Travel Destinations France

Popular sports in France include football (soccer), rugby union, basketball, and cycling. France hosted the 1998 FIFA World Cup, which the national football team won. The country will also host the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The national stadium, Stade de France is where the final will be played. The stadium is also used for the national rugby union team's home matches, including the Six Nations Championship.

Facts, Icons and Landmarks

France is known around the world as a diverse country in its people, architectures and landscapes. About 56% of the French population claim to have foreign background , which makes France one of the most diverse countries in Europe. France is also home of the highest point in Europe (Mont-Blanc 4,810 m; 15,780 ft) and the lowest point of Europe, Delta du Rhone, (-5 m; -15 ft). France is seventeen times smaller than Brazil and half the size of Ontario, which means that one hour by plane or eight hours by car are enough to cross the whole country from one extremity to the other. Despite its size, France's landscapes are extremely varied from one region to another, ranging from Paris and its suburbs to high alpine territory to oceanfront resort towns. Buildings of interest in the capital include the Musee d'Orsay, the Pompidou Centre and, of course the Eiffel Tower.