Discovery of France: A Historical Geography From The Revolution To First World WarA narrative of exploration—full of strange landscapes and even stranger inhabitants—that explains the enduring fascination of France. While Gustave Eiffel was changing the skyline of Paris, large parts of France were still terra incognita. Even in the age of railways and newspapers, France was a land of ancient tribal divisions, prehistoric communication networks, and pre-Christian beliefs. French itself was a minority language.Graham Robb describes that unknown world in arresting narrative detail. He recounts the epic journeys of mapmakers, scientists, soldiers, administrators, and intrepid tourists, of itinerant workers, pilgrims, and herdsmen with their millions of migratory domestic animals. We learn how France was explored, charted, and colonized, and how the imperial influence of Paris was gradually extended throughout a kingdom of isolated towns and villages.The Discovery of France explains how the modern nation came to be and how poorly understood that nation still is today. Above all, it shows how much of France—past and present—remains to be discovered. |
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Abbé Grégoire Alps Alsace ancient animals Auvergne Aveyron Basque boat Bordeaux Breton Brittany BSAP cagots Canal carriage Cassini centre of France Cévennes church coach colonies cross Decazeville département dialects discovered dogs expedition forest Français French Gaul girl hamlets hills horses Hufton human hundred industrial inhabitants journey known Lagneau land landscape language Languedoc later Lavallée lived Loire Lorraine Louis Lyon map of France Marlin Marseille Martel Massif Central Mediterranean Mérimée migrants miles modern Mont mountains Napoleon neighbouring never Nîmes nineteenth century Normandy Orléans Paris Parisian passed patois pays peasants Peuchet population priest Provence provinces Pyrenean Pyrenees railway region Revolution Rhône river road Roman route Saint Saint-Amans Savoy seemed seen Stendhal stone thousand tiny Toulouse Tour de France tourists town travellers tribal valley Vendée Verdon Gorges village Virgin Vosges Voyage walked women