THIS WORLD OF OURS: FRANCE

[Music] do you know the land where the eiffel tower rises in fantastic filigree against the sky where the incredibly beautiful city of light spreads its fascinating patterns from the inspiring palace of versailles to the hallowed glory of the historic bastille from the colorful atmosphere of old montmartre to the nostalgic scenes of the boulevard de montparnasse where the rolling river sane still flows down the whispering paths of the centuries you know that land everyone does it is france the city paris paris where the place de la concard one of the world's most magnificent public squares enchants the eye with the artistry of its statues and the beauty of its monuments paris capital of the french spirit of that joie de vivre you'll find nowhere else where the people and the spectacle are as exciting as the wine and the temperament where the living magic of the famed tulare gardens weaves a spell of old world fascination [Music] and the famous loom with its architecture and its arts holds you spellbound and then there's the paris opera house an artistic masterpiece in itself but when you speak of masterpieces you speak of notre dame it's monumental splendor a reflection of the spiritual faith of a nation the place the rivoli today a teeming traffic center yesterday the very spot where joan of arc made of orleans fell wounded during the siege of paris but this great city on the scene is a strange composite of the past and the present of the old and the new for paris is as fabulous as the amazing pages of her history yet as modern as the skyliners that make the orley airport their european terminal she can offer you just about everything from a pleasant hour at a picturesque bookstall on the riverfront where the yellowed pages of the masters invite your introspection to the exciting adventure of her sidewalk cafes where your thirst and your curiosity will be equally satisfied she will show you one of her own favorite sports the colorful and unusual tour de france whose racing cyclists annually leave here for a cross-country marathon lasting some 30 days she will invite you down her noble chance elysee that beautiful and historic thoroughfare that has felt the tread of many armies heard the stirring call of countless triumphant bugles she will take you to her mighty octi trion where the records of many battles are inscribed where sleeps france's unknown soldier of world war one today other monuments stand along the channel shores of normandy solemn reminders of other heroes here where blood-red waters stained the blazing beaches thousands gave their lives that france might be free you gaze along this wreck-strewn surf at the rusting rotting remnants of what not too long ago was the most tremendous invasion operation in history and the picture of that cataclysmic scene comes to vivid roaring light you look upon a town where steel and fire did their devil's work and you know that france must always be free and she is free her liberty loving people already resuming their high place in the modern world you learn too that this land is not only one of storied cities it is equally renowned for the bounty and the beauty of its farms for the productiveness of its soil [Music] today as yesterday the thrifty industrious french farmer works his own fertile fields though his equipment may be often somewhat antiquated his inherent love of the land and his capacity for toil help him to produce in normal times more than enough to feed himself and his country from the story of the farm to that of the sea and now you're in colorful old marseille this second city of the nation situated in southern france is known as the port of all men since the ships of all flags make it a mediterranean rendezvous here the busy streets are alive with traffic and you marvel at the scene at the unusual and the strange like these french african rug vendors with their exotic wares at the vast activity of the docks where the teeming commerce of the sea adds its own romantic atmosphere to the exciting picture to marseille gateway to the east come the cargoes of many lands the tales of many oceans and the toil of the stevedore never ceases marseille is the main induction center of the foreign legion in their faces you can read the stories of the men who have joined these regiments of the anonymous and the lost but the legion itself keeps its own council its deeds on the battlefield speaking for its conscience [Music] just across the harbor at fort sanjan senegalese troopers from french west africa fighting members of an organization noted for its indomitable courage and its matchless esprit de corps these men are the nemesis of france's enemies everywhere those scars are self-inflicted the proud facial insignia of a veteran [Music] you find that marseille harbor is noted for many things among them the barkers who urge the visitor to join an excursion out to fabulous chateau deep celebrated as the prison of dumas famous count of monte cristo this foreboding structure is a fitting locale to stir anyone's imagination whether or not the colorful monte cristo ever sojourn here in solitary loneliness does not matter in the least from busy seaport to rolling countryside and now you're traveling toward new adventure on one of the modern trains of the french national railroads or perhaps your destination is grass in the maritime alps noted for its picturesque location and its foremost industry perfume here where over 60 000 acres of hill and valley are planted in violets tuber roses jasmine and a variety of other fragrant flowers are made the famous perfumes that france exports to the world this man is called the nose an appropriate title for it is he who blends the scents and various perfumes to concoct the final product millions of pounds of flowers are used annually for secret scents along with highly specialized techniques all to make milady more glamorous whether perfume or wine each must have its own bouquet and the vineyards of france produce one third of the world's finest vintages champagne burgundy bordeaux all our famous wines from famous french grape growing provinces leo the country's third largest city is the silk capital of france here are woven the filmy fabrics that have made this southeastern french community literally self-supporting [Music] from south to extreme north and now your ever-changing ever intriguing scene is the coast of normandy where fishing is the major industry the minute sardine and the farther roaming tuna the main maritime products brittany ii has its fish and fishermen and an equally salty flavor while it's women wearing their traditional lace head dresses add their own colorful touch to the north sea scenery but what's this oh yes those hard pedaling bicycle racers of our famous tour de france and in a far distant section from that start in paris through village and city and open country they're clicking off those kilometers on schedule [Music] south once more and this time it's a boat's eye view of khan on the french riviera khan glittering jewel of the beautiful cote d'azur blue coast of the mediterranean this world-renowned resort city noted for its balmy climate in sunny sea is one more romantic spot in a nation long celebrated for its many and varied romantic contrasts as for the feminine side of the picture it leaves little to the imagination and even less to the bathing suit in the south of france you'll see many a water festival with water jousting as a main attraction in the days of chivalry they did this on horseback but the effect is much the same even though the chivalry is definitely lacking [Music] perhaps one of the most inspiring of all religious shrines is that of lourdes and its miraculous grotto to this sacred place from the far stretches of france and the world come the afflicted in body and spirit to seek the healing magic of faith and of the grotto's life-giving waters this great shrine of the catholic world is open to all denominations and many are the pilgrimages made in quest of its healing powers the story of lords is the story of bernadette the little peasant girl whose long ago vision of our lady of lourdes has ever since been the source of many miraculous cures of those who have shared her faith and never lost hope solemn religious processions are an integral part of the daily ceremonies at this famous shrine in the fastness of the pyrenees and the majestic beauty of the scene is only surpassed by the spiritual beauty of the hope that inspires it a hope that is everywhere the afflicted the sick and the stricken the halt and the blind people of every religion and of no religion receive the blessing here indeed is christianity in its most exalted form seeking with faith and prayer that supreme mercy from above [Music] we're back in paris again and the famous sport of kings at longshan where the latest styles are on parade and the horses are away running for gold and turf them glory in another thrilling grand tree they race clockwise here but it's not so much where they go as how they go in this fast stepping bit of high speed and high stakes where the thoroughbred royalty of france thunder down the stretch toward the winner's circle down the home stretch with the long striding leaders fighting it out and the voice of the crowd urging them on to that driving hard charging finish is the land called france such the sparkling and beautiful city of paris the city of light and laughter where the rue de la pay and the stately champs-elysees are equally enchanting and the eiffel tower rises in majesty against the blue sky you'll never forget them for france is beautiful and paris is her spirit ever calling you back you