Sciences and inventions:
- Famous and fascinating French inventions include the amazing adding machine, the hot air balloon, the airship, the parachute, the submarine, the ambulance service, photography, animation and cinema.
- The world's first international scientific conference was held in Paris on 2 February 1799.
- France has won the most Nobel Prizes for Literature of any country (13 so far) and the second highest number of Field Medals (mathematics) after the USA.
- French inventor Denis Papin was the first to develop the impressive paddlewheel boat (in 1704) and to conceive a functional and unusual steam-powered boat, although he never built it. The world's first steamship to sail successfuly was the Palmipède created in 1774 by Marquis Claude de Jouffroy and launched in June 1776.
- The 400 crocodiles at the Crocodile Farm in Pierrelatte, near Montélimar, can enjoy exotic tropical conditions in their pools thanks to hot water provided by the nearby Tricastin Nuclear Power Center.
Food and drinks :
- The famous and delicious Petit Suisse ("little swiss cheese") of Gervais are not from Switzerland, but from Normandy, in France.
- Crêpes, one of the most popular food in Europe, originate from Brittany, in western France.
- Wine has been made in France since Roman times.
- There are 450 different wine appellations in France. There are tens of thousands of small wine-producing domains, but only 15% of all French wines enjoy the marketing benefits of AOC designations.
- Bordeaux alone has over 9,000 different châteaux.
- 72% of the adult French population finds it difficult to understand French wine labels.
- In 2004, France produced 56.6 millions hectoliters of wine.
- Wines from the North of France (e.g. Alsace) are usually made from a single variety of grape (e.g. Pinot Noir), whereas wines further south are typically blends of varietals (e.g. Carbernet Sauvignon + Merlot), which is why they do not mention them on the label like in Australia, California, Chile or South Africa.
- France produces some of the world's most famous liqueurs, such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec, Mandarine Napoleon, Cognac, Armagnac, Crème de Cassis, Pastis, Chartreuse, etc.
- The international market of Rungis, in a southern suburb of Paris, covers 232-hectares (573 acres). With 1.7 million tonnes brought annually, it has the largest turnover of any wholesale markets in the world.
Economy and industry :
- France is the world's leader in luxury goods, including haute couture, fashion accessories, perfumes and cosmetics.
- France is the world's first producer of wine and liquors. How impressive!
- France is the first producer of nuclear electricity in Europe and second producer in the world after the United States. France produces as much nuclear electricity as Germany, the UK, Spain and Russia combined !
- France has the third highest GDP (PPP) per capita per hour in the world, after Norway and Luxembourg, with an average of US$ 38.16 per hour.
- The Millau Viaduct, completed in 2005 in the south of France, is the tallest bridge in the world.
- The largest and most advanced passenger cruise ship, the Queen Mary 2, was built in France in 2004.
- The France-based Arianespace is the world leader in commercial space launch, with over 50% of the global market for launching satellites.
- The European Space Agency (ESA) is based in Paris, while the headquarters of the pan-European aerospace concern Airbus are in Toulouse.
- The French TGV is the fastest train in the world, with an average speed of 263.3 km/h from station to station. It reached a record 574.8km/h on a test run in April 2007 (still unbeaten). It also detains the world record of endurance, running from Calais to Marseille (1067.2 km) in 3h29min, in 2001.
- Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris is Europe's busiest airports by cargo traffic (6th in the world).
- The Société Bic was the world's first mass manufacturer of ball-point pens. It sold its 100,000 millionth ball pen in 2005.
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