France

==Economy==
{{Main|Economy of France}}

=== Overview ===
[[File:04-2017. París-34.jpg|alt=La Défense, seen from the Eiffel Tower|thumb|[[La Défense]] was in 2017 ranked by [[Ernst & Young]] as the leading [[central business district]] in continental Europe, and the fourth in the world.<ref>[https://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/ey-the-attractiveness-of-world-class-business-districts/$FILE/ey-the-attractiveness-of-world-class-business-districts.pdf The attractiveness of world-class business districts: Paris La Défense vs. its global competitors], [[Ernst & Young|EY]], November 2017</ref>]]France has a [[mixed economy|mixed market economy]], characterised by [[Dirigisme in France|sizeable government involvement]], and [[economic diversity]]. For roughly two centuries, the French economy has [[Angus Maddison statistics of the ten largest economies by GDP (PPP)|consistently ranked]] among the ten largest globally; it is currently the world's [[List of countries by GDP (PPP)|ninth-largest]] by [[purchasing power parity]], the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|seventh-largest]] by [[nominal GDP]], and the second-largest in the European Union by both metrics.<ref name="data.worldbank.org">{{Cite web |title=GDP, PPP (current international $) |url=http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD?order=wbapi_data_value_2014+wbapi_data_value+wbapi_data_value-last&sort=desc |access-date=1 November 2015 |publisher=The World Bank Group}}</ref> France is considered an [[economic power]], with membership in the [[Group of Seven]] leading [[Developed country|industrialised countries]], the [[OECD|Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] (OECD), and the [[G20|Group of Twenty]] largest economies.

France's economy is highly diversified; [[Service sector|services]] represent two-thirds of both the workforce and GDP,<ref>[https://www.eulerhermes.com/en_global/economic-research/country-reports/France.html Country profile: France], [[Euler Hermes]]</ref> while the [[industrial sector]] accounts for a fifth of GDP and a similar proportion of employment. France is the third-biggest manufacturing country in Europe, behind Germany and Italy, and ranks eighth in the world by share of global manufacturing output, at 1.9 per cent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=These are the top 10 manufacturing countries in the world |url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/countries-manufacturing-trade-exports-economics/ |access-date=10 February 2022 |website=World Economic Forum |date=25 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Less than 2 per cent of GDP is generated by the [[primary sector]], namely agriculture;<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/france Country profil: France], [[CIA World factbook]]</ref> however, France's agricultural sector is among the largest in value and leads the EU in terms of overall production.<ref>[https://import-export.societegenerale.fr/en/country/france/market-sectors France: the market] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219011017/https://import-export.societegenerale.fr/en/country/france/market-sectors |date=19 February 2021 }}, [[Société Générale]] (latest Update: September 2020)</ref>

In 2018, France was the fifth-largest trading nation in the world and the second-largest in Europe, with the value of exports representing over a fifth of GDP.<ref name="wto">[https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/wts2019_e/wts2019_e.pdf World Trade Statistical Review 2019], [[World Trade Organization]], p. 11</ref> Its membership in the [[eurozone]] and the broader [[European single market]] facilitates access to capital, goods, services, and skilled labour.<ref name="euroc">{{Cite news |last=Andrews |first=Edmund L. |date=1 January 2002 |title=Germans Say Goodbye to the Mark, a Symbol of Strength and Unity |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/01/world/germans-say-goodbye-to-the-mark-a-symbol-of-strength-and-unity.html |access-date=18 March 2011}}</ref> Despite [[Protectionism|protectionist]] policies over certain industries, particularly in agriculture, France has generally played a leading role in fostering free trade and commercial integration in Europe to enhance its economy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=France – Finance |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/France |access-date=28 August 2021 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Taylor Martin |first=Susan |date=28 December 1998 |title=On Jan.&nbsp;1, out of many arises one Euro |page=National, 1.A |work=[[St. Petersburg Times]]}}</ref> In 2019, it ranked first in Europe and 13th in the world in [[Foreign Direct Investment|foreign direct investment]], with European countries and the United States being leading sources.<ref name="FDI">[https://www.ey.com/en_gl/attractiveness/20/how-can-europe-reset-the-investment-agenda-now-to-rebuild-its-future How can Europe reset the investment agenda now to rebuild its future?], [[Ernst&Young|EY]], 28 May 2020</ref> According to the [[Bank of France]] (founded in 1800),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Banque de France website {{!}} Banque de France |url=https://www.banque-france.fr/en |access-date=2023-10-28 |website=www.banque-france.fr}}</ref> the leading recipients of FDI were manufacturing, real estate, finance and insurance.<ref name="lloydsbanktrade.com">{{Cite web |title=Foreign direct investment (FDI) in France – Investing – International Trade Portal International Trade Portal |url=https://www.lloydsbanktrade.com/en/market-potential/france/investment |access-date=28 August 2021 |website=lloydsbanktrade.com}}</ref> The [[Île-de-France|Paris Region]] has the highest concentration of multinational firms in Europe.<ref name="lloydsbanktrade.com"/>

Under the doctrine of [[Dirigiste|''Dirigisme'']], the government historically played a major role in the economy; policies such as [[indicative planning]] and [[Nationalization|nationalisation]] are credited for contributing to three decades of unprecedented postwar economic growth known as ''[[Trente Glorieuses]]''. At its peak in 1982, the public sector accounted for one-fifth of industrial employment and over four-fifths of the credit market. Beginning in the late 20th century, France loosened regulations and state involvement in the economy, with most leading companies now being privately owned; state ownership now dominates only transportation, defence and broadcasting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=France – Economy |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/France |access-date=28 August 2021 |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |language=en}}</ref> Policies aimed at promoting economic dynamism and privatisation have improved France's economic standing globally: it is among the world's 10 most [[Innovation|innovative]] countries in the 2020 [[Bloomberg Innovation Index]],<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-10-most-innovative-countries-bloomberg-says-2020-1?IR=T These are the world's most innovative countries], [[Business Insider]]</ref> and the 15th most competitive, according to the 2019 [[Global Competitiveness Report#2019 rankings|Global Competitiveness Report]] (up two places from 2018).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf|title=The Global Competitiveness Report 2019}}</ref>

The Paris stock exchange ({{Lang-fr|links=no|La Bourse de Paris}}) is one of the oldest in the world, created by [[Louis XV]] in 1724.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Audrey |last=Vautherot |date=19 November 2007 |title=La Bourse de Paris : une institution depuis 1724 |trans-title=The Paris Stock Exchange: an institution since 1724 |url=http://www.gralon.net/articles/economie-et-finance/bourse/article-la-bourse-de-paris---une-institution-depuis-1724-981.htm |website=Gralon |language=fr}}</ref> In 2000, it merged with counterparts in Amsterdam and Brussels to form [[Euronext]],<ref name="banque">{{Cite web |author=Embassy of France |title=Embassy of France in Washington: Economy of France |url=http://www.ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article511 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009235442/http://ambafrance-us.org/spip.php?article511 |archive-date=9 October 2011 |access-date=16 July 2011 |publisher=Ambafrance-us.org}}</ref> which in 2007 merged with the [[New York stock exchange]] to form [[NYSE Euronext]], the world's largest stock exchange.<ref name="banque"/> [[Euronext Paris]], the French branch of NYSE Euronext, is Europe's second-largest stock exchange market, behind the [[London Stock Exchange]]. Some examples of the most valuable French companies include [[LVMH]], [[L'Oréal]] and [[Société Générale|Sociéte Générale.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=French companies by market capitalization |url=https://companiesmarketcap.com/france/largest-companies-in-france-by-market-cap/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=companiesmarketcap.com |language=en-us}}</ref>

France has historically been one of the world's major agricultural centres and remains a "global agricultural powerhouse"; France is the world's sixth-biggest exporter of agricultural products, generating a trade surplus of over €7.4 billion.<ref name="agriculture">{{Cite web |title=France&nbsp;– Agriculture |url=http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/France-AGRICULTURE.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104104316/http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/France-AGRICULTURE.html |archive-date=4 January 2011 |website=Nations Encyclopedia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Country Memo – France |url=https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/france/memo/ |website=globalEDGE}}</ref> Nicknamed "the granary of the old continent",<ref>{{Cite web |title=Topic: Agriculture in France |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/6215/agriculture-in-france/ |access-date=13 January 2022 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> over half its total land area is [[Agricultural land|farmland]], of which 45 per cent is devoted to permanent field crops such as cereals. The country's diverse climate, extensive arable land, modern farming technology, and [[Common agricultural policy|EU subsidies]] have made it Europe's leading agricultural producer and exporter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Key figures of the French economy |url=http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_159/economy_6815/overview-of-the-french-economy_6831/key-figures-of-the-french-economy_1402.html#sommaire_1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100114024542/http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/france_159/economy_6815/overview-of-the-french-economy_6831/key-figures-of-the-french-economy_1402.html |archive-date=14 January 2010 |website=France Diplomatie |publisher=[[Minister of Foreign Affairs (France)|French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs]] |quote=France is the world's fifth largest exporter of goods (mainly durables). The country ranks fourth in services and third in agriculture (especially in cereals and the agri-food sector). It is the leading producer and exporter of farm products in Europe.}}</ref>

===Tourism===
{{Main|Tourism in France}}
{{Multiple image
| direction         = vertical
| caption_align     = center
| image1            = Paris_vue_d'ensemble_tour_Eiffel.jpg
| caption1          = The [[Eiffel Tower]] is the world's most-visited paid monument, an icon of both Paris and France.
| image2            = Hafen_von_Nizza.jpg
| caption2          = [[Nice]] on the [[French Riviera]]
| image3            = Mont-Saint-Michel vu du ciel.jpg
| caption3          = [[Mont-Saint-Michel]] and [[Mont-Saint-Michel Bay|its bay]] were listed as [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]s in 1979.
}}

With 89&nbsp;million international tourist arrivals in 2018,<ref name="tourism.stat">{{Cite book |url=https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/pdf/10.18111/9789284421152 |publisher=United Nations World Tourism Organization |year=2019 |isbn=978-92-844-2114-5 |edition=2019 |page=9 |doi=10.18111/9789284421152 |s2cid=240665765 |title=International Tourism Highlights, 2019 Edition }}</ref> France is the world's [[World Tourism rankings|top tourist destination]], ahead of Spain (83&nbsp;million) and the United States (80&nbsp;million). However, it ranks third in tourism-derived income due to the shorter duration of visits.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dilorenzo |first=Sarah |date=18 July 2013 |title=France learns to speak 'touriste' |agency=Associated Press |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/france-learns-speak-touriste-0 |url-status=dead |access-date=20 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822043825/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/france-learns-speak-touriste-0 |archive-date=22 August 2013}}</ref> The most popular tourist sites include (annual visitors): [[Eiffel Tower]] (6.2&nbsp;million), [[Palace of Versailles|Château de Versailles]] (2.8&nbsp;million), {{Lang|fr|[[National Museum of Natural History (France)|Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle]]|italic=no}} (2&nbsp;million), [[Pont du Gard]] (1.5&nbsp;million), [[Arc de Triomphe]] (1.2&nbsp;million), [[Mont Saint-Michel]] (1&nbsp;million), [[Sainte-Chapelle]] (683,000), [[Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg]] (549,000), [[Puy de Dôme]] (500,000), [[Musée Picasso]] (441,000), and [[Carcassonne]] (362,000).<ref>{{Cite web |year=2003 |title=Fréquentation des musées et des bâtiments historiques |trans-title=Frequentation of museums and historic buildings |url=http://www2.culture.gouv.fr/deps/mini_chiff_03/fr/musee.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071224180811/http://www2.culture.gouv.fr/deps/mini_chiff_03/fr/musee.htm |archive-date=24 December 2007 |language=fr}}</ref>

France, especially Paris, has some of the world's largest and most renowned museums, including the [[Louvre]], which is the [[List of most visited art museums in the world|most visited art museum in the world]] (7.7&nbsp;million visitors in 2022), the [[Musée d'Orsay]] (3.3&nbsp;million), mostly devoted to [[Impressionism]], the [[Musée de l'Orangerie]] (1.02&nbsp;million), which is home to eight large [[Water Lilies (Monet series)|Water Lily]] murals by [[Claude Monet]], as well as the [[Centre Georges Pompidou]] (3&nbsp;million), dedicated to [[contemporary art]]. [[Disneyland Paris]] is Europe's most popular theme park, with 15&nbsp;million combined visitors to the resort's [[Disneyland Park (Paris)|Disneyland Park]] and [[Walt Disney Studios Park]] in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |year=2009 |editor-first=Judith |editor-last=Rubin |title=TEA/AECOM Attraction Attendance Report for 2009 |url=http://www.themeit.com/etea/2009report.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602032710/http://www.themeit.com/etea/2009report.pdf |archive-date=2 June 2010 |access-date=7 October 2010 |publisher=Themed Entertainment Association}}</ref>

With more than 10 million tourists a year, the [[French Riviera]] (French: ''Côte d'Azur''), in Southeast France, is the second leading tourist destination in the country, after the [[Île-de-France|Paris Region]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The French Riviera Tourist Board |url=http://www.frenchriviera-tourism.com/regional-tourism-organization/the-french-riviera-tourist-board-06_191.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425152011/http://www.frenchriviera-tourism.com/regional-tourism-organization/the-french-riviera-tourist-board-06_191.html |archive-date=25 April 2011 |access-date=23 January 2011 |website=CÔTE D'AZUR}}</ref> It benefits from 300 days of sunshine per year, {{Convert|115|km}} of coastline and beaches, 18 golf courses, 14 ski resorts and 3,000 restaurants.<ref name="CAEDA"/>{{Rp|31}} Each year the ''Côte d'Azur'' hosts 50% of the world's [[Luxury yacht|superyacht]] fleet.<ref name="CAEDA">{{Cite web |title=Présentation de la Côte d'Azur |trans-title=Presentation of the French Riviera |url=http://www.crdp-nice.net/dp/IMG/pdf/Kit_Info_Cote_d_Azur_FR_Version_sept_07.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704173303/http://www.crdp-nice.net/dp/IMG/pdf/Kit_Info_Cote_d_Azur_FR_Version_sept_07.pdf |archive-date=4 July 2010 |publisher=Côte d'Azur Economic Development Agency |language=fr}}</ref>{{Rp|66}}

With 6 million tourists a year, the [[Châteaux of the Loire Valley|castles of the Loire Valley]] (French: ''châteaux'') and the [[Loire Valley]] itself are the third leading tourist destination in France;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Foucher |title=Tourism: The Loire Valley, an intoxicating destination for visitors |language=fr |work=TourMaG.com, 1er journal des professionnels du tourisme francophone |url=https://www.tourmag.com/Tourism-The-Loire-Valley-an-intoxicating-destination-for-visitors_a67875.html |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=12 July 2017 |title=Chateaux deluxe: 5 best Loire Valley castles |publisher=CNN |url=https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/loire-valley-castles/index.html |access-date=10 October 2018}}</ref> this [[World Heritage Site]] is noteworthy for its architectural heritage, in its historic towns but in particular its castles, such as the [[Château]]x d'[[Château d'Amboise|Amboise]], de [[Château de Chambord|Chambord]], d'[[Château d'Ussé|Ussé]], de [[Château de Villandry|Villandry]], [[Château de Chenonceau|Chenonceau]] and [[Château de Montsoreau|Montsoreau]]. The [[Château de Chantilly]], [[Palace of Versailles|Versailles]] and [[Vaux-le-Vicomte]], all three located near Paris, are also visitor attractions.

France has 52 sites inscribed in [[List of World Heritage Sites in France|UNESCO's World Heritage List]] and features cities of high cultural interest, beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, as well as rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity ([[Ecotourism|green tourism]]). Small and picturesque French villages are promoted through the association {{Lang|fr|[[Les Plus Beaux Villages de France]]}} (literally "The Most Beautiful Villages of France"). The "[[Remarkable Gardens of France|Remarkable Gardens]]" label is a list of the over 200 gardens classified by the [[Ministry of Culture (France)|Ministry of Culture]]. This label is intended to protect and promote remarkable gardens and parks. France attracts many religious [[Christian pilgrimage|pilgrims]] on their [[Way of St. James|way to St. James]], or to [[Lourdes]], a town in the [[Hautes-Pyrénées]] that hosts several million visitors a year.

===Energy===
{{Further|Energy in France}}
[[File:Centrale EDF de Belleville-FR-18-a05.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Nuclear power plant in Cattenom, France four large cooling towers expelling white water vapour against a blue sky|[[Belleville Nuclear Power Plant]]. France derives most of its electricity from [[Nuclear power in France|nuclear power]], the highest percentage in the world. ]]
France is the world's tenth-largest producer of electricity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BP Statistical Review of World Energy July 2021". |url=https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/xlsx/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2021-all-data.xlsx}}</ref> [[Électricité de France]] (EDF), which is majority-owned by the French government, is the country's main producer and distributor of electricity, and one of the world's largest [[Electric utility|electric utility companies]], ranking third in revenue globally.<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 March 2019 |title=The ten biggest power companies in 2018 |url=https://www.power-technology.com/features/top-10-power-companies-in-the-world/ |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=Power Technology |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2018, EDF produced around one-fifth of the [[European Union]]'s electricity, primarily from [[nuclear power]].<ref>[https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Electricity_production,_consumption_and_market_overview#:~:text=Germany%20had%20the%20highest%20level,with%20a%20double%2Ddigit%20share. Electricity production, consumption and market overview], [[Eurostat]]</ref> As of 2021, France was the biggest energy exporter in Europe, mostly to the U.K. and Italy,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Nuclear Power in France {{!}} French Nuclear Energy – World Nuclear Association |url=https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=world-nuclear.org}}</ref> and the largest net exporter of electricity in the world.<ref name=":3"/>

Since the [[1973 oil crisis]], France has pursued a strong policy of [[energy security]],<ref name=":3"/> namely through [[Nuclear power in France|heavy investment in nuclear energy]]. It is one of 32 countries with [[nuclear power plant]]s, ranking second in the world by the [[Nuclear power by country|number of operational nuclear reactors]], at 56.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PRIS – Miscellaneous reports – Nuclear Share |url=https://pris.iaea.org/PRIS/WorldStatistics/NuclearShareofElectricityGeneration.aspx |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=pris.iaea.org}}</ref> Consequently, 70% of France's electricity is generated by nuclear power, the highest proportion in the world by a wide margin;<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2017 |title=Nuclear share figures, 2006–2016 |url=http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Facts-and-Figures/Nuclear-generation-by-country/ |access-date=8 January 2018 |publisher=World Nuclear Association |archive-date=1 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001103413/http://world-nuclear.org/info/Facts-and-Figures/Nuclear-generation-by-country/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> only Slovakia and Ukraine also derive a majority of electricity from nuclear power, at roughly 53% and 51%, respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=France |url=https://www.iaea.org/pris/CountryStatistics/CountryDetails.aspx?current=FR |access-date=8 January 2018 |website=IAEA {{!}} PRIS Power Reactor Information System |publisher=International Atomic Energy Agency}}</ref> France is considered a world leader in nuclear technology, with reactors and fuel products being major exports.<ref name=":3"/>

France's significant reliance on nuclear power has resulted in comparatively slower development of [[Renewable energy in France|renewable energy]] sources than in other Western nations. Nevertheless, between 2008 and 2019, France's production capacity from renewable energies rose consistently and nearly doubled.<ref name=":5"/> [[Hydropower]] is by far the leading source, accounting for over half the country's renewable energy sources<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=France |url=https://www.hydropower.org/country-profiles/france |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=hydropower.org |language=en}}</ref> and contributing 13% of its electricity,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Topic: Hydropower in France |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/6308/hydropower-in-france/ |access-date=5 February 2022 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> the highest proportion in Europe after Norway and Turkey.<ref name=":4"/> As with nuclear power, most hydroelectric plants, such as [[Eguzon dam|Eguzon]], [[Étang de Soulcem]], and [[Lac de Vouglans]], are managed by EDF.<ref name=":4"/> France aims to further expand hydropower into 2040.<ref name=":5"/>

===Transport===
{{Main|Transport in France}}
[[File:Creissels_et_Viaduct_de_Millau.jpg|thumb|[[Millau Viaduct]] is the [[List of tallest bridges|tallest bridge in the world]].<ref name=structurae>{{Structurae|title=Millau Viaduct|id=20000351|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref>]]
France's [[Rail transport in France|railway network]], which stretches {{Convert|29473|km|mi|0}} as of 2008,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chiffres clés du transport Édition 2010 |url=http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Chiffres_transport-pdf.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601124351/http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Chiffres_transport-pdf.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2010 |access-date=7 October 2010 |publisher=[[Ministry of Ecology|Ministère de l'Écologie, de l'Énergie, du Développement Durable et de la Mer]] |language=fr}}</ref> is the second most extensive in Western Europe after [[Rail transport in Germany|Germany]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Country comparison :: railways |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2121rank.html?countryName=France&countryCode=fr&regionCode=eu&rank=9#fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215524/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2121rank.html?countryName=France&countryCode=fr&regionCode=eu&rank=9#fr |archive-date=4 October 2013 |access-date=30 July 2010 |website=The World Factbook |publisher=CIA}}</ref> It is operated by the [[SNCF]], and high-speed trains include the [[Thalys]], the [[Eurostar]] and [[TGV]], which travels at {{Convert|320|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TGV&nbsp;– The French High-speed Train Service |url=http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/A711785 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716194231/http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/A711785 |archive-date=16 July 2012 |access-date=21 July 2011 |website=h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition|date=22 April 2002 }}</ref> The Eurostar, along with the [[Eurotunnel Shuttle]], connects with the United Kingdom through the [[Channel Tunnel]]. Rail connections exist to all other neighbouring countries in Europe except Andorra. Intra-urban connections are also well developed, with most major cities having [[Rapid transit|underground]] or tramway services complementing bus services.

There are approximately {{Convert|1027183|km|mi|0}} of serviceable roadway in France, ranking it the most extensive network of the European continent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Country comparison :: roadways |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2085rank.html?countryName=France&countryCode=fr&regionCode=eu&rank=7#fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513121037/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2085rank.html?countryName=France&countryCode=fr&regionCode=eu&rank=7#fr |archive-date=13 May 2012 |access-date=29 July 2010 |website=The World Factbook |publisher=CIA}}</ref> The Paris Region is enveloped with the densest network of roads and highways, which connect it with virtually all parts of the country. French roads also handle substantial international traffic, connecting with cities in neighbouring Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Andorra and Monaco. There is no annual registration fee or [[road tax]]; however, usage of the mostly privately owned motorways is through tolls except in the vicinity of large communes. The new car market is dominated by domestic brands such as [[Renault]], [[Peugeot]] and [[Citroën]].<ref>{{In lang|fr}} L'automobile magazine, hors-série 2003/2004 page 294</ref> France possesses the [[Millau Viaduct]], the world's tallest bridge,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bockman |first=Chris |date=4 November 2003 |title=France builds world's tallest bridge |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3237329.stm |access-date=21 July 2011}}</ref> and has built many important bridges such as the [[Pont de Normandie]]. [[Diesel fuel|Diesel]] and [[petrol]]-driven cars and lorries cause a large part of the country's [[air pollution]] and [[greenhouse gas emissions]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Damiani |first=Anne |date=15 April 2021 |title=First lockdown in France improved air quality, avoided thousands of deaths |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/air-pollution/news/first-lockdown-in-france-improved-air-quality-avoided-thousands-of-deaths/ |access-date=2 June 2021 |website=euractiv.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Yeung |first=Peter |title=How France is testing free public transport |url=https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210519-how-france-is-testing-free-public-transport |access-date=2 June 2021 |publisher=BBC |language=en}}</ref>

There are 464 [[List of airports in France|airports]] in France.<ref name=France/> [[Charles de Gaulle Airport]], located in the vicinity of Paris, is the largest and busiest airport in the country, handling the vast majority of popular and commercial traffic and connecting Paris with virtually all major cities across the world. [[Air France]] is the national carrier airline, although numerous private airline companies provide domestic and international travel services. There are ten major ports in France, the largest of which is in [[Marseille]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 April 2008 |title=Strikes block French ports |url=http://www.bdpinternational.com/news/StrikesblockFrenchports.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517035156/http://www.bdpinternational.com/news/StrikesblockFrenchports.asp |archive-date=17 May 2008 |publisher=The Journal of Commerce Online |via=BDP International}}</ref> which also is the largest bordering the Mediterranean Sea.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 June 2009 |title=Marseille : un grand port maritime qui ne demande qu'à se montrer |trans-title=Marseille: a grand seaport just waiting to show |url=http://www.laprovence.com/article/region/marseille-un-grand-port-maritime-qui-ne-demande-qua-se-montrer |website=La Provence |language=fr |access-date=30 July 2010 |archive-date=14 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114060851/http://www.laprovence.com/article/region/marseille-un-grand-port-maritime-qui-ne-demande-qua-se-montrer |url-status=dead }}</ref> {{Convert|12261|km|mi|0}} of waterways traverse France including the [[Canal du Midi]], which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean through the [[Garonne]] river.<ref name=France/>

===Science and technology===
{{Main|Science and technology in France|List of French inventions and discoveries}}
[[File:Ariane_5_with_James_Webb_Space_Telescope_Prelaunch_(51773093465).jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=Ariane 5 rocket|France is in 2020 the biggest national financial contributor to the [[European Space Agency]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Funding |url=https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Funding |website=esa.int}}</ref> which conceived the [[Ariane (rocket family)|Ariane rocket family]], launched from [[Guiana Space Centre|French Guiana]] ([[Ariane 5]] pictured).]]
Since the [[Middle Ages]], France has contributed to scientific and technological achievement. In the early 11th century, the French-born [[Pope Sylvester II]] reintroduced the [[abacus]] and [[armillary sphere]] and introduced [[Arabic numerals]] and [[clock]]s to much of Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |first=William |last=Godwin |year=1876 |title=Lives of the Necromancers |url=https://archive.org/details/livesnecromance04godwgoog |page=232}}</ref> The [[University of Paris]], founded in the mid-12th century, is still one of the most important academic institutions in the Western world.<ref>André Thuilier, Histoire de l'université de Paris et de la Sorbonne, Paris, Nouvelle librairie de France, 1994</ref> In the 17th century, mathematician and philosopher [[René Descartes]] pioneered [[Rationalism|rationalism as a method for acquiring scientific knowledge]], while [[Blaise Pascal]] became famous for his work on [[probability]] and [[fluid mechanics]]; both were key figures of the [[Scientific Revolution]], which blossomed in Europe during this period. The [[French Academy of Sciences]], founded in the mid-17th century by [[Louis XIV]] to encourage and protect French [[Scientific method|scientific research]], was one of the earliest [[Academy of sciences|national scientific institutions]] in history.

The [[Age of Enlightenment]] was marked by the work of biologist [[Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon|Buffon]], one of the first naturalists to recognize [[ecological succession]], and chemist [[Antoine Lavoisier|Lavoisier]], who discovered the role of [[oxygen]] in [[combustion]]. [[Denis Diderot|Diderot]] and [[Jean le Rond d'Alembert|D'Alembert]] published the ''[[Encyclopédie]]'', which aimed to give the public access to "useful knowledge" that could be applied to everyday life.<ref>Burke, Peter, A social history of knowledge: from Gutenberg to Diderot, Malden: Blackwell Publishers Inc., 2000, p. 17</ref> The [[Industrial Revolution]] of the 19th century saw spectacular scientific developments in France, with [[Augustin Fresnel]] founding modern [[optics]], [[Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot|Sadi Carnot]] laying the foundations of [[thermodynamics]], and [[Louis Pasteur]] pioneering [[microbiology]]. Other eminent French scientists of the period have their [[List of the 72 names on the Eiffel Tower|names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower]].

Famous French scientists of the 20th century include the mathematician and physicist [[Henri Poincaré]]; physicists [[Henri Becquerel]], [[Pierre Curie|Pierre]] and [[Marie Curie]], who remain famous for their work on [[radioactivity]]; physicist [[Paul Langevin]]; and virologist [[Luc Montagnier]], co-discoverer of [[HIV AIDS]]. [[Hand transplantation]] was developed in [[Lyon, France|Lyon]] in 1998 by an international team that included [[Jean-Michel Dubernard]], who afterward performed the first successful double hand transplant.<ref name="dubernard1">{{Cite journal |last1=Lanzetta M |last2=Petruzzo P |last3=Dubernard JM |last4=Margreiter |first4=Raimund |last5=Schuind |first5=Frederic |last6=Breidenbach |first6=Warren |last7=Nolli |first7=Roberta |last8=Schneeberger |first8=Stephan |last9=Van Holder |first9=Carlo |display-authors=3 |date=July 2007 |title=Second report (1998–2006) of the International Registry of Hand and Composite Tissue Transplantation |journal=Transpl Immunol. |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=1–6 |doi=10.1016/j.trim.2007.03.002 |pmid=17584595}}</ref> [[Remote surgery|Telesurgery]] was [[Lindbergh operation|first performed]] by French surgeons led by [[Jacques Marescaux]] on 7 September 2001 across the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name="istmarescaux">{{Cite web |author=Dr. Ghodoussi |title=Media Collection |url=http://www.intersurgtech.com/media.html |access-date=14 November 2011 |publisher=Interface Surgical Technologies, LLC}}</ref> A [[face transplant]] was first done on 27 November 2005 by [[Bernard Devauchelle]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Austin |first=Naomi |date=17 October 2006 |title=My face transplant saved me |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6058696.stm |access-date=25 November 2007}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=30 November 2005 |title=Woman has first face transplant |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4484728.stm}}</ref> France ranked 11th in the 2023 [[Global Innovation Index]], compared to 16th in 2019.<ref>{{Cite book |last=WIPO |title=Global Innovation Index 2023, 15th Edition |url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2023/index.html |access-date=2023-10-17 |date=12 December 2023 |publisher=World Intellectual Property Organization |doi=10.34667/tind.46596 |isbn=9789280534320 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Innovation Index 2019 |url=https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/2019/index.html |access-date=2 September 2021 |website=www.wipo.int |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=RTD - Item |url=https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/rtd/items/691898 |access-date=2 September 2021 |website=ec.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 October 2013 |title=Global Innovation Index |url=https://knowledge.insead.edu/entrepreneurship-innovation/global-innovation-index-2930 |access-date=2 September 2021 |website=INSEAD Knowledge |language=en |archive-date=2 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902101622/https://knowledge.insead.edu/entrepreneurship-innovation/global-innovation-index-2930 |url-status=dead }}</ref>