Most visited country: Why France is number 1 again in 2024.

France has been a magnet for years: Paris as a perennial favorite, the Alps and Riviera as counterpoints, plus wine, castles, and forty-five UNESCO World Heritage sites. In 2023, the country surpassed the mark of one hundred million foreign visitors. Evaluations for 2024 confirm the top spot with a slight increase and record revenues in the tourism sector. Spain follows closely behind, but France's mix of city, coast, and rural regions remains hard to beat. Interesting: Vacations are not just planned for Paris, but spread across many regions, which doesn't prevent traffic jams during peak season but distributes them better. Industry reports predict further growth in the coming years, especially from long-haul markets. For travelers, this means booking well-known spots in advance and considering alternatives, such as the Atlantic coast instead of the Côte d'Azur or Dijon instead of Paris. For cities, visitor management, public transport, and smart ticketing systems help maintain quality and acceptance.

Twelve time zones: How one country spans the globe.

"France has the most time zones" sounds like a pub myth, but it's true. The trick lies in the overseas territories: from the Caribbean to South America, and all the way to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. If you count only European France, it's a single time zone. Including the overseas territories, it becomes twelve, and in some counts even 13, if you consider Antarctic claims or seasonal adjustments. Practically, this means that French authorities, airline schedules, and TV rights regularly juggle with half the globe. For travelers, it's an advantage: the same country covers tropical lagoons, volcanic islands, rainforests, and South Sea rhythms. So, if you're in the mood for "France, but completely different," you can hop from Paris to Papeete with the same passport—legally still France, culturally a different world.

Baguette on the UNESCO list: more than flour, water, salt, and yeast.

The "Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread" has been intangible cultural heritage since 2022. It sounds grand, but it doesn't protect any single recipe. It's about the traditional craft: the dough, the fermentation, the proofing, the scoring technique, the daily ritual in bakeries, and the social moment when people pick up "their" baguette. The status helps attract new talent and strengthen local mills, baker guilds, and quality labels. For foodies, it’s a signal: craftsmanship matters. A good baguette has a crackling crust, moist crumb, and an aroma that doesn’t come from additives. In Paris, the annual "Grand Prix de la Baguette" competition is worth noting—the winning bakery traditionally supplies the Élysée Palace.

Decimal time: When the day had ten hours.

Revolution breeds innovation. In 1793, the French experimentally introduced decimal time: ten hours per day, one hundred minutes per hour, one hundred seconds per minute. This fit with the new metric system and was meant to signify a break from the old order. The problem: humans don't live by tables. Clocks had to be rebuilt, international communication became more difficult, and habits were hard to change. In 1795, the experiment was over, although some cities held on a bit longer privately. Still, it's worth a look: the idea shows how radically a country can rethink its systems and how quickly everyday life, economy, and technology can set limits. Today, the spirit of decimalization lives on in the metric system; the clock remained traditional, perhaps fortunately.

1. The guillotine was used until 1977; capital punishment ended in 1981.

2. The croissant’s roots are Viennese.

3. The Eiffel Tower expands roughly 15 cm in heat.

4. There’s a French village named just “Y.”

5. Posthumous marriage is legal with presidential approval (Art. 171).

6. Paris Syndrome: rare, intense culture shock among some tourists.

7. The Statue of Liberty was a French gift.

8. Europe’s spaceport is in Kourou, French Guiana.

9. Jeanne Calment holds the longevity record at 122.

10. Big supermarkets must donate edible surplus food.