Auvergne

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Located at the heart of France’s hexagonal territory, Auvergne is a sparsely populated land of volcanic plateaus and large valleys. Unlike the Alps to the east or the Pyrénées to the southwest, its highest peaks reach only 6,000 feet above sea level and are free of snow in summer. The local authorities? efforts to safeguard the environment have made Auvergne one of the last protected zones in Europe.

Before going to Auvergne, familiarize yourself with its history and its gastronomy.

 


Introduction
February 28, 2003  By France.com 

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Prehistory
February 26, 2003  By France.com 

The first humans found in France, known as Homo Erectus, are believed to have lived around 950,000 B.C.

They evolved slowly, through four glaciations, discovered fire in the process (around 400,000 B.C.) to become Homo Sapiens. One of them, Cro-Magnon man, found in Dordogne (South West of France) in 1868 used to live circa 25,000. His physionomy differed only slightly from ours.
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Poll shows anti-war French 'like US'
February 25, 2003  By France.com 

PARIS, Feb 23 (AFP) – Seventy percent of the French say they like Americans but oppose a potential war in Iraq, while 15 percent are opposed to both Americans and the war, according to a poll to in Sunday’s Le Journal newspaper.

Six percent of those questioned said they “like Americans and are in favour of military strikes on Iraq” and 2 percent “don’t like Americans” but would favour military action in the country.

The poll questionned 965 people between February 20-21.

©AFP

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France Telecom cash call agreed
February 25, 2003  By France.com 

Shareholders in France Telecom have approved plans to raise up to 30bn euros to help the company deal with its crippling debt.

But chief executive Thierry Breton told the shareholders he would need only 15bn euros (£10.3bn; $16.2bn) to shore up the balance sheet.

At a meeting in Paris he said the company’s debt stood at nearly 70bn euros at the end of last year.

And he promised that profits would rise above 20bn euros by 2005 as the company tackled the debt mountain.

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Death of Top Chef Shocks France
February 25, 2003  By France.com 

PARIS (AP)–Like many a great artist, Bernard Loiseau was a fragile and sometimes tortured soul, a perfectionist tending to one of France’s greatest passions: food.

Loiseau’s apparent suicide Monday shocked France, plunged the gastronomic world into mourning and raised a storm of condemnation from fellow culinary masters, who blamed all-powerful food critics for pushing the celebrated chef toward despair.

The death also served as a solemn reminder of France’s complex relationship with food.

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France Likely to Exceed Budget Deficit Limits
February 25, 2003  By France.com 

France said for the first time its 2002 public deficit likely topped the three percent limit set by the European Union.

French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin also said Tuesday the deficit may remain above three percent this year.

He said the government’s goal of 2.5 percent growth in 2003 appears unattainable. France posted 1.2 percent growth in 2002.

Mr. Raffarin said he would not call for harsh measures to plug the growing budget deficit such as tax increases or budget cuts.

The prime minister made his remarks before the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

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Antiquity
February 25, 2003  By France.com 

The Greeks first tried to settle in Celtic Gaul and managed to establish a small colony in Marseille in 600 BC. Then it was the turn of the Romans, lead by Julius Caesar, who entirely invaded Gaul during the Gallic Wars (58-51 BC). The Romans brought unity and peace for two centuries of Pax Romana during which agriculture, cattle-breeding and urban development were greatly improved.

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Middle Ages
February 24, 2003  By France.com 

Charles Martel, the first leader of the Carolingian dynasty, initiated the expansion of the Franks’ kingdom and stopped the Muslim advance from Spain in 732. Charlemagne (742-814) continued this expansion and conquered most of Germany and Italy to reunite most of the former Roman Empire. Shortly after his death, however, his kingdom was divided under the pressure of invaders such as the Normans (Vikings) and the Magyars (Hungarians).

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Romanesque Era
February 24, 2003  By France.com 

Romanesque – 10th to 11th century

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Christianity brought a sort of unity and calm to France. As witnessed by the multitude of churches, religion was omnipresent during these turbulent times of Barbarian invasions. The churches of this era, inspired by Roman architecture (thus the name romanesque), are charaterized by round arches, barrel-vaulting and large walls, a simple but heavy style.

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Renaissance
February 23, 2003  By France.com 

In the early 16th century, after a series of Italian wars, Francois I strengthened the French Crown and welcomed to France many Italian artists and designers such as Leonardo da Vinci. Their influence assured the success of the Renaissance style characterized by enlarged doors and windows, the great sophistications of the interiors.

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