Awed by the greatness and beauty of France

Chartres, France. Tired of Paris and staying away from the many temptations of sins, we have withdrawn to this charming ancient city of Chartres, some 90 kilometers southwest of Paris. It is just as far as Cebu City to Badian, or Moalboal passing through Dumanjug, Ronda, and Alcantara.

But Chartres is a city of marvelous cathedrals and basilicas, excellent museums, libraries, convents and monasteries. It is a city more inclined to the spirit than to the flesh. This is where the Saint Paul Sisters of Chartres was founded. I am associated with the SPC sisters because of my membership in the Board of Trustees of some of their universities and other institutions. That is why I insisted that our pilgrimage spend a day and a night here to cleanse us of the blemishes from Paris' fixations on sinful things. It is here that I contemplate on France, a great nation with beautiful cities and a fantastic countryside, with verdant valleys and luxuriant vegetation in its hills, mountains and plateaus.

France is bounded by Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany in the northeast, by Switzerland and Italy in the east, and Spain in the south. Its vast territories extend from the Meditterranean sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and also from Rhine River to the Atlantic Ocean. France is one of the world's oldest nations, actually, the result of an alliance among many duchies and principalities under a single ruler during the Middle Ages. The State and the Central government, according to its Constitution, are the primary guardians of the peoples' liberty and security, and the top instrumentality for the French peoples' well-being. The current presidentand head of state  is Emmanuel Macron and the prime minister or head of government is Eduard Phillippe.

France's leading cities include Paris, the world's most pre-eminent center ( if New York and London concur) of culture, arts, fashion and commerce.; and Lyon, located the ancient Rhone Valley linking the North Sea and the Meditteranean; Marsielle, a multi-ethnic port city founded by the Greek and Carthaginian traders in the sixth century; Nantes, an industrial centre and deepwater harbor coast, and Bordeaux along the Caronne River in the southwestern France. The metropolitan France encompass Auvergne Rhone Aples, the home of French skiing; Bourogne with tons of Medieval history and with beautiful natural scenery: Brittany, in the rugged western peninsula, home of the Celts; Centre Val de Loire, the country's agricultural and horticultural region;Corsica; Grand Est; Hauts de France; Ile de France; Normandy, site of the fiercest battle during the second world war; Occitaine and a lot more.

The beauty of France is shown its awesome places like Paris, Loire Valley, Toulouse, Strasbourge, Boundeaux, and Lyon. The most beautiful villages of France include the Les Pius Beaux Villages de France, the fantastic Eiffel Tower, the world's most visited paid piece of infrastructure.It splendors in beauty viewed from our hotel (while in Paris), in its rooftop overlooking the Place de Trocadero. The Louvre is the world's most visited paid museum, aside from the Musee de Orangerie. another fantastic site to see is the majestic Notre Dame  Cathedral, which has just been restored to its regal beauty. Also the famous ASr de Triomphe, and the Palace de Versailles.