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France
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France is about 80% the size of Texas. In the Alps near the Italian and Swiss borders is western Europe's highest point—Mont Blanc (15,781 ft; 4,810 m). The forest-covered Vosges Mountains are in the northeast, and the Pyrénées are along the Spanish border. Except for extreme northern France, the country may be described as four river basins and a plateau. Three of the streams flow west—the Seine into the English Channel, the Loire into the Atlantic, and the Garonne into the Bay of Biscay. The Rhône flows south into the Mediterranean.
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France was one of the earliest countries to progress from feudalism to the nation-state. Its monarchs surrounded themselves with capable ministers, and French armies were among the most innovative, disciplined, and professional of their day. During the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715), France was the dominant power in Europe. But overly ambitious projects and military campaigns of Louis and his successors led to chronic financial problems in the 18th Century. Deteriorating economic conditions and popular resentment against the complicated system of privileges granted the nobility and clerics were among the principal causes of the French Revolution (1789-94). Although the revolutionaries advocated republican and egalitarian principles of government, France reverted to forms of absolute rule or constitutional monarchy four times--the Empire of Napoleon, the Restoration of Louis XVIII, the reign of Louis-Philippe, and the Second Empire of Napoleon III.
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Since the Revolution of 1789, France has had an extremely uniform and centralized administration, although constitutional changes in 2003 now permit greater autonomy to the nation's regions and departments. The country is governed under the 1958 constitution, which established the Fifth French Republic and reflected the views of Charles de Gaulle. It provides for a strong president, directly elected for a five-year term (changed from a seven-year term in 2000). A premier and cabinet, appointed by the president, are responsible to the national assembly, but they are subordinate to the president. Parliament consists of the national assembly and the senate. Deputies to the assembly are elected for five-year terms from single-member districts.
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In contrast, ancient France has a long and illustrious military history. For example, the Celts of Gaul fought the Roman Legions of Julius Caesar to the last...they still got their asses kicked, but at least they were fighting. And look at Joan d'Arc (Ms. d'Arc if you're nasty), she inspired French people to fight. But only barely (she was later burnt upon a stake in equally impressive fashion by the English who didn't want an actual fight). Also, Gérard Depardieu has been known to kick some ass now and then when he's drunk.
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MasterCard Europe and Europay France today announced an agreement to integrate their operating structures in France, a priority market for MasterCard in Europe. The integration will support French banks' efforts to provide competitive payment services. Under the terms of the agreement, a new company is to be formed. Additional terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
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Ballet in France originated from early entertainments at court which were composed of music, dance, and poetry. The seminal production Ballet comique de la reine (commissioned by Catherine de Médicis in Paris, 1581) set an example from which later examples of ballet de cour evolved. Most of the greatest dancers and ballet masters of the 16th and 17th centuries were associated with court ballet in Paris and in the late 17th century a systematic attempt to raise standards of dance was instituted, first with the founding of the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661 and secondly with the opening of a dancing school attached to the Académie Royale de Musique in 1672. In the same year Lully was appointed director of the Académie Royale de Musique and, working in close collaboration with Beauchamps, rapidly raised the status of dance. In his ballet Triomphe de l'amour (1681) Mlle de Lafontaine became the first female professional dancer to appear at the Palais Royal. During the 18th century travelling ballet masters like Noverre and Dauberval encouraged the spread of ballet to the provinces.
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