FRANCE is one country that is lucky because it is featured in the first major Hollywood release of the year, National Treasure: Book of Secrets. But not everything in France was featured in the movie and only a total of about five minutes was dedicated to it. More importantly though is that the scene highlighted the miniature of the Statue of Liberty in France which is smaller than the towering Eiffel Tower in the distance. The scene in the movie is relevant since it introduced the little Statue of Liberty replica in Paris to the rest of the world. This is significant because the original Statue of Liberty was built in France and shipped to the United States. It underscores what France’s message to the United States and the rest of the world is – that it values liberty so much and will do anything to protect it.

And that has been the motto of the French people all along that’s why visiting France in 2008 and ultimately living in here is one such noble idea. Aside from valuing liberty, the people of France are said to be intellectual and romantic. There is one such example on the French people valuing liberty and the current president of France himself, Nicholas Sarkozy, is a living testament to that. France, as we know that even if it is a predominantly Roman Catholic country, is not a religious state but is a secular one. That is one point in proclaiming the French’s notion in valuing liberty – there is a separation of Church and state policies. As I’ve stated earlier, Sarkozy is a living testament to that. Why? Simply because Sarkozy is a practicing Roman Catholic yet he has been divorced twice already. When he first assumed his term in mid-2007, the first lady of France then was Cecilia Sarkozy. Then in the third quarter of that year, Nicholas suddenly divorced her and he now has a new girlfriend – model Carla Bruni. Nicholas and Carla will be married pretty soon and France will have a new first lady. And the French people have definitely embraced that because as espoused in 1884 when the Statue of Liberty was constructed, they underscore the value of freedom so much.

And because of the mindset of the French people, their president is able to concentrate more in state functions such as the signing of a landmark atomic treaty with the United Arab Emirates. The UAE as we know it is a very rich country and providing nuclear energy to the UAE can make France rich because UAE can definitely afford to pay. Previously, Sarkozy was in Saudi Arabia and Qatar after forging more trade agreements for their people. It has likewise forged an agreement to provide nuclear energy to Libya and Algeria. The French people’s diligence can truly be reflected through their president’s actions. How about getting a closer look at that by visiting France this year? That is definitely something worthwhile to look forward to.

It is a journey easily planned, France Rail are a reliable service and so you are able to concerntrate more on your holiday than solely the getting there! Tickets can be researched online, travel is efficient and furthermore, there is a degree of flexibility to rail travel and so you can take your holiday how you want to take it without being restricted.

You only then have to worry about the hotels and the sight-seeing from here!