Part 1/15:

A Long Voyage Through France's Rich and Tumultuous History

Origins and Prehistoric Beginnings

The history of France begins deep in prehistory, with evidence of early human activity dating back over 1.6 million years. The first inhabitants, who crafted stone tools from sites like Chilac et Lésignan la Seille, left behind traces of their existence that offer a glimpse into primitive life. Throughout the millennia, various hominids populated the land, including the Australopithecines, whose descendants, the Homo erectus, arrived in Europe around 400,000 years ago, eventually giving way approximately 40,000 years ago to the Homo sapiens—modern humans.