This is a recap of France as it was described in the France sourcebook published in French by Jeux Descartes, with comments in brackets regarding canonicity. Note that this book was published in september 1997. The author couldn't obviously known what FASA and FanPro authors could write in posterious books.
See France for the US canon version as presented in Shadows of Europe.
Government[]
The supreme power if helf by the Conseil Oligarchique which includes a voting representative of the Orléans, Bourbon, Murat and Bonaparte families, and non voting representative of the Church, Britanny druids and Villiers family (Anton Villiers, son of Richard and Samantha, never mentionned in any US book). The 180 senators are elected by an electoral college of all noblemen mainly. The 300 representatives in the National Assembly are chosen by dukes and heads of regions. The 650 representatives of the People's Chamber are elected by the French population, but they only have a consultative power.
France was reorganized territorialy in dukedoms. The dukes can enact their own local laws, and maintain security and military forces.
Economy[]
AAA major presence in France were in 2057 Fuchi Industrial Electronics, Renraku Computer Systems (European HQ in Toulouse, instead of Paris as in the Germany SB and Munich in Corporate Download), Yamatetsu, Saeder-Krupp and Shiawase.
Major European corporations were Industries Esprit, Renault-Fiat, Airbus Industries (though without any significant assets in Toulouse or Hambourg), the European Space Agency (bought by S-K in the 2020s or 2030s according to Corporate Download and Target:Wastelands), European Arm Works, Philips Tacticom, Air Europe, Europulsar and the European Investment Bank.
Major French corporations were Matra-Thomson, Embraer-Dassault-Snecma (Dassault is said to be a subsidiary of Aztechnology in Rigger 3 and Corporate Download), Compagnie Française d'Energie, Telecom Matrice Technologies (see below), Compagnie Française des Services Publics, Alcatel-Labinal-Sagemadd and the Industries de Fontainebleau (see below).
Grid[]
The French grid is run by Telecom Matrice Technologies (in Matrix, it is said Saeder-Krupp runs it). TMT programmers are also known to have coded Zurich-Orbital ICE. The whole French network is isolated from the rest of the world by a unique server, called "La Passerelle", "the Gateway" in english. In 2029, this server was cut soon enough to avoid any loss of data from the virus.
Awakening[]
The Mist of Britanny[]
Three quarters of Britanny is completely covered by the "Mist". Everybody that enter the Mist disappears. Ropes are untied, drones ceases to function immediately. People reaching the Mist in the astral also disappear, leaving their physical body dying. Rumors say that Lofwyr attempted to enter the Mist with an escort of combat mages, but abandonned, suffering several physical wounds.
The Dragon of Auvergne[]
After the eruption of the Auvergne volcanoes in 2011, a dragon was discovered lying in the crater of the Puy de Sancy. It is "certainly the largest Great Western Dragons" ever seen, 30 or 40 meters long, with a wingspan of 50 meters.
Monsieur de Fontainebleau[]
Monsieur de Fontainbleau is considered as the single most powerful figure in France. He bought the area of Fontainebleau in 2006, ousting 48,000 inhabitants. His company, the Industries de Fontainbleau, with labs in Fontainebleau, Paris, Marseille, SOX, and an orbital station, is ahead in biotechnology and magical research. Fontainebleau is said to be a personal friend of Damien Knight and M. Darke of Aztechnology (yeah, I know, don't ask).