France (the French Republic, République française in French) is a country situated in the Western part of Europe. France borders Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. It also has water boundary with the United Kingdom through La Manche (English Channel). Metropolitan France covers the area of 543,965 square km and has a population of about 61,875,822 people. The official language is French.

The capital and the largest city is Paris situated in the Northern part of the country on the river Seine. The city’s population counts about 2,168,000 (about 9,645,000 including urban area).
Paris is one of the most ancient cities in the whole world. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Millions of visitors every year arrive there to admire its architectural and cultural treasures.

Metropolitan France has the largest territory among the European Union members. Its landscapes is very diverse, they vary from coastal plains in the Northern and western parts of the country to mountain ranges of the Alps situated in the Southeast, the Massif Central located more of less in the center and the Pyrenees in the Southwestern region. The highest mountain in Western Europe is Mont Blanc, situated in the Alps on the border between France and Italy.

Due to such natural diversity of the country’s landscapes, France is one of the most popular skiing destinations in Europe. Some of its ski areas, such as Courchevel, Meribel and Val Thorens, are even considered to be the best (or at least most fashionable) in the world. French ski resorts provide a wide range of skiing possibilities and cater all holiday needs including family tours and late season ski holidays.

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