cuisines of different regions of France, of course, there are common culinary traditions. Dairy products are not added to the preparation of main dishes, with the exception of cheese making.
Traditionally, the cuisines of different French regions are united by a large number of vegetable dishes, and a variety of seasonings and spices used during cooking.
In addition, French cuisine is distinguished by the use of wines, brandy and liqueurs in the preparation of various dishes, including marinades and fish broths.
The national features of French cuisine also include a variety of sauces, numbering over 3,000 types.
Savory, tarragon, rosemary, chervil and leek are very often used as spices in France. In addition, artichokes, lettuce, asparagus are widely used during the preparation of side dishes.
