Key Facts
Location
Western Europe.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Area
545,630 sq km (339,054 sq miles) (not including overseas territories).
Population
60.9 million (2006 estimate).
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are widely used
Money
Currency
Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. (French mortgages are arranged in Euros)
Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.
2008
1 Jan New Year's Day.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 May Ascension.
8 May 1945 Victory Day.
12 May Whit Monday.
14 Jul Bastille Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
11 Nov Remembrance Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
8 May 1945 Victory Day.
1 Jun Whit Monday.
21 May Ascension.
14 Jul Bastille Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
11 Nov Remembrance Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
Climate
A temperate climate in the north; northeastern areas have a more continental climate with warm summers and colder winters. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with some snow likely in winter. The Jura Mountains have an alpine climate. Lorraine, sheltered by bordering hills, has a relatively mild climate. Mediterranean climate in the south; mountains are cooler with heavy snow in winter.
The Atlantic influences the climate of the western coastal areas from the Loire to the Basque region where the weather is temperate and relatively mild with rainfall throughout the year. Summers can be very hot and sunny. Inland areas are mild and the French slopes of the Pyrenees are renowned for their sunshine record. A Mediterranean climate exists on the Riviera, in Marseille and in Provence and Roussillon. Weather in the Rhone-Alpes is variable. Continental weather is present in Alsace, Auvergne, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley. Very strong winds (such as the Mistral) can occur throughout the entire region
