' ' S S D D I I K Travel K Travel Guide Guide
France France & & Paris Paris + Paris Museums
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Franc e France is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and millions of people arrive there every year to enjoy its wonders: a rich culture, a fascinating history, lovely
cities, great beaches, splendid lakes, exciting ski resorts and excellent food. Who knows on which continent France is? (Answer on the next page)
This is a map of the world. Can you point out France? Go over France’s borders and mark them down. Find your home country on the map and follow the aircraft’s route from there to France.
Where is France?
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located in the wes tern part of Europ
France is the third largest country in Europe. Only Russia and Ukraine are bigger
ed that France is
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Fr a on th nc ew e o
What is a compass rose? A compass rose is a design on a map that shows directions: North – South – East – West. Since North is always marked on maps, one can always figure out the other directions. When going on field trips, one can always use a compass. A compass rose is drawn on the face of the compass and the hand always points to the north. Knowing where each direction lies helps one navigate and find out where certain places are or how to get from one point to another.
North N Mark the three missing directions in the blank squares.
France is surrounded by many neighboring countries. Can you find them on the map? If so, complete the following: and
To the South To the East -
,
, and
To the North South - Spain and Andorra East - Italy Switzerland, Luxembourg and Germany North - Belgium
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Borders Did you know?
France is also surrounded by seas. Can you find out their names? To the south-east To the west
Quiz!
What is the capital of France?
a. London
b. Elysees c. Paris
d. The French Riviera
In the Southeast - The Mediterranean In the West - The Atlantic ocean
In order to differentiate between countries, borders were invented. A border is a line which marks the end of one country’s territory and the beginning of another. There are all kinds of borders; sometimes a river or a range of mountains are a natural border, sometimes there is a need to erect a fence or a special gate to mark a border. In France, for example, there’s a natural border to the east: the French Alps (read about them later on), mountains that stretch between France, Italy and Switzerland.
Do only French people live in France? The majority of the people living in France are French (92% of its citizens), but there are also many immigrants from North Africa and Germany. Immigrants are people who moved permanently to a country which is not their native country. Do people in France speak French? Of course they do. Most of the French people speak French, but if you listen carefully, you’ll be able to hear other languages spoken as well. Most of these languages, such as Flemish, Alsatian, Breton, Basque and Catalan, are not well known.
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U) The European Union (E
This is the French Franc
And t his is the E uro
The European Union is a federation of 27 countries in Europe. Each is an independent state, but they all have some common characteristics, the currency being one of them. If you visit Spain, Germany or France, you will use the Euro although each of these countries is independent and stands on its own.
Did you know? If the European Union were one big country (like the United States of America, which is comprised of 50 states), it would have been the third
nion ropean U u E e h t f o The flag
largest country in the world.
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e Once, many y
ars ago…
ion? Or maybe the name lut vo Re ch en Fr the of ard he r eve u Have yo ng. The histor y of France is fascinati Napoleon rings a bell? back ich is now called France as far wh a are the in d live ve ha le op Pe e. As s not called, "France," of cours wa it n the t bu , e Ag e on St as the nce in existence for many years, Fra in all countries which have been eigns. by kings, tyrants* and sover was ruled throughout the ages to put headed by presidents. Let us try en be s ha it rs, yea 0 13 r ove r Fo understand France's histor y. things in order so that we can *a tyrant – an evil ruler In ancient times, the area was called Gaul and it was inhabited by the Gallic tribes. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and annexed it to the Roman Empire. In the 6th century, more than 1,400 years ago, Gaul was overrun by Germanic tribes, the “Franks” led by King Karl the Great, who conquered France as well as large areas of Europe. Although it was a powerful, vaste empire, it did not last long. During the reign of Karl the Great’s grand-children, the empire was divided and its western part became a separate kingdom, known today as France. Through the years, many kings ruled the kingdom, but around 1,000 CE, one dynasty of kings came to power and ruled France for 800 years. *Dynasty – a succession of rulers from the same family. The king’s son is the heir to the king, he becomes the king and then his son replaces him and so on. Thus the kingship remains in the family.
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Karl the Gre at
Famous leaders and rulers Let us meet a few of the leaders and rulers who influenced France throughout the years:
s the 14 Pleased to meet you - King Loui
th
King Louis the 14th lived from 1638 to 1715 and was one of the strongest monarchs in the history of France. He used to say “I am the state” because he thought he was the most important person in France and the only one who had the authority to make decisions. ), died prematurely The father of Louis the 14th (King Louis the 13th, of course and young Prince Louis was crowned at the age of five. His mother, Queen Anne, replaced him until he grew up and was old enough to sit on the throne. Louis the 14th was a very smart king. He built his palace in Versailles (and not in the capital, Paris), and in doing so succeeded in removing those who tried to undermine him and take over the kingship. He spent the first part of his reign fighting his neighbors – Holland, Belgium and Germany. A succession of impressive victories helped him strengthen and establish France as a leading country in Europe. But the final years of his reign were difficult and unpleasant for the French people. King Louis conquered Spain, but the cost of the war was high and its large expenses led France to an
economic crisis.
Nevertheless, in the history of France, King Louis the 14th is regarded as a prominent and powerful monarch.
Among his impressive achievemen the building ts are of the Palac e o f Versailles which is con , sidered the fi n e s t example of architecture and ar t in F rance, and th design of ga e rdens and fu rn it u re bear his nam which still e - “Louis th e 14th” style .
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King L ouis th e 14 th
Pleased to meet you – Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte was France’s most significant ruler in the 19th century, and his influence spread all over Europe.
Did you know?
It is thought that N apoleon was a sh ort man, but this mistake is a result is not true. The of the difference b et w een the French m system and the E easurement nglish one. At his d ea th , N ap oleon was slightly than 5 French feet taller . The French “foo t” w as longer than the Napoleon was ac English one so tually about 1.68 m et er s ta ll, which was not so short in his tim considered e. Napoleon was a brilliant military commander, known all over Europe for his great victories and many conquests. He was only 24 years old when he was appointed general and commanded the French army. He was famous for his ability to build a war strategy that led to victories which nobody thought were possible.
e of France, after th r le ru e th e m ca Napoleon be ilizing At the age of 35, e succeeded in stab H n. io ut ol ev R ch the Fren d a half after being turbulent times of an ar ye A s. en tiz ci ng care of its ly. the country and taki crowned King of Ita so al as w he , ch en of the Fr made the Emperor
Did you know? During that period, the pope crowned an emperor, so as to symbolize that the emperor was subject to the Church and the pope. During Napoleon’s coronation as Emperor of the French, however, he took the crown from the pope and placed it on his own head, as if to say that he, Napoleon, did not wish to be subordinate to anyone!
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Napoleon Bonaparte
Cremerie – a stor e for cheese
Boulangerie – a shop for bread and cakes. Some of these shops bake their • own pastries in a bakery at the back of the store, and the smell that comes out of there is overwhelming. Cremerie – a store for cheese. For those of you who like cheese, this is heaven… Café – when you say “café” in French, it means a coffee shop. Most cafés serve light lunches as well. Brasserie – a large restaurant serving local food and alcoholic beverages. Bistro – a small restaurant serving simple meals in a homely setting. Food markets – there are several food markets in Paris and to visit there is a wonderful experience – the smells, the colors and the variety of groceries are delightful.
• • • • •
Now that we’ve learned about the places where one can eat, let us get to know some of the tasty dishes one should eat when in Paris. When you sit in a restaurant and look at the menu or stand in line at a patisserie, take a look at the list in the book and find these recommended dishes:
Pastries
If you don’t like to tr y new food (meat or side d order a tasty s ishes), ask your andwich. Paris is parents to a p a ra dise for bread lo is made of dou vers and whate gh and baked in ver an oven: brioc bread), an écla he (a kind of lightir (pastry filled wit textured h cream and co a croissant, of ve re d in course. chocolate) and
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Cheese France is famous for its variety of cheese. It is recommended to taste Camembert, Pont-Leveque and Chevre. The French sour cream, called “crème fraiche,” is very tasty.
Meat If you wish to order chicken, look for the word “poulet” in the menu. If you want veal, look for veau.
And what about desserts? The names of traditional French desserts are enough to make your mouth water: Tart Tatin (an upside-down apple pie) Profiterole (a small, round cream puff served with ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce) Flan (baked custard, a sort of pudding) Crème Brulee (custard topped with a layer of hard caramel) And how can we do without… a chocolate mousse!
• • • •
Pastrie
Leonardo has just landed in France and he already has the urge to try some delicious foods
. Help him find them…
Where can he find some good cheese? Where can he find tasty bread? And if he wants something sweet to eat, where would you advise him to go?
La crèmerie; La boulangerie; La pâtisserie
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Welcome to PARIS Paris, the capital of France, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, if not the most beautiful of them all. If this is your first visit to Paris, you should know that it is situated on the river Seine and among its attractions are special streetlights, picture-like gardens, impressive buildings, famous cathedrals and museums, and excellent food! Take a look around you: isn’t it a beautiful city?
Did you know? Paris is called “The City of Lights.” Can you guess why?
Where did Paris get its name from? People lived in Paris as far back as 2,300 years ago (3rd century B.C). About 1,500 years ago, it was named “Paris” by the King of the Franks after the Parisii tribe who lived there at the time. One of the most important people to leave his impact on Paris and the way it looks today was Baron Haussmann, who lived between 1809 and 1891. Paris was once a small, crowded town with no housing infrastructure to support the many people who settled there. Baron Haussmann initiated planning reforms: narrow streets became broad avenues, new buildings were built and a system of underground railways was constructed. A system of sewers was dug and expansive gardens were laid out. Thanks to the Baron, Paris is such a beautiful city.
Did you know? Paris is one of the most crowded cities in Europe. About 25,000 people live on each square kilometer .
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What does Paris look like? Here is a map of the city. If you take a close look, you can see that Paris is divided into sections and each section has a number. These sections are called "arrondissements." The center of the city is arrondissement number one.
In which arrondissement are these monuments located? Notre Dame Parc Montsouris Arc de Triomphe Champs-Elysees Tour Eiffel The Louvre Solutions on page 87
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In Paris Champs Elysees
Ask anyone which is th e most famous avenue in Paris, and the answ will always be – The Ch er amps-Elysees! True, th e Ch am ps -E lys central avenues in Paris, on ees is one of the e of its symbols and kn own all over the world.
Elysees Avenue is 3 ki lometers long. In its up per part, there are ga and palaces, among th rdens em the lovely Elysees Pa lac e. In th e lo wer part there are prestigious shops and office buildings.
The oldest puppet show theater in Paris is located in the Champs Elysees. It was founded about 200 years ago and is called Guignol (pronounced Gee-nyawl). It is highly recommended to buy tickets to one of the shows - It is a wonderful experience!
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A char t of the s
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e o rd c n Co quare S
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s ps-Elysee The Cham
My impressions of the Champs-Elysees: Which is the most beautiful store?
Which is the largest store?
Did we buy anything? If so, what?
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L’Arc de Triomphe (the Arch of Triumph) The Arc de Triomphe is a monument built by Napoleon in honor of his army, to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Austerlitz (where Napoleon’s army beat the Russian and Austrian armies). The building of the Arch lasted 30 years and unfortunately, Napoleon did not make it to the inauguration parade.
Did you know?
of the Arc de Triomphe, In order to finance the building French citizens, making Napoleon imposed a tax on the . e them donate 10% of their incom
The names of soldiers and officers killed in battle, and the names of the major battles of the Napoleonic wars are inscribed on the walls of the monument. The ones he lost are not mentioned on the Arch… It doesn’t matter from which direction you approach the Arch, the closer you get, the bigger and more impressive it looks. When you stand underneath, it appears
enormous! 42
Climb to the upper part of the Arch. It is 45 meters high and the view from the top is marvelous.
Did you know?
The building of the Arch took a long time and wh en Napoleon’s troops ente red Paris, only the laying of the foundation was complet ed. A creative solution was found: a mock-up of the Arch, made of wood and cloth , was erected and decorated for the victory parade. The Arc de Triomphe stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaul (read about him later on) formerly named Place de l’Etoile, which means “star” in French. There are 12 avenues diverging from the square (in memory of Napoleon’s 12 victory battles), reminding one of a star.
Arc de Triomphe
Help Leonardo to find the street names. Write each name in order, in its proper place
Solutions on page 87
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What is inside the building? We will let you discover this by yourselves…
A hint: much more than works of art! When you enter the building and walk around, write down what you see. (We will help you a little…) We’ve already said that this building is different from what you’ve seen so far. When Georges Pompidou, who was the President of France at the beginning of the 1970’s, decided to construct an art center (bearing his name, of course ), a design competition was held and more than 600 architects presented some very strange plans. It seems that Pompidou was a very daring president, given that this is the plan he chose… At first, many French people were angry when they saw the building, and some even ridiculed it.
What do YOU th amazing
ink of the buildin
funny
ridiculous
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g? beautiful
unique
ugly
The architects who planned the Center decided that instead of hiding the electric, water, and air-conditioning systems, they would emphasize them and use them as decoration. Each color represents a different system: The blue pipes are the air conditioning system The green pipes are the water system The yellow pipes are for electricity The red pipes indicate the location of the stairs and elevators The white pipes are the ventilation pipes of the underground tunnels
What other artists did you see or activities did you do? Write them down here.
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Tuileries Gardens Welcome to the prettiest park in Pa
ris.
In the past the park was closed to the common people, and only the royalty were allowed to visit. Luckily for us, now it is open to everyone, and anyone who wants can visit and enjoy a little nature in the middle of Paris.
Did you know?
Tuileries means "shingles." There are those who say that this is because there used to be a shingle factory in the park, and there are others who say that it is because of the special roof, made of shingles, of a palace that stood where the park is today. The palace burned down and today there is a gallery called “Jeu de Paume� in its place.
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Help Leonardo get from one end of the park to the other
Besides the statues you'll quickly find that the park can offer you lots of activities (especially if you are visiting in the summer) such as horseback riding and puppet theater
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paint? s t is t r a o d How h a brush.
ional brushes s s fe ro p , e iv s Expen wit d te in nimals, but, a a p r e re e th w o f s o g n s ti e e bristl Most pain any air or from th h il ta e . There are m rs s o re h b h fi it c w ti e e d th a s of syn are m es are made sed for all sort h u s re ru a b t h s ic o h m w , sizes nowadays t shapes and n re fe if d in s e h types of brus of purposes.
pe connect each ty o rd a n o e L lp e H right painting. of brush to the
A
1. A brush which allows you to paint small, delicate details with great control. Hint: A round brush with a pointed tip.
2. A brush which is good for painting broad surfaces and allows you to paint with wide brushstrokes. Hint: A flat brush. 3. A brush made for painting accurate arcs and water drop shapes and for painting broad surfaces. Hint: A flat brush with a rounded tip. 4. A brush made for painting narrow, closely spaced parallel lines and excellent for painting hair and plant life. Hint: A fan shaped brush.
B
C D
d cording to very strict an ac t in pa to ed us ts tis Many years ago ar and narrow artists had very clear , ds or w r he ot In . ds eak free exact metho ed artists decided to br ss pa e tim As t. in pa rules about how to how new styles of art, is is Th . ds ho et m w te ne of the rules and to crea veloped. called modern art, de ription of straight, here is a desc tle lit a gs in th ep ke To help you to art. ll it, movements in ca ts ul ad e th as or s, some style Answers: 1-A, 2-C, 3-B, 4-D
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Impressionism Impressionist artists painted things connected with their lives, to describe the period that they lived in. They painted outside and not just in the studio. They were interested in seeing how the light affected their paintings. They used short brush strokes together with strong colors, and did not emphasize the details, so that it looked like the artist hadn’t finished the painting.
Short brushstrokes
Here is an example of a painting from the Impressionism movement. It was painted by the artist Camille Pissaro in 1897 and is called "Montmartre Boulevard"
where ows to show rr a h it w re tu t Mark the pic f Impressionis o s c ti s ri te c ra cha are. you can find ich ones they h w te a ic d in painting and
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Expressionism Expressionism is an art movement in which artists express their feelings. Because artists feel or interpret what they see differently, their paintings show how they felt about the subject. For example, if the artists feel pain or hurt, they will show it through the paintings and forms that they choose.
Here is a n examp le of a pain ting from the Expre ssionist moveme nt. It was painted b y the artis t Franz Ma rc in 1912 and is ca lled “The Yellow C ow�
Can you guess what the artist was feeling?
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Imagine that you are an Expressionist artist and try to paint what you feel about your trip to Paris and the sites you have visited.
Abstract Art
Abstract art is created by combining shapes, lines and colors that are unlike real people or objects (like those we see everyday). They are created by the artist. Here is an example of an abstract painting by the artist Wassily Kandinsky.
Did you know? Wassily Kandinsky was not only a gifted artist but also a musician and lecturer at the law faculty of the University of Moscow .
Guess which one of these three paintings was not painted by Kandisnky and is not considered abstract art?
3
1
2
La Lecture, Answer: Picture #1, titled
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by Picasso
Picasso Museum The date on which we visited the museum:
Who said: “Give
me a museum and I’ll fill it?” That’s right, Pablo Picasso. Who was Pablo Picasso? Picasso was one of the most famous artists in the history of modern art. He was born in Spain in 1881 and died at age 92. He painted in the modern art style.
Did you know? Picasso’s full name was Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Clito Ruiz y Picasso. Let’s hear you say it in one breath… Each artist - painter or sculptor - usually has an identifiable style. So that if you know some of an artist’s works really well, you can recognize his or her other works when you see them. Picasso was an artist who worked in many different styles. When you walk through the museum you will see works that sometimes look like a different artist made them. The different styles are connected to events in Picasso’s life.
For example, when Picasso was 20, a close friend of his died. He was very sad and for three years painted only sad blue pictures. Several years later Picasso met a nice woman and fell in love with her. During that time all his paintings were in cheerful shades of pink, and he painted happy scenes such as circuses.
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Here are some more periods in the life of Picasso. Walk around in the museum and try to guess to what period each picture belongs:
• Blue period (Sad and depressed period) • Pink period (Pink and happy period) • African sculpture period (African statues and masks, three dimensional pictures) • Analytical period – (Picasso took apart his figures and colors and drew body parts outside of their natural places, for instance an eye on the side of the head and an ear in the middle of the face) • Pictures of the painter and photographer Dora Maar (Picasso loved her and painted her in many pictures).
Besides paintings and sculptures, the Picasso museum also contains additional works (pots, for example). What other exhibits did you see?
Did you lo
ok at the b uilding and
the ceiling ?
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What did y ou think?
And of course we can’t pass-up on the
statue of the Sphinx
The statue of the sphinx is more than 4,000 years old. It shows Pharaoh with the body of a lion. In ancient Egypt they would put the sphinx at the entrance to temples because it was thought to be a symbol of protection and guardianship.
Here are some things that not everyone knows about the Louvre: Louvre is the largest museum in the world • The Louvre can host 20,000 visitors a day • The In 12 years the Louvre has hosted more visitors than the entire • population of France every French person who visits the Louvre there are two • For Americans...
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And now to summarize your museum visits‌ Museums Diary for the curious kid So that we won’t forget where we were and what we saw: The name of the museums that we visited
Name of artwork
What material was used to make it, its size, colors and to which movement it belonged.
1 2 3 4 5 6
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Where is it located? floor, wing, room?