The Discovery of France

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by Graham Robb

Large portions of France were remained terra incognita while Gustave Eiffel was transforming the skyline of Paris. France was a place of old tribal divides, prehistoric communication networks, and pre-Christian beliefs even in the era of trains and newspapers. French was a minority language in and of itself. Graham Robb paints a vivid picture of that unknown world through his tale. He tells the stories of mapmakers, scientists, warriors, bureaucrats, and adventurous visitors, as well as nomadic laborer's, pilgrims, and herders with their millions of migrating domestic animals.

We study about the exploration, charting, and colonisation of France, as well as how Paris' imperial power was progressively spread throughout a kingdom of scattered cities and villages. The Discovery of France describes how the present nation came to be, as well as how little it is known today. Above all, it demonstrates how much of France, both past and current, needs to be explored.

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Above all, simplify the French language and abolish irregular verbs – a measure that would have rescued countless schoolchildren from the despotism of pernickety pedagogues.

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Above all, simplify the French language and abolish irregular verbs – a measure that would have rescued countless schoolchildren from the despotism of pernickety pedagogues.

— Graham Robb, The Discovery of France