France 2022

France

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FOCUS ON

MOST VISITED MUSEUM

THE LUMIÈRE BROTHERS

GREATEST CYCLE RACE

KING FOR 20 MINUTES

30,000 TONS OF SNAILS

With a whopping 9.6 million visitors in 2019, the famous Louvre is the most visited museum in the world. Located in the heart of Paris, the magnificent museum is home to around 38,000 works of art and artifacts dating back to prehistoric times. .

The Lumière brothers, Auguste Marie Louis Nicolas and Louis Jean held the world’s first public movie screening on December 28, 1895, at the Grand Café in Paris. The five second long film simply showed workers leaving the Lumière factory.

On 1 July 1903, 60 cyclists embarked on the first-ever Tour de France from the Parisian suburb of Montgeron. More than 100 years later, the event has grown to become the world’s greatest cycle race, with around 198 cyclists racing some 3,200 kms.

The French king only enjoyed 20 minutes of royal fame after his father Charles X abdicated, leaving him to ascend the French throne in July 1830. After this brief period, Louis-Antoine also abdicated in favor of his nephew, the Duke of Bordeaux.

The French eat about 30,000 metric tons of escargot yearly. However, around two-thirds of all the snails eaten in France come from eastern Europe and the Balkans. So if you’ve eaten snails in France, chances are they have traveled a long way to get to your plate.

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The EU Integration of Serbia Will Remain the “Golden Thread” of My Action The last country report of the EU noted progress in various fields, mainly economic reforms, migration management, and cooperation in the field of security

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elations between the two countries, challenges that await us in the coming year, but also impressions of Belgrade are topics that H.E. Pierre Cochard, Ambassador of France to Serbia talks about in his interview for Diplomacy and Commerce magazine.

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Your Excellency, you are at the beginning of your mandate in Serbia.

What priorities have you included in your agenda and what challenges do you expect to encounter?

— My priority is to develop the already very dynamic bilateral relationship between our two countries and support Serbia’s EU accession process: France has expertise and can export norms as well as technology to implement the reforms undertaken by the Serbian authorities.

After a period during which we were not as active as we could have, France is back in Serbia and the Western Balkans. This culminated with President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Belgrade in July 2019, who called upon a new commitment of France in Serbia.

My guideline is the French Strategy for Western Balkans, released in 2019.

I will do my best to facilitate political meetings, which always impulse on-

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going and new cooperations. Minister Nikola Selakovic, visited France on 16-17 December and other ministerial visits should follow in 2022. I also intend to pursue our efforts in the field of economy, security and defence, culture and science. Last but not least, I will continue promoting French language in Serbia and support Serbia’s will to become a full member of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

The EU integration of Serbia will remain the “golden thread” of my action. Since 1 January, France holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, under the slogan “recovery, power, belonging”. Serbia and the Western Balkans are a priority, which President Emmanuel Macron mentioned explicitly. A regional conference will be organised next June.

What is the current situation in your country and what measures are in place when it comes to the Covid-induced crisis?

— France is experiencing a fifth wave of Covid, after curbing down the contaminations during fall. While the vaccination rate is high – 90% of eligible citizens are fully vaccinated – the government is now focusing on a boost-

H.E. PIERRE COCHARD Ambassador of France to Serbia

The French Development Agency (AFD) allocated three loans to Serbia this year and offers grantbased supports, totalling about 230M€

er shot campaign. The generalization the Covid pass helped us control the speed of contaminations so, as 15th of January, its validity will be conditioned to a third dose.

In order to avoid the Omicron variant to spread, conditions to enter France have been tightened. It remains possible to enter our territory with a PCR or antigenic test but – clearly – holding a valid vaccination certificate still makes a big difference to enter France without justification, avoid quarantine and circulate freely in the country.

What do you think will be the biggest challenges for Europe and France in the coming year in terms of the health and economic crisis?

— The Covid-19 pandemic is not over.

We have to learn to live with it and hope for it to become milder, thanks to immunization or a variation of the virus. So mass vaccination remains a priority, as well a robust healthcare system. We should fight Covid-related ailments, but at the same time we have to continue investing in other public health issues. Because of Covid, prevention and detection of other diseases are going “under the radar”.

In the midst of the pandemic, the

EU supported businesses and jobs in an unprecedented way, to keep away from a deep crisis. This will come with a cost if we don’t build favourable conditions to relaunch our economy. During the French presidency, we will pursue our efforts towards strategic independence: we want industries to flourish again on our territory, recovery plans to focus on competitiveness and innovation, climate change and social cohesion. This requires a strong political will, financial efforts, well targeted public incentives and new coordination mechanisms.

When you presented your credentials to the Serbian President, you confirmed the readiness of the French Development Agency to significantly increase its engagement in Serbia.

What does this mean for our overall relations?

— This means that we want to support the development of clean infrastructures in Serbia, in line with EU-standards. This is not only part of its EU-accession process but also of its development policy and international engagements in the field of Climate. The French Development Agency (AFD) allocated three loans to Serbia this year and offers grant-based supports, totalling about 230M€. It operates in partnership with other international funders, with whom investments are in the pipe for 2022 and 2023. For our overall relations, this also means that Serbia is a priority in French foreign policy.

Your country supports economic, social and democratic reforms in Serbia. What priorities should the Serbian government have?

— The last country report of the EU noted progress in various fields, mainly economic reforms, migration management, and cooperation in the field of security. We also noted significant legislative progress in the field of rule of law, including the long-awaited ongoing constitutional reform on Justice, which was drafted in an inclusive and transparent manner.

An important frame-law in climate change was also adopted, which paves the way for more robust policies on the matter. For all of these reasons, I’m very happy that EU member states decided to open cluster 4 in December, on green agenda and sustainable connectivity.

This being said, there is still progress to achieve, notably regarding rule of law, freedom of media and high corruption: while I commend the legislative efforts in the field, ultimately they have to be translated into facts. Gen-

eral elections are coming up in Serbia and should serve as a good benchmark to assess the progress.

The Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is still pending and I know how sensitive the Kosovo issue is for Serbia. I am convinced of the necessity of a European mediation: in September, a temporary solution was found to the dispute over car plates, which is positive.

This being said, France call for the resumption of the discussions, in a spirit of compromise, and for the implementation of what has been agreed.

This implies a strong political will on both sides and the guarantee that no unilateral action will be carried out.

of its Creative District.

2021 also set milestones in the field of defence cooperation, which fostered our partnership agreement signed in 2011. General Lecointre, Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, visited Belgrade in June and French troops took part in Platinium Wolf, an international military exercise conducted

by Serbia. Our troops are mostly interoperable, as Serbia actively takes part in several EU and international peace keeping operations.

As for improvement perspectives, I wish that more French companies will invest and create new employments in Serbia. This would generate more people-to-people ties, give more attractiveness to French language, foster more academic and youth exchanges etc.

What are your impressions of the overall cooperation between France and Serbia? In what areas can these relations deepen and improve?

— The cooperation between France and Serbia is thriving despite the covid-19 crisis. As mentioned, the field of cooperation is very diverse so I’ll just mention a few.

First off, French companies are involved in major projects in Serbia. Egis is in charge of feasibility studies for the Belgrade’s underground and Alstom will provide the rolling stocks.

Vinci operates Nikola Tesla international airport where a new terminal will be inaugurated shortly. The waste reprocessing plant of Vinca, managed

by Veolia-Itochu, should also be mentioned as it started operating in August. Technologic excellence and respect of the highest environmental standards are the common ground of those projects.

I’m also proud of our partnership with Novi Sad, European capital of Culture in 2022. Its very diverse cultural program will include several renowned French troops and the French Institute of Novi Sad will move into a new and modern location in the heart

What should Serbia focus more on and improve to attract more French investors?

— I’ll start by saying that Serbia is very attractive for French investors, who express their satisfaction on the business environment and their operations here: infrastructures are growing, workers are very qualified, speak languages, there is an EU-perspective.

However, Serbia is still quite unknown as a business location in France, which probably explains why we still have an unfulfilled development potential. We support all initiatives aiming at promoting Serbia in France, but more can be done, including in the field of tourism, academic cooperation and innovation. Let me also add, more generally, that stability of the entire Western Balkans regions very important to attract foreign investors.

As for improvement perspectives, I wish that more French companies will invest and create new employments in Serbia

What are your first impressions of Serbia and Belgrade?

— My first few months here allowed me to discover a very exciting country, in the heart of Europe but also of a region crossed by new tensions. I met with a variety of people who are fully engaged in their communities, who want to modernize the country, bring about social change.

I was also very humbled to see how France is present in Serbia and among Serbian people, how strong are the roots of our longstanding friendship and solidarity.

I am already fond of Belgrade: its kafanas, its rivers banks and street animations. I’m lucky that our Embassy is a stone’s throw away of Kalemegdan, where it is always a pleasure to stroll.

In this positive context, I see a huge untapped bilateral potential, thanks to a mutual will at all levels and what I would simply call “good vibes”..

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We Promote the Potential of the Serbian Market

France is one of the world's largest economies and there is almost no sector in Serbia in which French companies would not be interested

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s everywhere, French companies in Serbia had to change the dynamics of their business and adapt to the new operating conditions as a result of the pandemic. Although the crisis did not have a dramatic impact on business, and there were no mass layoffs in any of the companies, this was definitely one of the biggest challenges.

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What were the biggest challenges that French companies in Serbia had to face and what results did they achieve in 2021?

— Environmental protection and sustainable development are some of the challenges that need special attention, and sadly Serbia is lagging behind the European Union in this. The Chamber's member companies have a real sustainable development strategy in Serbia, and we strive to improve the socially responsible character of busi-

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ness on a daily basis while influencing the environmental awareness of the business community. To that end, the Innovating Environment conference was recently held as part of the French Week, organized by the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the French Embassy in Serbia. This business conference will serve as an introduction to the activities that CCIFS plans to implement in 2022, concerning environmental protection.

Large-scale projects, such as Vinci's concession of the Belgrade airport, are being implemented smoothly. The subway project is going well too, digitalization is being successfully implemented by all of our members, companies did not resort to mass layoffs...

All in all, we can say that 2021 was positive for our members.

From the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce's stance, what should be the Serbian government's prior-

DRAGAN STOKIĆ President of the FrenchSerbian Chamber of Commerce (CCIFS)

We are continuing to support French companies throughout the Western Balkans and expand our network of members

ities in terms of improving the business climate in the country in 2022?

— Solving the problems caused by the pandemic requires time and hard work of business owners, managers and all employees, as well as the indispensable help of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. In addition to corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises make up a large percentage of our members. They are the backbone of the Serbian economy and we need to fight for these companies to be supported and to help them overcome the difficult period they are going through. Small and medium-sized enterprises need support, primarily the state's help, in finding clients, getting subsidies for market research or employing market research staff in companies that are not yet export-oriented. To that end, we act as a chamber to facilitate the business of our member companies through numerous initiatives that we have undertaken and

which we will continue in 2022.

Furthermore, we believe that it is necessary to help young people to develop their talents, but also to direct the economy towards solving the problem of youth unemployment. For that reason, we have dedicated a large number of activities at the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce to students and graduates. We also believe that the relevant segments at the Serbian Government can be more actively involved in this joint struggle to keep young people in Serbia and provide an adequate and quality business environment for them.

IT and digitalization are development priorities of the Serbian economy in the coming years. In what direction do you think these sectors are moving?

— The process of digitalization is a development priority for the Serbian economy, and at the same time, it is a great challenge. Nevertheless, the Serbian economy manages to single out positive aspects of this process.

The application of digital technologies is imperative for the sustainability of successful business entities today and in the future, and with initiatives to which the Serbian government contributes, we will continue to boost the Chamber's activities and the activities of member companies in that direction.

Is Serbia ready in terms of the sufficient number of educated staff, knowledge and expertise when it

How would you rate the economic cooperation between France and Serbia and in which areas could it be improved?

— I would rate the current climate in the economic relations between France and Serbia as very good, but promoting the Serbian market's potential with French companies is an indispensable segment of improving relations which is the CCIFS' main goal.

French business people are most interested in Serbian infrastructure, the transport sector, the energy sector, digital technologies, as well as public-private partnerships. I believe that cooperation in these areas will flourish in the future because it has already intensified. The French are also interested in environmental protection, and I believe that this is an important segment in which cooperation between the two countries should be enhanced.

In this sense, in 2022 we will organize a large regional forum on public-private partnerships, which will focus on the aforementioned sectors.

comes to the development of innovations, IT products, etc.?

— The information and communication technology sector is one of the pillars of the Serbian economy. Significant stakeholders in the IT market are consolidating and making a strong appearance. The IT sector has long brought together thousands of companies that generate record revenues. Foreign, and by that, I also mean French IT companies, have a strong interest in the Serbian market and cooperation with the domestic community. A good indicator of this is the increase in exports

of digital programmes and applications, as well as the fact that exports in this sector have become higher than exports of agricultural products, which have traditionally been in the first place.

The IT sector in Serbia is becoming increasingly important, and the data show that the value of these services is constantly growing, as well as the number of educated staff, and thus employees. Despite the pandemic, the sector has remained stable. Such sustainability is just one of the reasons why people choose to work and improve in this area.

Therefore, I believe that Serbia has great potential when it comes to the IT sector and it is primarily embodied in talented and promising people and their innovative knowledge and skills.

With such a workforce, the success of the IT sector is guaranteed, as the relevant data show.

Solving the problems caused by the pandemic requires time and hard work of business owners, managers and all employees, as well as indispensable government help

Which direction will the Serbian economy take in the coming period, given the good results of recent years?

— I believe we can expect economic growth despite the challenges if we continue to preserve business, value initiatives and reward entrepreneurship. Our economy follows the growth of the EU economy which is our largest commercial partner, and as the EU economy has projected imminent growth, we can be optimistic. The announced opening of new chapters in negotiations with the EU, and especially the upcoming French presidency of the European Union, plus the focus on the European perspective and economic integration of the Western Balkans presented by President Macron on December 9th as priorities of the French presidency, are all important positive signals.

What will be the Chamber's key activities in 2022?

— As for the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the priorities will be actively working on the affirmation of Serbia as the economic hub of the Western Balkan region, as well as strengthening the role that the CCIFS has in Serbia. We are continuing to support French companies throughout the Western Balkans and expand our network of members. We welcome all companies, regardless of their geographical origin, because we all share a desire to cooperate. Our Chamber has a personal stamp and we nurture our unique spirit which is a combination of business and hedonism.

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In Serbia 281 Companies Have Majority French Capital

Positive experiences of foreign companies that have invested in Serbia so far are certainly a good example for future investors C O O P E R AT I O N

any French companies have invested in Serbia, and trade relations between Serbia and Russia could encourage new investments. Raspberries are one of the products that Serbia exports the most to France.

According to the data collated by the State Statistics Bureau, in the first nine months of 2021, the total value of the trade between Serbia and France amounted to EUR 972.2 million, which is a 22% hike relative to the same period in 2020. Total exports of goods amounted to EUR 432.1 million, which is a 28% increase compared to the same period last year. Serbia imported from France goods worth EUR 540.1 million, which is also an increase of 18%. The export to import ratio stood at 78.9%.

The total trade between Serbia and France in 2020 amounted to EUR 1.1 billion, which is a 5% decline compared to 2019. Total exports of goods in 2020 amounted to EUR 468.5 million; a 0.2% decline in relation to 2019.

Serbia imported EUR 638.8 million worth of goods from France the same year, while the export to import ratio stood at 80%.

In the first nine months of 2021, Serbia mostly exported the following to France - frozen raspberries without added sugar, new pneumatic tires for passenger cars, Propene, bags and sacks, motors, generators, detergents and other goods.

In the same period, Serbia mostly imported the following from France unclassified goods, medicines for retail purposes, liquid pump parts, diesel cars, medicines containing insulin, rubber and beauty and skincare products.

Based on the data of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Serbia -

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Potential French investments could be boosted by Serbia's position in trade relations with the Russian Federation

Customs Administration, 4,699 companies from Serbia did business with French companies in 2020, of which 723 were exporters from Serbia to France, 3,527 importers from France, while 449 companies were engaged in both export and import.

There are 281 companies with majority French capital in the Republic of Serbia, as of October 2, 2021, active in the following sectors: • Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles - 67 companies • Manufacturing industry - 55 companies • Professional, scientific, innovation and technical activities - 41 companies • Administrative and support service activities - 32 companies • Information and communication 25 companies • Construction - 19 companies • Transport and storage - 11 companies • Financial activities and insurance 7 companies • Accommodation and food services 6 companies • Agriculture, forestry and fishing - 6 companies According to the data from the National Bank of Serbia (using the new BPM6 calculation methodology), in the period from 2010 to September 2021, EUR 1.2 billion of investments from France entered Serbia. By September 2021, an outflow of French investments from Serbia in the amount of EUR 75.3 million was recorded.

Potential French investments could be boosted by Serbia's position in trade relations with the Russian Federation, which relates to a unified Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Community consisting of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, which ensures price compet-

itiveness for foreign investors, compared to other exporters and which French companies could make more significant use of.

The Serbian Government’s policy is primarily aimed at attracting new investments in the economy, including French investments. Positive experiences of foreign companies that have invested in Serbia so far are certainly a good example for future investors.

The wide range of opportunities created by numerous free trade agreements, as well as new legal incentives stipulated in the Decree on the Conditions and Manner of Attracting Investments are a good motivating factor for investment activity. Competitive sectors that have the biggest potential for attracting investments and at the same time, for improving the export performance of the domestic economy are those in the processing industry.

France has a highly sophisticated, demanding market with a population of almost 67 million which territory covers one-fifth of Europe's surface. Also, for Serbian business people, it is a kind of window and channel leading to the countries of North Africa. The former French colonies the Maghreb countries (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco) - are still traditionally oriented towards the French market in terms of language, proximity and trade ties. The French market is completely open, but with extremely high market demands due to the widest possible offer and stiff competition. In order to enter such a market and stay there for a considerable amount of time, companies not only have to have top quality products or services but also good knowledge of the business environment and business culture there.

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ECONOM Y

Macron, and on?

A turbulent political year is in store as France holds presidential and parliamentary elections f Emmanuel Macron wins a second term in the tworound vote on April 10th and 24th 2022, he will become the first French president to be re-elected for 20 years. But he has his work cut out to achieve it. France weathered the pandemic in 2021 fairly well: schools were hardly shut, businesses and salaries well protected and vaccines widely distributed. In the coming year the economic rebound will continue to boost job creation. The country is less taxed, more tech-savvy and more business-friendly than five years ago. In theory, that bodes well for Mr Macron. But he needs to show that he is not just competent, but can listen, too.

The race will be tight, nasty and divisive. The French dislike nothing more than a pre-written script. Polls will fluctuate, as voters play with rival candidates’ nerves. They do not want a repeat of 2017, pitting Mr Macron against Marine Le Pen. The lead-

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The odds are still, just, on a Macron victory.

But he would find a centre right opponent particularly tough

er of the National Rally (formerly National Front) will make her pitch to the anti-Macron gilets jaunes (yellow vests). The hard-right leader will borrow Brexit slogans, such as “take back control”, though she will no longer call for a Frexit referendum, nor withdrawal from the euro. But, on her third attempt at the presidency, she will lack novelty value.

Parties will matter less than people and polls. Don’t rule out an upset from a disruptive populist, as seen in America and Brazil. France’s version is Eric Zemmour, a 63-year-old anti-immigrant and anti-Islam polemicist, who will portray Ms Le Pen as too soft and drag the debate onto even more toxic ground. He could split the right-wing vote and keep her from the run-off.

The centre-right Republicans will supply the strongest mainstream alternative to Mr Macron, if rivals rally around one nominee. They are due to make their pick on December 4th 2021.

Watch three candidates closely. Xavier Bertrand, head of the northern Hautsde-France region, will cast himself as the moderate anti-Parisian antidote to Mr Macron, but is distrusted within the party. Valérie Pécresse, head of the Ile-de-France region around Paris, is more of a policy-driven team player, but is mocked for appearing posh.

Michel Barnier, the eu’s former Brexit negotiator, is better known in Britain than France, but liked by party members. If Mr Bertrand loses, don’t rule out a rebellious solo run for the presidency. Each will promise to “respect” the French more— a dig at Mr Macron’s

reputation for arrogance.

The left’s prospects, by contrast, look slim, unless rivals can unite behind a single candidate. The Socialists’ Anne Hidalgo (mayor of Paris) and the Greens’ Yannick Jadot appeal to bicycle-riding city voters, but lack broader appeal. Candidates on the hard left, including Jean-Luc Mélenchon, will split the vote further still.

In January, France will take over the six-month presidency of the EU Council. This will put Europe at the centre of Mr Macron’s campaign. Expect him to push “European sovereignty”, as a response to a rising China and a disengaging America. Bruised by Anglophones in the Indo-Pacific, Mr Macron will be keener than ever to reinforce his country’s strategic links—and act as a dominant voice within Europe in the post-Merkel era.

The odds are still, just, on a Macron victory. But he would find a centre right opponent particularly tough.

Even if he wins, he may struggle for a majority at parliamentary elections in June. He will need help from Edouard Philippe, his ex-prime minister, who will use his new party, Horizons, to win seats and clout. A new government will try to curb public spending after the runaway budgets of the pandemic, and to raise the retirement age.

This will prompt angry protests and strikes. Even if re-elected, Mr Macron will struggle to repair divisions after a febrile and turbulent year.

Source: SOPHIE PEDDER Paris bureau chief, The Economist, Paris

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Walk the Talk Towards Corporate Environmental and Social Responsibility in Serbia The goal is to enable savings and efficiency and to make energy available to a much larger number of people in a much shorter time C O R P O R AT E

KSENIJA KARIĆ Schneider Electric

s much as 72% of Schneider Electric's revenue is green, including all technologies that can be developed to facilitate energy efficiency and reduce emissions“, says Ksenija Karić, General Manager of Schneider Electric for Serbia and Montenegro, adding that thanks to solutions that connect renewable energy and digitalization, we can optimize business and take control of the future.

Ms Karić reminds us that the global goal is to limit warming to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels and to reach zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. She adds: "To reach that goal, this decade alone, i.e. by 2030, the level of emitted carbon dioxide should be reduced by between 30% and 50%. Of course, the emissions of other greenhouse gases must also be significantly reduced."

To get to that level, the economy needs to experience fast modernization, while relying on innovations and changes of behaviour. "The goal is to enable savings and efficiency and to make energy available to a much larger number of people in a much shorter time. Technology is not a challenge

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for us since it is already present. The challenge is to change people's habits," Ms Karić adds.

The General Manager of Schneider Serbia also underlines that would be possible only if we shifted the focus from “infrastructure” to “consumer.”

She also points out the need to modernize buildings, transport, industrial facilities and machinery, but also highlights the need to expand and strengthen existing electricity infrastructure, especially networks. Companies need to embrace universal automation, sustainable efficiency and digitalization to foster global economic recovery, and improve manufacturing and processing industries.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC THE MOST SUSTAINABLE COMPANY IN THE WORLD In early 2021, the company was declared the most sustainable in the world by Corporate Knights. The company plans to become carbon-neutral by 2025 and to halve the greenhouse gas emissions of its 100 largest suppliers in the same period, with the help of the solutions it has been developing.

"We are just trying to be a role model

in the way we execute our operations, so we are part of the solution for many of our clients," says Ms Karić and adds: "With the EcoStruxure platform, clients can improve their business, create opportunities for business innovation and achieve savings, which can go up to 80 percent."

The platform is based on Internet of Things (IoT) technology and serves as a basis for managing, running, automating and optimizing systems locally or in the cloud. It combines all three levels - data collection, control and analytics - and helps companies to transform in terms of higher speed, waste reduction and energy efficiency.

20 YEARS OF BUSINESS IN SERBIA

Socially responsible business and investing in community development are segments that we have approached with great care since the very beginning of the company's business in Serbia

Next year, one of the largest French companies marks 20 years of business in Serbia. "During that time, Schneider Electric has developed a network of partners that today consists of over 100 domestic companies. We are especially proud of our licensed partners who produce equipment following Schneider Electric technologies," says Ksenija Karić, and adds the company will remain committed to sustainability, but also to socially responsible business. She reminds us that Schneider was recently declared the best socially responsible company of the year by the Serbian Association of Managers.

"Socially responsible business and investing in community development are segments that we have approached with great care since the very beginning of the company's business in Serbia. This award is a validation that, in synergy with people from our environment, we can create a much better place for life and work. We just need to find the right and most sustainable way to do that," Ms Karić concluded.

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We are Optimistic About 2022 The French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has nurtured optimism about 2021, and we are entering next year in the same spirit

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espite periodic crises and oscillations in the number of people infected with the coronavirus but also the number of vaccinated citizens in Serbia and the world, it seems that the situation is improving. I sincerely believe that next year will bring us progress in every field, starting from health to economy and business.

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The Chamber worked hard and carried a large number of activities in 2021. Which ones would you single out as the most important?

— The most important factor that made 2021 a success was the possibility to hold the events live in the second half of the year. Representatives of CCIFS member companies demonstrated how much they missed faceto-face meetings with their colleagues and business partners by showing up and later sharing their impressions.

In addition to the large number of events that we held this year, I would like to single out our traditional Gala Evening and Beaujolais Evening, which we organized again after a one-year break. These two central events took place just a month apart, and we managed to gather hundreds of members, diplomats, colleagues and friends to attend. Organizing events of such formats requires exceptional dedication and motivation, and the Chamber certainly did not lack that this year.

Judging by the impressions of the guests, I believe that these two events hold a special significance for our members as well. We hope that the Chamber will continue holding live events next year because we know that they mean a lot to our members, but we will also continue with webinars that have proven to be successful too.

SMEs make up a large percentage of your members. What are your projections regarding the development of the SME sector in 2022?

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— Large companies have easier access to the Serbian market because they have the required infrastructure to start a business, while SMEs are much more cautious. Serbia has achieved a certain degree of economic stability that facilitates companies' operations, and French SMEs have noticed the opportunities found on the Serbian market.

The common position of all CCIFS members is that state assistance is extremely important for the SME sector, and we also advocate this position before our institutional partners. Therefore, at the very beginning of the pandemic, we launched an appeal to the Government to provide assistance to SMEs as soon as possible.

The SME sector can potentially play a key role in the growth of the Serbian economy, and the support of large corporations is important. Therefore, we strive to influence and encourage them to improve their cooperation with SMEs, as well as maintain SMEs' liquidity by paying invoices on time.

We hope that in the future, small and medium-sized enterprises will continue to contribute more to the creation of more jobs, encourage innovative activities and affirmation of entrepreneurship.

Was 2021 easier in the sense that you were able to offer members content that is not just in an online format?

— Absolutely! Essentially, it is easier to organize an online event, but face-to-face contact is something that cannot be substituted, no matter how advanced the technology is. As the circumstances changed, we all started gradually to hold live events, which made everyone happy – both the organizers and the guests.

This year, we held online events, and both attendance and interest were strong, which is an indicator that we chose good topics and even better panellists.

SANJA IVANIĆ Director General of the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (CCIFS)

Environmental protection is one of the most important issues that largely concerns the economy, so the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has decided to focus on that in 2022

What is the Chamber's cooperation with other bilateral chambers and business associations like?

— We are proud of the good cooperation with all chambers in Serbia. I would like to underline the cooperation with the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, thanks to which we have been jointly organizing Dialogue 3.0 for years, with our institutional partners.

Events that reflect good cooperation between all chambers are the Speed Business Meeting and the International Networking cocktail party. At the onset of the pandemic, six French chambers based in CEE countries launched an important initiative and we have organized a series of webinars, during which our members discussed current events in countries and networked. We also launched a series of webinars for French companies that produce outside Europe and introduced them to CEE as a more attractive destination for nearshoring and sourcing.

What are your plans for 2022 and what will be your main focus?

— Environmental protection is one of the most important issues that largely concerns the economy, so the French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce has decided to focus on that in 2022.

In order to support the Serbian economy and help it become more resource-efficient and competitive, but also to harmonize the economy with the European Green Deal, CCIFS and its members will work towards supporting the transformation of the Serbian economy. This programme, called The Quest for Net Zero, which will be implemented under the auspices of our Sustainable Development Club, will be in our focus throughout 2022 and will include conferences, webinars and regular meetings which main topic will certainly be ecology and environmental protection.

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Vision and Human Resources as the Foundation for Leadership

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We are completely focused on recognizing the talent, people and brands development, which is a simple recipe for long-term success C O R P O R AT E

esponsible business is Pernod Ricard’s imperative, as a leader in the distribution of imported spirits and wines. In an interview for Diplomacy&Commerce, Vladimir Pavlović, Pernod Ricard's Director for Serbia and Montenegro, talks about the company becoming a leader in its segment and the campaigns it conducts.

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Pernod Ricard Serbia has been operating in our country for 25 years.

What contributed to the company becoming a market leader?

— Pernod Ricard is one of the first multinational companies to open its affiliate in Serbia, during the most difficult times for doing business in this region. Courage and vision are something our employees are known for to this day. Until today, we remain the only manufacturer in this segment that is present on the Serbian market and we are committed to recognizing the talent and development of people and brands as a simple recipe for longterm success.

Along with human resources, which are the key to our leadership, our comprehensive portfolio of global brands is such that the leadership position is implied in all categories of premium spirits, such as Scotch and Irish whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, and rum. Chivas, Ballantine's and Jameson whiskeys, Absolut vodka, Beefeater gin, Olmeca tequila, Havana Club rum, Martell cognac, as well as exceptional brands in the prestige and super-premium segment, are a guarantee of the highest quality we offer to our consumers.

Of course, we should not forget our customers and long-term partners in

VLADIMIR PAVLOVIĆ Business Development Director of Pernod Ricard Serbia

With our latest international digital campaign called "Drink More…Water", we believe that we have made an additional step in the right direction

various sales channels, who have been successfully developing their business for decades in cooperation with our company, and they, in turn, are an integral part of all our results and achievements. Creating new trends, quickly adapting to new circumstances and above all, long-term planning and achieving strategic goals are key factors that will further boost our leadership position in the future.

Pernod Ricard is the world number two in the spirits and wine segment.

What does your company do in practice to combat alcohol abuse?

— Pernod Ricard is perpetually committed to promoting responsible alcohol consumption. With our latest international digital campaign called "Drink More…Water", we believe that we have made an additional step in the right direction. The campaign is adapted to Generation Z and addresses them in their language. Using very authentic scenes and pulsating music, the campaign shows the extent to which alcohol abuse can lead to dangerous situations. The appeal to drink more water is based on a scientific fact that water consumption helps limit risky behaviour associated with excessive alcohol intake.

Which of the company’s activities or projects would you like to single out in terms of responsible business?

— One of the initiatives we are especially proud of is our support for the Battle for Maternity Wards campaign, launched by the B92 Fund, whereby our employees take part in the Belgrade Marathon, which symbolically activates the donation to the Fund. In

the last five years, we have helped the Narodni Front Maternity Hospital, as well as maternity hospitals in Čačak, Arandjelovac, Subotica and Jagodina by donating medical equipment under this initiative. We used this opportunity to raise public awareness that pregnant women should not consume alcohol, which is also communicated by a special symbol on each bottle of Pernod Ricard products. This initiative is also an occasion for our employees to socialize and have fun. Before the outbreak of the pandemic, our colleagues from different countries regularly supported this noble campaign through their participation.

A new Law on the Excise Duty on Alcoholic Beverages has recently entered into force. How does this affect your business?

— The new law prescribes that the amount of excise duty should be calculated in line with the percentage of pure alcohol in the product, which ensures an even playing field for all market participants. Compared to the previous period, this practically means a lower excise tax for most of our products. On the same day when the Law came into force, we harmonized our market prices with the reduced excise duties and thus made our brands more accessible to customers and consumers. We did face some disbelief and confusion on the market after announcing price reductions, probably because companies have a habit of using such moments to increase their profits. I believe that in this way we have shown in practice what social responsibility means and justified our leadership position.

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The Opening of a New AFD Regional Office in Belgrade We are actively working today to extend our activities in other Western Balkans countries in 2022 COM M E N T

he opening of a new Agence Française de Développement (AFD) regional office in Belgrade in September 2019 has demonstrates the importance that France wishes to attribute to the Western Balkans region, by supporting its path towards the accession to the European Union. AFD is a public financial institution in charge of implementing the French government's development and international solidarity policy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda. Thus, our commitments in the Western Balkans are consistent with the low-carbon development trajectories of the countries in the region, while contributing to the socio-economic resilience of populations and territories.

The work carried out by AFD team has made it possible to commit nearly €450 million, first in Albania in 2019, then in Montenegro in 2020 and finally in Serbia in 2021 in the key sectors of transport and mobility, both on the national and local levels, energy efficiency, climate change and most recently, solid waste. We are actively working today to extend our activities in other Western Balkans countries in 2022.

The waste sector has indeed been identified as the major environmental challenge for Serbia's accession to the European Union: we have just signed with the Serbian authorities, on 17 December 2021, our third financial commitment in Serbia worth a total of €150 million in the presence of our Director for Europe, Middle-East and Asia, Mr. Philippe Orliange. This loan is the result of intense tripartite collaboration between the Serbian authorities, the EBRD and AFD and aims to set up a multi-annual national solid waste management program. This program will

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DOMINIQUE HAUTBERGUE Director of the Western Balkans Regional Office of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD)

Serbia is a country with high economic potential, qualified human resources, a great industrial and commercial capital

take into account all stages of waste management, from collection to recycling and recovery, including sorting.

After the opening of our office and a first installation phase, we developed our activities in close collaboration with the Serbian government, but also in consultation with other donors involved in the country, such as the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) or Kf W, our German counterpart. This partnership approach, which is particularly important to us, allows us to raise the ambitions of our partners together.

The opening of AFD's office in Serbia is an additional tool in intensifying the political and economic relationship with France. Our bilateral relationship is old-standing, rich in history and solidarity, but it experienced a less active period in the 2000s, as if it were "sticking to its achievements".

In recent years, political meetings have multiplied, culminating in July 2019 with the visit of President Emmanuel Macron, followed by several recent visits by President Vucic to Paris. The opening of our office, only a few weeks after the presidential trip, materializes the renewal of French engagement in Serbia.

Our mandate in the Western Balkans is particularly oriented towards supporting the transposition of the acquis communautaire, through the financing of sustainable and innovative projects, integrating a strong environmental and social dimension. To do this, we rely on a wide range of instruments, starting with investment loans, such as our National Solid Waste Pro-

gram in Serbia (€75 million), budgetary loans to support public policy reforms, such as our Cities and Climate Program in Serbia (€50 million), credit lines with financial institutions, such as the credit line with the IDF in Montenegro (€50 million), or support to NGOs. In addition to the two grants signed today, we also support regional projects in favor of NGOs, such as an incubator project to develop a network of actors with a strong social vocation, the RISE project (Regional incubator for social entrepreneurs).

Finally, we provide expert solutions by mobilizing large grant packages in support of our projects, such as the €500,000 technical assistance contract backed by the Cities and Climate Program to support the climate transition in Serbia.

AFD Group also has two subsidiaries, the first of which is Proparco, which supports the private sector. It is in this context that AFD supports the modernization of Belgrade airport, energy efficiency for Serbian SMEs and renewable energy development projects in Montenegro. The second, Expertise France, supports the authorities through international experts.

Today, Serbia is a country with high economic potential, qualified human resources, a great industrial and commercial capital. But it also has challenges to overcome, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and the environment. They give meaning to our professional commitment here, to the action of the AFD Group and France, alongside the authorities, civil society and companies, the primary actors of the Serbia of tomorrow.

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Benchmark Company for Ecological Transformation

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For Veolia, ecological transformation means radically changing production and consumption patterns, placing ecology at the heart of every process and every assessment C O R P O R AT E

n Serbia, Veolia has been successfully implementing projects within the ecological transition since 2006. In his interview for Diplomacy&Commerce magazine, Nebojša Grbušić, general manager of this company, speaks more about ongoing and future projects.

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What does the Veolia Group represent?

— Veolia Group aims to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. Present on five continents with nearly 179,000 employees, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for the management of water, waste and energy that are contributing to a radical turnaround of the current situation. In 2020, the Veolia group served 95 million inhabitants with drinking water and 62 million with sanitation, produced nearly 43 million megawatt-hours and recycled 47 million tonnes of waste. Veolia Environment (Paris Euronext: VIE) achieved consolidated sales of 26.01 billion euros in 2020.

What are Veolia’s activities in Serbia?

— Veolia has been present in Serbia since 2006. We have four companies in Belgrade, covering Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Hercegovina, North Macedonia, and Albania. We operate in several different business lines covering drinking water and wastewater treatment, energy production, and waste management. So far, Veolia has constructed several wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Serbia, including WWTP in Vrbas, with the most extensive treatment capacity in Serbia at the moment (based on the techni-

cal requirements submitted by the Client). We are present on the WWTP Leskovac, completing the construction of the sludge line and the commissioning of the waterline of the WWTP that was constructed by another contractor a few years ago but still not commenced due to different reasons. We are also completing WWTPs at the thermal power plant in Kostolac. The new WWTP construction and commissioning contract in Kraljevo Veolia was signed in December 2021. This project is among the most significant projects on the WWTP market in Serbia and is the first of this kind after a few years.

Besides the above-mentioned WWTP-related projects, Veolia has recently completed a drinking water treatment plant in Subotica that will provide additional reliability for the water supply of the citizens of Subotica. Our energy division is currently involved in multi-year operations and maintenance of the recently constructed Belgrade Airport boiler room and several industrial energy efficiency projects. Recently Veolia received the European Commission's decision to approve the acquisition of Suez.

This decision is a decisive step in the creation of a global champion of ecological transformation, as the green light from the European Commission is a key factor in the realization of this Veolia's industrial project. The acquisition of Suez will significantly boost Veolia's activities in Serbia due to the presence of Suez on the Vinča landfill project. Veolia's experience on similar projects worldwide combined with the local team in Belgrade will significantly contribute to the Vinča project execution.

NEBOJŠA GRBUŠIĆ M.Sc.E.E., General Manager, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Belgrade, Executive Manager for business development Balkans area, Veolia CEE Representative office in Belgrade and Legal representative, Sade branch in Belgrade

We operate in several different business lines covering drinking water and wastewater treatment, energy production, and waste management

What exactly is ecological transformation and in which way does Veolia participate in that process in Serbia?

— For Veolia, ecological transformation means radically changing production and consumption patterns. It means placing ecology at the heart of every process and every assessment.

It means providing radical, meaningful solutions to significant problems with and for its stakeholders: local authorities, manufacturers, civil society, employees, etc.

Veolia is eager and capable of offering its expertise and experience in Serbia to improve environmental protection and foster ecological transformation by building the capacity in the municipalities and on the governmental level for proper strategy development and efficient and reliable projects execution in the field of environmental protection.

What are the company’s plans?

— Never have environmental concerns been so instantly visible, or their consequences for our societies so real to people. In becoming the benchmark company for ecological transformation, Veolia is committing to accelerating and expanding the deployment of existing solutions while simultaneously creating the solutions of tomorrow. We are moving forward hand-in-hand with our stakeholders, convinced that economic, social, and environmental challenges must form an indivisible whole. We are manifesting our Purpose through our daily activities on the ongoing and future projects in Serbia and the Balkans, demonstrating our commitment to the sustainable and human-oriented future.

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The Dialogue 3.0 online

Gala Evening

Baking Workshop

Gala Evening

AC T I V I T I E S

CCIFS’ Activities

The Chamber is a reliable partner to all French companies that want to obtain information or start a business in Serbia he French-Serbian Chamber of Commerce (CCIFS) organizes three to four events a month, of different formats, which are an opportunity for members to meet, get information, and of course, enjoy socializing.

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LAUNCH OF THE ‘HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?’ CAMPAIGN In line with the context of the ongoing crisis and in order to support our members, we launched a campaign called “How can we help you?” During and after the state of emergency, the entire CCIFS team was available to chamber members at all times to help and support them in the best possible way during the crisis period.

GALA EVENING 6th October 2021 One of the most attractive events - Gala Evening - was held on 6th October, and the evening’s theme was STEP INTO THE LIGHT. The event was officially opened by the new

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president of CCIFS, Dragan Stokić. Once a year, the Chamber gathers over 200 guests, diplomats, businesspeople and public figures to celebrate the successes of the previous year. The event is known for its interesting entertainment programme and sumptuous banquet. At Gala Evening, the Chamber also gives out its annual Grand Prix awards with the aim of supporting the local community in education, health, safety and ecology.

THE DIALOGUE 3.0 ONLINE CONFERENCES In cooperation with the Italian-Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the German-Serbian Chamber of Commerce, CCIFS has launched a series of online conferences fostering dialogue between companies and state institutions. To date, we have jointly held four conferences with the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and two with the Serbian Tax Administration.

THE FRENCH WEEK 18th- 24th November 2021 The French Week is one of the most important events organized by the Chamber, which promotes historical, cultural and business ties between France and Serbia. The time when this event takes place corresponds to a popular French custom in France - the welcoming of the young French wine Beaujolais Nouveau. The event’s diverse and colourful content gives the guests the opportunity to participate in the traditional events of the French Week; to taste good wine at the Beaujolais Nouveau young wine welcoming ceremony, to learn some of the secrets of French cuisine at the Baking Workshop, to taste famous labels from the French regions at

the Wine Workshop, and to taste famous French cheeses and other delicious delicacies.

CSR CLUB’S EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TITLED "AFTER COLLEGE, I WILL BE..."

In the first half of the year, in cooperation with the University of Belgrade’s Career Development Centre, we launched a series of online workshops for students, during which they had the opportunity to get first-hand information from employees in various sectors. The workshops focused on professions related to technology, finance, marketing, telecommunications, sales, project management, human resources, finance and tenders.

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FRENCH COMPANIES We are continuously working on supporting French companies that want to develop business activities in Serbia. We help in examining the market potential, finding clients and partners, opening a branch and in general, issues relating to their business on the Serbian market. The Chamber has been an operating partner of Business France, the state-owned French export promotion agency and a member of Team France Export for 10 years.

LEBOOSTER – CCIFS’ BUSINESS CENTRE We have opened the LeBooster Business Centre which has offices, co-working spaces, virtual offices and conference rooms, all located in a uniquely French environment. Companies can register their business at our address, or rent a desk for a certain period while using our Chamber’s logistics, business and networking services.

FRANCE

T R A DI T ION

Liberty, Equality, Fraternity A legacy of the Age of Enlightenment, the motto "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" first appeared during the French Revolution. Although it was often called into question, it finally established itself under the Third Republic inked by François Fénelon at the end of the 17th century, the notions of "liberty", "equality" and "fraternity" became more widespread during the Age of Enlightenment.

At the time of the French Revolution, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was one of the many mottos in use. In a December 1790 speech on the organization of the National Guards, Maximilien Robespierre advocated that the words "The French People" and "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" be written on uniforms and flags, but his proposal was rejected.

From 1793 onwards, Parisians, soon to be imitated by the inhabitants of other cities, painted the following words on the façades of their houses: "Unity, indivisibility of the Republic; liberty, equality or death". But they were soon asked to erase the phrase’s final part as it was

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too closely associated with the Reign of Terror.

This motto fell into disuse under the Empire, like many revolutionary symbols. It reappeared during the Revolution of 1848 marked with a religious dimension: priests celebrated the "Christ-Fraternité" and blessed the trees of liberty that were planted at the time. When the Constitution of 1848 was drafted, the motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was defined as a "principle" of the Republic.

Discarded under the Second Empire, this motto finally established itself under the Third Republic, although some people still objected to it, including partisans of the Republic: solidarity was sometimes preferred to equality which implies a levelling of society, and the Christian connotation of fraternity was not accepted by everyone.

This motto was inscribed again on the pedi-

ments of public buildings on the occasion of the celebration of 14 July 1880. It appears in the constitutions of 1946 and 1958 and is today an integral part of our national heritage. It is found on items used by the general public such as coins and postage stamps.

PEOPLE

“I Don't do Fashion.

I am Fashion” Chanel captured her vision in "Coco-isms" that read like acerbic precursors of today's ubiquitous inspirational quotes -- "a woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future," or "If you're sad, add more lipstick and attack" abrielle "Coco" Chanel was one of the 20th century's most influential couturiers. A milliner by training, she moved beyond hats to become a rebel and a trailblazer of the fashion world, creating a new sartorial style that freed women from corsets and lace frills by offering them sailor shirts and wide-leg pants instead.

In the 1920s she introduced the Little Black Dress to fashion. Intended to be affordable and easy-to-wear, Vogue rightly predicted that it would be worn around the world.

"Nothing is more beautiful than freedom of the body," she once said, and her designs lived by these words: Chanel's silhouettes were flu-

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id and androgynous, her designs loose and -in the case of her iconic little black dress, or LBD -- democratic. She wanted women to move and breathe in her clothes, just like men did in theirs. Her work was, in many ways, a form of female emancipation.

As well as revolutionizing how we dress, she helped form a new ideal of what a fashion brand could be: an all-encompassing force that could tend to all aspects of a woman's life, from formal attire to holiday wardrobes and evening ones.

Her influence wasn’t just on clothes. At night, she appeared at the opera house with short hair, inspiring many women to adopt the new

“garçon” (boyish) style. In 1921, she created her first perfume, Chanel No 5. It was the first fragrance to bear the name of a designer, and was accompanied by the number five because Chanel had been told by a fortune teller that this was her lucky number.

In 1954, aged 71, Chanel reopened her fashion house after it had been closed for 15 years during the war. She told the actress Marlene Dietrich it was because she was “dying of boredom”. On 10 January 1971, after returning from a walk with her friend Claude Baillen, Coco Chanel died on her bed in the Hotel Ritz. Her last words to her maid Celine were, “You see, this is how you die.”

C U LT U R E

The Important Players in France's History We've all heard of the great men and women who have marked the history of France

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istorical trails, museums, memorials, and even chateaux and gardens take us back in time to the lives of these emblematic figures.

FROM THE GALLO-ROMAN ERA TO THE MIDDLE AGES Vercingetorix, the most famous Gallic leader, was born in Auvergne in approximately 80 BC. After heading multiple battles to unify Gaul, he beat Caesar in Gergovie in 52 BC. Another great unifying force, Charles the First (known as Charlemagne) was praised for having restored the great Western Empire and for decreeing a free school system. The influence of the church was even greater under King Louis IX, who was known as Saint-Louis. In 1248, he inaugurated the Sainte-Chapelle on Paris' Île de la Cité, a sacred lieu destined to house the holy relics of Jesus acquired by the King.

FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE FRENCH REVOLUTION In 1515, François the First became King of France. He reigned over a powerful kingdom and, after his victory over the Milanese in Marignan, sent Jacques Cartier to explore the Saint Laurence River in Quebec, and substituted Latin for French as the administration's official language.

In 1533, King François' second son, Henri, mar-

ried Catherine de Médicis, who became regent.

Charles IX's mother played the role of a true Renaissance princess and, along with her husband's mistress, Diane de Poitiers, influenced the Chenonceau Chateau's gardens à la française.

The future Henri IV was born at the Chateau of Pau, which today houses a National Museum on "the good King Henri". Henri IV founded the Bourbon dynasty before being assassinated by Ravaillac in 1610, and ruled over France very authoritatively, in a manner that paved the way for the Absolutism of his grandson, Louis XIV. Throughout his 72-year reign, Louis XIV, or the Sun King, continuously expanded his home at Versailles, the castle being the ultimate symbol of power, and had extravagant gardens built

by Le Nôtre.

A century later, Louis XVI's wife, Marie-Antoinette, also fell under the charm of the Versailles estate. Fond of entertaining, she organised theatre events and revived the grand balls.

Executed in 1793 during the French Revolution, Marie-Antoinette's remains were placed in the Saint-Denis Basilica's royal crypt in 1815.

19TH CENTURY: THE TWO EMPIRES "He was above Europe like an extraordinary vision." This is how Victor Hugo paid tribute to Napoleon the First during his acceptance speech at the Académie française. Napoleon Bonapar-

te, born in Ajaccio in Corsica, was crowned Emperor of France on December 2, 1804. His reign was marked by a long series of wars. After the French defeat of the invasion of Russia, Napoleon abdicated in 1814.

It was only after the Restoration, the July Monarchy and the IIe République that Louis-Napoleon, Napoleon's nephew, became the first president of the Republic, and this, to universal approval. Crowned Emperor after a coup d'État in 1852, Napoleon III contributed to France's economic and industrial revolution, notably with the railways he had built.

UNDER THE FIFTH REPUBLIC IN THE 20th CENTURY A symbol of the resistance during the WWII and a major player in the establishment of the Fifth Republic, General de Gaulle embodied France for many years. The Charles de Gaulle Memorial, inaugurated in 2008 in Colombey-lesdeux-églises, is a veritable history lesson on the 20th-century, and, being so close to his home, an intimate encounter with the General himself. Following de Gaulle's resignation in 1969, Georges Pompidou took his place at the Palais de l'Elysée. Pompidou's presidency marks the last breath of the Glorious Thirty, and during a press conference, he began with this description of France: "Fine dining, Les Folies Bergères, haute couture... It's all over! France has begun an industrial revolution!" He dreamed of building a cultural institution devoted to modern and contemporary creation in the heart of the Capital. Thus was born the Centre Pompidou, inaugurated in 1977.

Culture was also highly esteemed by François Mitterrand, who established the Fête de la Musique (held each year on June 21), along with the Geode at Villette Park, the Musée d’Orsay, the Grand Louvre, the Bastille Opera House, France's National Library…

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Mont Saint-Michel

TOURISM

Normandy, Historic and Cultural Region Normandy, French Normandie, region of northern France encompassing the départements of Manche, Calvados, Orne, Eure, and Seine-Maritime and coextensive with the former province of Normandy. It was recreated as an administrative entity in 2016 with the union of the régions of BasseNormandie and Haute-Normandie

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ormandy is a region of northern France. Its varied coastline includes white-chalk cliffs and WWII beachheads, including Omaha Beach, site of the famous D-Day landing. Just off the coast, the rocky island of MontSaint-Michel is topped by a soaring Gothic abbey. The city of Rouen, dominated by Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, is where military leader and Catholic saint Joan of Arc was executed in 1431

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MONT SAINT-MICHEL

The story of Mont Saint-Michel began on a night in October 708, when the archangel Saint Michael appeared to Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, and ordered him to construct a religious building on what was then called “Mont Tombe”. It is a medieval village and many hidden treasures can be found within its walls. Charm also comes from the highly original names given

to some of the houses: “l’auberge de la truie qui file” (home of the fleeing sow), “la maison de l’artichaut” (house of the artichoke), “le jardin de l’Isle des Bas” (garden of the Lower Isle)…You’ll find little alleyways, gardens and hidden pathways behind some of the houses.

The walkway along the city walls also offers splendid views over Mont SaintMichel bay and the tides which sweep around the Rock twice a day.

ROUEN

Wandering around the old town of Rouen, visitors will enjoy the historical ambience found in the winding cobblestone lanes, which are lined with maisons à colombages (half-timbered houses). Gothic churches are found at every turn, and many are gems of medieval architectural achievement. The town's impressive Cathédrale Notre-Dame was depicted by Claude Monet in a series of paintings that show the intricate details of the cathedral's facade at differ-

Rouen

Honfleur

CAEN MEMORIAL MUSEUM

ent times of day. Another noteworthy monument in Rouen is the Gros-Horloge clock tower in the center of town.

Among the top attractions of Rouen is the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which ranks among France's most outstanding museums of fine arts. The collection includes masterpieces of European painting, including an assortment of Impressionist works.

HONFLEUR

With its picturesque old harbor on the Seine estuary, Honfleur is one of the most charming towns in Europe.

This old seafaring port was where travelers embarked on voyages to Canada in the 16th century. One of Honfleur's most noteworthy attractions, the Musée de la Marine (Maritime Museum), is housed in the former Eglise Saint-Etienne, which dates back to the 14th century. The Musée Eugène Boudin (at Place Erik Satie) is a must-see attraction for lovers of Impressionist art. Boudin's paintings and drawings represent nearly half of the collection; the rest includes pieces by other Impressionist artists such as Gustave Courbet, Eugène Isabey, and Paul Huet who painted scenes of the Normandy coastline.An interesting tourist attraction in itself, this Late Gothic church was built by local shipwrights after the Hundred Years' War.

Caen is an excellent starting point for a tour of the Normandy D-Day Beaches and Memorials

Caen is an excellent starting point for a tour of the Normandy D-Day Beaches and Memorials. Three-quarters of the town was destroyed during the Allied landings in June and July of 1944 (although its historic churches survived almost entirely unscathed). Created as a tribute to Caen's suffering during the war, the Mémorial de Caen (Caen Memorial Museum) tells the story of the Second World War, the D-Day Landings, and the Battle of Normandy. Beneath the Caen Memorial Museum is the site of General Richter's Headquarters, which was a command post during the German Occupation. The Mémorial de Caen is also the Center for History and Peace in Normandy, which aims to educate the public and promote the concept of reconciliation. The center hosts events such as temporary art exhibits and a Human Rights Competition.

DEAUVILLE

Since the 19th century, Deauville has been a premier seaside resort in Normandy. This glamorous vacation spot is still considered one of the top beach destinations in France. The seafront features two kilometers of sandy shoreline and a promenade (boardwalk) for seaside strolls. Lifeguards are on duty daily during the high season (July

Caen Memorial Museum

and August). Holiday-goers can take a break from sunbathing at the beach to browse the fashionable boutiques, get a spa treatment, or dine at one of the many gourmet restaurants. Other things to do include sailing, golfing, and attending equestrian competitions.

Deauville lives up to its reputation as an internationally renowned resort with its array of prestigious events, including the International Polo Championship, held at Deauville's modern nine-hectare equestrian complex, and the Deauville American Film Festival.

ÉTRETAT

The seaside resort of Étretat is nestled at the foot of white limestone cliffs on Normandy's Côte d'Albâtre coastline.

The cliffs reach 90 meters in height, and from the top are sensational panoramic views. The scenery of Étretat appealed to Claude Monet who spent a winter here in 1868 while capturing the dramatic landscapes and glistening waterfront in his paintings. The beaches of Étretat delight sunbathers during the summer, and the ocean is a source of livelihood for fishermen who catch fresh seafood that is widely used in the local cuisine. Étretat also has many attractive Belle Epoque villas, the most well-known is the Villa Orphée. The Villa La Guillette was built for the author Guy de Maupassant.

Deauville

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