Destination: FRANCE
Things To Know France Today La Belle France Cities, Towns and Villages The French Character Lifestyle Religion Pastimes Pleasures Impressionism	Cities, Towns and Villages In a country as geographically varied as France there is bound to be a diverse range of architecture, as styles evolved to suit the environment. In southern rural areas, the population lived in easily defensible communities and worked the fields daily, leaving a legacy of picturesque hilltop villages, with narrow streets for shelter against the fierce sun. In the mountains the design was dictated by the climate, and cozy wooden chalets evolved, with steep or flat roofs depending on the region. The whole country in general enjoyed great prosperity during the 17th and 18th centuries, and in most of the major cities there are architectural reminders of this time, in the shape of churches, fine civic buildings, spacious squares and well-planned streets. Before the French Revolution, the aristocracy spent several months a year on their estates and built fine fortified houses and beautiful châteaux in which they lived. This wonderful mixture of style still exists, and the French have been far more successful than some other European nations at preserving the historic centers of their towns. The second half of the 20th century saw some truly imaginative and innovative civic building projects in major cities, which you'll certainly notice.	COUNTRY Introduction Things To Know Survival Guide TimeLine Essential Info REGION French Riviera CITIES Paris Lyon Nice Strasbourg MAPS World Europe TRAVEL BOOK