France is linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath the English Channel.
Franta , official Republica Frantei, este un stat membru al Uniunii Europene, situata in regiunea vestica, cu ctaeva teritorii si insule peste mari, locaizate pe alte continente. Franta este o republica semi-prezidentiala cu ideile principale exprimate ine Declaratie Drepturilor Omului si Cetateanului. Franta etse legata de Regatul Unit prin Canalul Tunel, care trece pe sub Canalul Englez.
Franta este cel mai mare stst din Uniunea Europeana prin dimensiunea sa si al treilea in Europa dupa Rusia si Ucraina. Franta a fost o putere majora timp de multe secole, cu o mare influenta economica, culturala, militara si politica. In timpul sec 17 si 18, Franta a colonizat mari parti din America de Nordș in timpul sec 19 si 20, Franta a construit cel mai mare imperiu al perioadei, incluzand mari portiuni din Afica de Nord, de Vest si centrala, Asia de Sud si multe din insulele din Pacific.
Cities
The largest cities in France, in terms of metropolitan area population, are Paris (11,769,433), Lyon (1,748,271), Marseille (1,605,000), Lille(1,164,716), Nice (1,197,751), Toulouse (1,102,882), Bordeaux (999,149) and Nantes (804,000).
Orase
Cele mai mari orase din Franta, din punct de vedere al populatiei din zona metropolei sunt Paris (11,769,433), Lyon (1,748,271), Marseille (1,605,000), Lille(1,164,716), Nice (1,197,751), Toulouse (1,102,882), Bordeaux (999,149) si Nantes (804,000).
There is, technically speaking, no architecture named French Architecture, although that has not always been true. Gothic Architecture's old name wasFrench Architecture . The term “Gothic” appeared later as a stylistic insult and was widely adopted. Northern France is the home of some of the most important Gothic cathedrals and basilicas, the first of these being the Saint Denis Basilica (used as the royal necropolis); other important French Gothic cathedrals are Notre-Dame de Chartres and Notre-Dame d'Amiens. The kings were crowned in another important Gothic church:Notre-Dame de Reims. Aside from churches, Gothic Architecture had been used for many religious palaces, the most important one being the Palais des Papes in Avignon.
ARHITECTURA
Tehinc vorbind, nu exista o arhitecura numita arhitectura franceza, desi acest lucru nu a fost mereu adevarat. Numele vechi al arhitecturii gotice a fost acela de arhitectura franceza. Termenul “gotic” a aparut mai tarziu ca o insulta stilistica si a fost adoptat pe o scara larga. Franta de nord este casa unor din cele mai importante catedrale si bisercii gotice, prima dintre acestea fiind biserica Sf David (folosita ca necropola regala); alte catedrale frantuzesti gotice sunt Notre Damme de Chartes si Notre-Damme d’Amiens. Regii erau incoronati in alta biserica gotica: Notre-Damme de Reims. In afara de biserici, arhitectura gotica a fost folosita pentru multe palate religioase, cel mai important fiind Palatul Papei din Avignon.
An important 16th century writer was François Rabelais who influenced modern French vocabulary and metaphor. During the 17th century Pierre Corneille,Jean Racine and Molière's plays, Blaise Pascal and René Descartes's moral and philosophical books deeply influenced the aristocracy leaving an important heritage for the authors of the following decades. Jean de La Fontaine was an important poet from this century.
French literature and poetry flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 18th century saw the works of writers, essayists and moralists such asVoltaire, Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Charles Perrault was a prolific writer of children's stories such as: “Puss in Boots”, “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Bluebeard”.
At the turn of the 19th century symbolist poetry was an important movement in French literature, with poets such as Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaineand Stéphane Mallarmé. The 19th century saw the writing of many French novels of world renown with Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Alexandre Dumas(The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte-Cristo), and Jules Verne (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) among the most well-known in France and beyond. Other 19th century fiction writers include Emile Zola, Guy de Maupassant, Théophile Gautier and Stendhal.
The Prix Goncourt is a French literary prize first awarded in 1903. Important writers of the 20th century include Marcel Proust, Louis-Ferdinand Céline,Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Antoine de Saint Exupéry wrote Little Prince which has remained popular for decades with children and adults around the world.
LITERATURA
Un scriitor important al sec 16 a fost François Rabelais care a influentat vocabularul si metafora frantuzeasca. In timpul sec 17 piesele lui Pierre Corneille,Jean Racine si Molière cartile morale si filosofice ale lui Blaise Pascal si René Descartes au influentat profund artistocratia lasnad o mostenire importanta autorilor din urmatoarele generatii.Jean de La Fontaine a fost un poet important al acestui secol..
Literatura si poezia frantuzeasca au inflorit in sec 18 si 19. secolul 18 a vazut lucrarile unor autori, eseisiti si moralisti precum Voltaire, Denis Diderot si Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Charles Perrault a fost un autor prolific de carti pentru copii precum: “Motanul incaltat”, “Frumoasa din padurea adormita” si „Barba albastra”.
La inceputul sec 19 poezia simblista a fost o miscare importanta in literatura franceza cu poeti precum Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine si Stéphane Mallarmé. Secolul 19 a vazut reinoind scrierile multor romancieri precum Victor Hugo (Mizerabili”), Alexandre Dumas(Cei trei muschetari si Contele de Monte Cristo), si Jules Verne (20 de mii de leghe sub mare) printre cei mai cunoscuti din Franta si nu numai. Alti scriitori ai secolului 19 au fost Emile Zola, Guy de Maupassant, Théophile Gautier si Stendhal.
Prix Goncourt este un premiu francez pentru literatura acordat in 1903. scriitori importanti ai secolului 20 includ pe Marcel Proust, Louis-Ferdinand Céline,Albert Camus, si Jean-Paul Sartre. Antoine de Saint Exupéry a scris Micul Print care a ramas popular timp de decenii printe copiii si adulti din intreaga lume.
Marianne
Marianne is a symbol of the French Republic. She is an allegorical figure of liberty and the Republic and first appeared at the time of the French Revolution. The origins of the name Marianne are unknown, but Marie-Anne was a very common first name in the 18th century.
Este un simbol al Republicii Franceza. Ea este o figura alegorica a liberatitii si a aparut pentru prima data in timpul revolutiei franceze. Originea numelui nu este cunoscuta dar numele Marie –Anne era un nume obisnuit in secolul 18.
MUSIC
France has long been considered a center for European art and music. The country has a wide variety of indigenous folk music, as well as styles played by immigrants from Africa, Latin America and Asia. In the field of classical music, France has produced a number of legendary composers, while modern pop music has seen the rise of popular French hip hop,techno/funk, and pop performers.
Muzica
Franta a fost considerata mult timp ca fiind centrul artei si muzicii din Europa. Tara are o larga varietate de muzica populara indigena precum si stiluri cantate de imigrantii din Africa, America Latina si Asia. In domeniul muzicii clasice, Franta a produs un numar mare de compozitorii francezi, in timp ce muzica pop moderna a vazut ascensiunea hip-hop-ului, techo/funk-ului francez si pe al cantaretilor francezi.
20th Century
The early 20th century saw neo-classical music flourish in France, especially composers like Albert Roussel and Les Six, a group of musicians who gathered around Satie. Later in the century, Olivier Messiaen, Henri Dutilleux and Pierre Boulez proved influential. The latter was a leading figure of Serialism while Messiaen incorporated Asian (particularly Indian) influences and bird song and Dutilleux translated the innovations of Debussy, Bartók and Stravinsky into his own, very personal, musical idiom.
The most important French contribution to musical innovation of the past 35 years is a form a computer-assisted composition called "spectral music." The astonishing technical advances of the spectralist composers in the 1970s are only recently beginning to achieve wide recognition in the United States; major composers in this vein include Gérard Grisey, Tristan Murail, and Claude Vivier.
SECOUL 20
Inceputul sec 20 a vazut inflorirea muzicii neoclasice in Franta, mai ales compozitori precum Albert Roussel si Les Six, un grup de muzicieni care s-au adunat in jurul lui Satie. Mai tarziu, Olivier Messiaen, Henri Dutilleux si Pierre Boulez s-au dovedit a fi influneti. Cel din urma a fost o figura dominanta a serialismului in timp ce Messiaen includea influneta asiatice (mai ales indiene) si cantece de pasari iar Dutilleux a tradus innovatiile lui Debussy, Bartók si Stravinsky in forma sa muzicala propie si personala.
Cea mai importanta contributie frantuzeasca in domeniul muzicii in ultimii 35 de ani este o compozitie muzicala asistata pe calculator numita „muzica spectrala”. Avansarile tehince uimitoare in compozitorii spectrali din anii 1970 de-abia au inceput sa capate recunoastere in Statele Unite, compozitori importanti din acest curent ii includ pe Gérard Grisey, Tristan Murail, si Claude Vivier.
PAINTING/ PICTURA
CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS/ OBICEIURI SI TRADITII
Flying Bells
Children don’t look for eggs left by an Easter Bunny… rather, the French believe that the Flying Bells leave on the Thursday before Good Friday, taking with them all the grief and misery of mourners of Christ’s crucifixion, reaching Rome to see the Pope and then come back on Easter Sunday morning bearing chocolate easter eggs, which are hidden around houses and gardens for children to find. / Copii nu cauta oua lasate de Iepurasul de Paste…mai degraba francezii cred ca Clopoteii Zburatori din Joia de dinainte de Vinerea Mare, iau cu ei toata durerea si suferinta celor ce plang rastignirea lui Isus, ajungand la Roma pentru a-l vedea pe Papa si apoi se intorc in Sambata de Paste aducand oua de ciocolata care sunt ascunse in case si gradini pentru ca sa fie gaiste de copii.
Poison d’Avril
This is the name used for the French Easter Fish and also comes in a chocolate version. An age-old tradition however, that dates back several centuries, involving the Poison d’Avril, takes place on April 1st. The great joke is for children to make fish of paper and pin as many as possible to the backs of adults, then run gleefully away yelling “Poison d’Avril!!”, which is a little like saying “April Fools!” / Acesta este numele folosit pentru Pestele francez de Paste si vine de asemenea sin intr-o versiune in ciocolata. O traditie veche, care dateaza de acum cateva secole, implica Poison d’Avil care are loc pe 1 aprilie. Marea gluma este ca copiii fac pesti din hartie si agata cat de mutli de poate de spatele adultilor apoi fug tipand „Poison d’Avil”
Bastille Day/ Ziua Bastiliei
Celebrated on July 14, this is one of France’s most colorful traditions. The day commemorates the day The Bastille, a prison in Paris that was regarded as the symbol of the much-hated French monarchy of the times, was stormed and pillaged by angry mobs of French citizens in 1789. Called La Fête Nationale, many fireworks are set of as the day goes by, well into the night. Parades are also to be seen with dancing in the streets. / Sarbatorita pe 14 iulie, este una din cele mai colorate traditii. Ziua comemoreaza ziua Bastiliei, o inchisoare din Franta care a fost privita ca fiind simbolul mult uratei monarhii frantuzesti din acea perioada, care a fost atacata de multimea furioasa de cetateni francezi in 1789. Numita Sarbatoare Nationala, multe focuri de artificii au loc pana in noapte. Parade se pot vedea de asemenea, dasnad pe strazi.
5-Week Holidays/ vacanta de saptamani
Another interesting tradition of the French is the fact that almost all employees are entitled to 5 weeks of holiday a year. August has been the traditional holiday month in France, with almost all locals clearing out of their cities to venture to other parts of the world or simply to go camping in their own countryside. For those taking their holidays during the winter months, skiing in the French Alps is the way to go./ Un alt lucru interesant despre traditii franceza este acela ca aproape fiecare angajat are dreptul la o vacanta de 5 saptamani pe an. August este luna traditionala pentru vacanta in Franta, cu aproape toti localnicii plecand din orase catre alte parti al lumii sau ducandu-se in camping la tara. Pentru cei ce isi iau vacanta iarna, schiatul in Alpii francezi este alegerea potrivita.
