$Unique_ID{COW01366} $Pretitle{416} $Title{France Special Occasions} $Subtitle{} $Author{French Embassy, Washington DC} $Affiliation{French Embassy, Washington DC} $Subject{world business french france paris every far it's center come} $Date{1990} $Log{} Country: France Book: Come to France for the Time of Your Life Author: French Embassy, Washington DC Affiliation: French Embassy, Washington DC Date: 1990 Special Occasions Learning the secret of French cooking from one of the great chefs, hearing a wine-grower reveal the best way to select a cave, driving a racing car on a professional race track, drifting over the most beautiful parts of Alsace or Burgundy from a hot air balloon: these are some of the special experiences you can have in France. And that's only a beginning. You could observe the stars with the guidance of an astronomer, go white-water rafting, explore vast underground caverns and sail down underground rivers, join an archeological dig, perfect your proficiency in the violin or piano with master classes taught by the greatest soloists; or in a totally different vein, have a wedding reception in a real castle dating from the seventeeth or eighteenth century! But to enjoy any of the above, or your trip in general, you really need to feel fit and rested. Often, however, the very time you start a vacation is when you're most exhausted. It is the pride of France to have developed two methods for restoring fitness and vitality: mineral springs and thalassotherapy. Both depend on special waters, but in the first case you drink it, in the second, you bathe in it. BENEFICIAL WATERS It was the Romans some 2000 years ago who introduced us to the benefits of certain waters in the treatment of rheumatic, stomach and heart ailments. Taking the waters at a resort spa is still a favored way for Europeans to relax and improve their health while enjoying all the pleasures of a vacation. Today, Vittel in the Vosges, Evian on Lake Geneva, Vichy in Auvergne, and Luchon in the Pyrenees have become outstanding vacation spots. Each day, of course, one drinks the obligatory two, three or ten glasses of the water which comes directly from the local mineral spring. The rest of the time is for golf, tennis, riding, excursions, anything you like to lead a healthy, enjoyable life. Combined with the peaceful country side and the hushed calm of the big hotels, how can you not feel better? If you then choose to seek excitement in the casino after dinner, that's up to you. Thalassotherapy, as it's name suggests, takes place along the seashore and uses hot salt water in a number of ways. In France, the most notable spas from the North Sea to the Atlantic are Le Touquet, Deauville, Saint Malo, Roscoff, Quiberon, La Baule and Biarritz. There, after a required medical examination, you can take mud or algae baths, swim in the warm salt water pool, or have a jet shower. Your home jacuzzi will never seem the same. You complete your treatment with walks along the beach, with golf, tennis or riding, and with a healthy, delicious diet that includes lots of fresh fish and seafood. You'll see, the incredible sense of health and fitness you will experience are what real vacations are all about. PRESENT-DAY PILGRIMAGES For sceptics, this could seem a strange spectacle. But for catholics, the pilgrimage to Lourdes is an emotional and spiritual experience, for it is one of the holy places of their religion. This town at the foot of the Pyrenees was built to accommodate the pilgrims who come from all over the world to pay homage to Sainte Bernadette. In 1858 as a girl of 14, she claimed to see the Virgin appear before her on 18 occasions. These miraculous apparitions were validated the day a spring spurted forth in a grotto. In summer, fervent crowds fill the grotto to bathe in the underground pools, then gather reverently in the huge basilica. It's a moving sight to see the many invalids who come, praying for a cure that medicine cannot offer. We advise reserving hotel rooms far in advance; in 1989 almost 5 million pilgrims came to pray at Lourdes! More colorful but less dramatic are the Breton pardons, religious processions in which the women, wearing their traditional costumes with the distinctive lace coiffes on their heads, go to church to be pardoned for their sins. This ceremony is often followed by a blessing of the fishing boats to the sound of drums and bagpipes. If you have a chance to see one, don't miss it. Another impressive pilgrimage is the annual reunion of gypsies from all over Europe at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. There in the Camargue on May 24 and 25, they celebrate their patron saint, Sara, organize processions to the sea and elect their queen. They take advantage of the occasion to sing and dance well into the night, and also to attend the local bullfights. LET'S TALK BUSINESS Come to France and make money. That may be putting it bluntly, but it's also accurate. The center of international business, in the heart of the Common Market with ties to America and the Far East, and with exceptional accommodations for your business convenience and personal comfort, France is the ideal location for getting business done on a world scale. In Paris, the large hotels are equipped to meet all your communication needs; they also have conference rooms, superb private dining rooms, and facilities for hosting conventions and seminars for 50 or 4000 delegates with equal ease. Hostesses, interpreters and translaters are available to facilitate the exchange of ideas. Paris also has several exhibition centers that can hold the largest trade shows; (Porte de Versailles has 2 1/2 million square feet, and the brand new Villepinte has 900,000 square feet). So that each year, Paris becomes the center of the fashion world with its men's and women's ready-to-wear shows, with lingerie, and with jewelry shows as well. It becomes a yacht basin with the boat show, when small sailboats mingle with luxury yachts. Computers, music, interior decoration, food, housewares, agricultural machinery, each in its turn attracts more and more visitors to their exhibits. Thus, in 1989, almost a million business visitors made useful connections. That's not including the art market. Contemporary paintings of international artists are shown in Paris; and the auction house Drouot puts antique furniture and painting up for bids that are becoming astronomical. But a good buy can still be found. Every two years, the International Automobile Show and the International Aviation Show also attract buyers from every corner of the earth. And the size of some of the deals made there could make you dizzy. Paris is the center of the action, but the provinces attract their share of business visitors. No city is more than an hour by air from the capital, for example. And after a long business meeting, it's nice to take a dip in the Mediterranean or the Atlantic. That's the secret of Cannes' success when the film world descends in May to make deals during the Film Festival. But Cannes it also where the television industry meets in April, when old series are given new life by international buyers. In January, it's the record business, including classic music, jazz and variety. Nice has direct flights to New York plus the superb Acropolis exhibition center, which opened in 1984. The vast hall holds 2500 people and has a television studio, a press room, and restaurants capable of serving 4000 meals at a time. There's also Strasbourg, capital of Europe, Grenoble-a high tech center (and close to the ski slopes), or Deauville and La Baule, which have recently made vigorous efforts to welcome conventions and seminars. THE 21ST CENTURY As you discover France as a business resource, you will also encounter another aspect that is little known; France on the point of technology, even to the conquest of space with the Ariane rocket, centerpiece of our space program. What better summary of 21st century France than the City of Science and Technology in Paris where models of rockets, robots and computers are displayed? Or the Geode, a revolutionary cinema where films are projected on a spherical screen of 10,000 square feet? Also in Paris, you can see examples of some of the most avant-garde architecture, in which creativity and technical innovation combine with stunning effect. The Grande Arche can be seen from the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysees and the Arch of Triumph. Inaugurated in July 1989 by the heads of state of the whole world, it is truly a masterpiece, with the largest vaulted arch anywhere. The Omnisport Palace of Bercy, the Arab World Institute, and of course, the Pyramid at the Louvre are other examples of French achievement setting the pace for the next century. And let's not overlook the high-speed train (called the TGV) that connects Paris and Nantes at almost 200 miles an hour. It went as fast as 280 mph the day it broke the world speed record. It your wife has joined you on your business trip, why not take a rest on the way back in one of the enchanted isles? THE ENCHANTED ISLES The sun shines all year. The temperature never goes below 65 degrees nor above 85, and the water stays at 75. A soft breeze fills the sails of the boats, ripples the palm trees, freshens the air. The French flag flies, French cuisine and French wines are the main fare, French standards prevail in the accommodations. Yet these islands, whether departmental or part of the overseas territories, are far, very far from the mother country. Scattered throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, each has its own unique character and will enchant you with its own magic. Here are some of their hidden assets. THE DISCOVERIES OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS He thought he had discovered heaven on earth. "For this is the loveliest island in the world" he exclaimed in 1502 when he landed on the shores of Martinique. His words are as true today as they were then. Set in a transparent turquoise sea with miles of fine sand beaches, tropical forests, hotels to suit every preference, Martinique is aptly called "the pearl of the Caribbean". There you can enjoy every sport, every cuisine, and of course, an incredible selection of tropical rum drinks. One visit may not be enough for you. Guadeloupe and its sister islands, Marie Galante, the Saintes, and Desirade provide serious competition for Martinique. The scenery is as beautiful, the inlets as welcoming to boats, the population as lively. It's hard to choose between them; you'll have to try them both to form an opinion. A little further north, Saint Martin and Saint Bartholomew are two small, charming islands. "Saint Bart" has become an "in spot for jet-setters"; you may find yourself rubbing shoulders with the "beautiful people". THE FAR CORNERS OF THE EARTH Between Australia and California there are 130 islands, of which the best known are Tahiti, The Marquises, Moorea and Bora-Bora. Far from the noise and furor of the industrial world, they are havens of peace. Gaughin, Jacques Brel and Marlon Brando, to name just a few, fell in love with these volcanic green atolls rising from the depths, their blue lagoons mirroring the sky. You too will fall under the spell of French Polynesia, which has retained its natural simplicity, its languorous pace. Watch the fishing catamarans sail off as you walk along the beaches; shop for mother-of-pearl jewelry, or black pearls. Bring back a pareo, the colorful dress of local women. New Caledonia is an island some 250 miles long, and boasts a triple ring of mountains reaching 10,000 feet, the most beautiful lagoon in the world, magnificent white sand beaches, and spectacular underwater scenery of coral and tropical fish. And if you really want to get away from it all, Wallis and Futuna are two archipelagos almost completely cut off from the world. Serviced by only two flights a week, they offer tranquillity amid breadfruit, orange and mango trees, and a native population who still follow their ancient traditions. INDIAN OCEAN MELTING POT This is the most spectacular of all the French Islands, with its tropical vegetation, luxurian train forests, dazzling flowers everywhere, birds of every color, and its mixed population. The Isle of Reunion deserves its name, when you consider that it celebrates with equal fervor the Chinese New Year, the Indian Festival of Lights, the Tamil festival and Christmas! This is the place for breathtaking nature walks. If beaches, swimming and canoeing are what you're looking for, you'll prefer the island of Mayotte. White sand, lagoons, and a guaranteed tan; this is a dream come true.