FREN 152

Union for a Popular Movement: France's center-right political party. Founded in 2002 by President Jacques Chirac. Current president Sarkozy is of this affiliation.

Social democratic party that is center-left. Replaced SFIO. Currently led by Martine Aubry. Mitterand was the first PS elected to office.

France's railway network. Formed in 1938.

French overseas departments and territoreis. Consists of the French territories outside of the European continent.

French administrative regions. 101 departments compose three levels of government. Paris is a major department. Administered by General Councils.

high speed railway. Developed in the 70s. People use it daily for commutes, very convenient.

French Football Federation. Governs French football. Formed in 1919, and its capital is in Paris. Founding member of FIFA. Their symbol is the rooster, France's national symbol.

National anthem of France. Written and composed by Lisle in 1792. Name comes from the first singers of Marseille.

Minimum wage in France. Recently raised to 9 francs an hour

suburbs

French virologist who discovered AIDS virus

Seine prefect who led the renovation and modernization of Paris during the mid 1800s

Famous French singer and icon who became one of France's most renowned singer. Changed name to piaf or "little sparrow"

one of the greatest post impressionist artists of France in late 1800s

rockets and satellite technology *launch pad in French Guiana

French resistance fighter during WWII. Died at the hands of the Germans.

the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II

large department store in Paris

the President is of a different political party than the majority members of parliament. Only three instances of this in history. The first timet his happened was the Mitterand-Chirac period.

refers to the thirty years from 1945-1975 following the end of the Second World War in France. The name was first used by the French demographer Jean Fourastié . It was a period of rapid economic and population growth

War of 1870. Was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states. The complete Prussian and German victory brought about the final unification of Germany under King Wilhelm I of Prussia. It also marked the downfall of Napoleon III and the end of the Second French Empire, which was replaced by the French Third

"Beautiful era" a period characterised by optimism and new technological and medical discoveries. The Belle Époque was named in retrospect, when it began to be considered a "golden age" when compared to the horrors of World War I.

French for "Sacred Heart"; Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

academic qualification of France required for entry into university. Taken at the end of the lycee (secondary education)

the most presitigious grand ecoles, and post graduate colleges. whose initial missions are to train respectively military engineers, university professors and high ranking state officials

was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France. It ended as a French tactical victory.

In revolutionary France, the cap or bonnet rouge was first seen publicly in May 1790, at a festival in Troyes adorning a statue representing the nation, and at Lyon, on a lance carried by the goddess Libertas. To this day the national emblem of France, Marianne, is shown wearing a Phrygian cap

est 1984. French anti-racist non governmental agency. Developed by a corps of urban 'Beurs" and "Blakes". Has major support formt he PS party under Mitterrand today.

French politician Minister of Ecology. Former world women's karate champion.