| Capital | Paris |
| Population | 58.3 million |
| Size | 551,500 square km |
| Languages | French (official), Breton, Flemish, Catalan, Basque, Provençal, Corsican, Alsacien |
| Average life expectancy | male 74, female 83 |
| Infant deaths per 1000 births | 5 |
| Currency | French Franc/Euro |
| Major exports | Manufactured goods (including cars), food, wine |
| Communications | 580 TV sets and 891 radios per 1000 people; 54.7 main telephone lines per 100 inhabitants |
| Climate | predominantly temperate |
| Time | one hour ahead of GMT (Greenwich mean time), except for a short period in October, when it is the same |
| Places on the line | Argentan, Fresnay-sur-Sarthe, Fontevrault, Moncontour, Plaines du Poitou, Aigre, Chalais, La Réole, Gabarret, Maubourguet, Lourdes, Parque Nacional de Ordesa-Monte-Perdido |
Sources: The World Guide 1999/2000, http:www.france.com, Economist Intelligence Unit
facts and figures | French guide book home page | On the Line home page