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france:
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As with all of Europe, the history of France is an immense topic. The first inhabitants were hunters, cave
dwellers and painters. As the Northern ice-cap receded around 1500BC, an agricultural and pastoral society developed. The Gauls were their
iron age descendants and there were roughly 15million of them when the Romans invaded in 52BC.
The social and political contortions since then have been many and varied, and with them a succession of
outrageous characters have asserted their place in history,
Notably Louis XIV, Joan of Arc ad Napoleon, whose military achievements are legendary.
France has been invaded by a long succession of expansionist societies, starting with the Francs
themselves, yet it remains one of Europe's strongest cultures, even though it's situated centrally between some tough neighbors. France's
influence extends through the Mediterranean, Africa, Indo-China
and the Pacific. Their idiosyncratic way of life, reflected in the arts, culture and cuisine, is legendary.
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