France is a country located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France borders Belgium and Luxembourg to the northeast, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the south-east and Spain to the south-west, across the Pyrenees mountain range. The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south of France, with the Principality of Monaco forming a small enclave. To the west, France has a long Atlantic Ocean coastline, while to the north lies the English Channel, across which lies the last of France's neighbors, England. France was a Monarchy till the French Revolution took place in 1789. After a series of unstable governments, Napoleon Bonaparte gained control of the Republic in 1799. He established himself as the Emperor of the First French Empire and was finally defeated in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. This led to a resurgence of the French Monarchy. In spite of the victories in World War I and II, France suffered from many losses. Nevertheless, France today is developed country and one of the leading nations of EU. France has a rich cultural heritage in terms architecture, art and literature. The French made indelible contributions in literature and art during Renaissance which ultimately influenced the western culture. The Cannes Film Festival is the world's most prestigious film festival and is held in May each year in Cannes, in the south of France. The most prestigious award given out at Cannes is the Golden Palm for the best film. You can drive to Cannes by renting a car; you can rent a car at Nice airport for as long as you want for acceptable prices. French cuisine is famous world wide. French cheese and French wine are very popular both as ingredients and as accompaniments. The cuisine from north-east shows influences of Spanish cuisine, Catalan cuisine and Italian cuisine. The French are also famous for desserts especially pastries, crepes and choux a la crème.