France is known as a diverse country in its people, architectures and landscapes. 56% of the French population claim to have foreign background and hence France is one of the most diverse countries in Europe to include immigrants from five continents, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and America. France is home of the highest point in Europe (Mont-Blanc 4,810 m; 15,780 ft) and one of the lowest points in Europe, Delta du Rhone, (-5 m; -15 ft). Despite its size, France's landscapes are extremely varied from one region to another, ranging from its busling capital, Paris and its suburbs to high alpine territory, to oceanfront resort towns.
The French cuisine is characterised by its extreme diversity, and style. A fundamental part of the French cuisine is a wide variety of French wine and French cheese as both ingredients are accompaniments. Local cuisines,include Loire Valley cuisine, Basque cuisine and the cuisine of Roussillon, which is similar to Catalan cuisine. One travelling across France will notice significant differences in the ways of cooking and the dished served.
France’s most popular sports include basketball, football (soccer), handball and rugby union. France has hosted the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and will be hosting the upcoming 2007 Rugby World Cup in the Stade de France in Paris which is the largest stadium in France. France also hosts the famous and prestigious road bicycle race annually - Tour de France. France is also famous for its 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car endurance race held in the Sarthe department.
Popular tourist sites include the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Palace of Versailles, Orsay Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Centre Pompidou, Mont-Saint-Michel, Château de Chambord,Sainte-Chapelle, Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg, Musée Picasso, Carcassonne. Other very popular and well-known tourist sites include: Palace of the Popes, Avignon, Disneyland Resort Paris, the châteaux of the Loire Valley, the ski resorts of the French Alps or Pyrenees, Tahiti and the lagoons of French Polynesia.
The West and South of France along with Corsica has hot summers and Mediterranean winters. The North of France has similar climate to the UK during the winter, whilst the summer months are warmer. The East of France has cold winters with snowfall and warm summers.
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