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Marianne is the "lady liberty" of France, representing opposition to the monarchy. She was named after the most common name of French women at the time. There is some element of Uncle Sam there too.

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Marianne in a copper statue state.

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A Marianne statue displayed in most government buildings.

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"Marianne the revolutionary"

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Meet Guignol! France's most famous, well--guignol! (Guignol means puppet in French) He is known for his wit and humor.

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Over 200 years later, and Guignol is still captivating audiences and filling seats.

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Guignol and a supporting character.

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Here are the 13 regions of France. Prior to 2016, there were more. They were combined for financial purposes.

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This is the best song to become familiar with the regions!

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Gong a level deeper, this is the arrondissements of Paris, which are located in the region of Il de France. Currently, there are 16 official arrondissements. #1-4 are now governed as one. Each arrondissement is named with a number and name relating to a staute within the department.

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The Eiffel Tower is the most famous structure in France. It stands at over 1,000ft tall. There is an observation deck about half way up where you can have dinner.

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The Louve houses some of the most famous artwork in the world. It is also the most visited museum in the world.

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Within the Louve, you'll find DaVinci's Mona Lisa.

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L'arc de Triomphe is situated in a huge round about in France. It is at the end of the Champs Elysse.

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Speaking of the Champs Elysse, here she is! The Champs Elysse is the French equivalent of 5th Avenue (but nicer).

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Pictured here is Notre Dame Cathedral--a French Catholic church located on the Il de la Cite, an island on the Siene River.

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Notre Dame is currently closed after suffering a devastating fire in April of 2019.

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Here is my favorite Chateaux in the Loire Valley. It is named Chenonceau.

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Weddings are very similar to what occurs in the US. There is a ceremony, a cocktail hour, and a reception. This one happens to be in a chateaux that you will not find in the US!

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You also will not find this beautiful croquembouche, a wedding cake made of cream puffs! There are a tradition and are at virtually every French wedding.

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Recently, many couples have elected to get "PACSed". It is the US equivalent of filing for a civil union. They are very easy to dissolve and can act as a "trial marriage". In 2018, 40% of PACS's were dissolved due to couples proceeding to marriage. This has been the choice for years for LGBTQ couples who were denied the right to wed.

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Birth success is very important to the French people. Therefore, IVF, a method of artificially getting pregnant, is covered by the government until age 43. Note: This is NOT covered for LGBTQ folks.

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Catholicism is the dominant religion in France with over 41% of the population practicing.

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40% of the population do not actively practice a religion.

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The rest of the population practice various religions.

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Each region has a unique and extensive variety of cuisine, cheese, and wines.

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Bœuf Burguinnone from Burgundy!

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Bouillabaisse from Provence.

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Crèpes from Normany! (Note: Many actual French Crèpes are savory)

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Escargot is a dish best eaten in the Il de France region.

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Many of the artists popular in the US today are popular around the globe--including France. Rather than focus on them, here are three of my favorite French artists:

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Favorite Songs: On Ira, Paris sera tourjours Paris

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Favorite Songs: Alors on danse, House'llelujah, Papaoutai

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Favorite Songs: Andalouse, Où va le monde, Sonrisa, Besame