A list of mosques in France can be found at:

http://www.islamicfinder.org/cityPrayer.php?country=france

To locate a synagogue near you, try the yellow pages at:

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr (enter the word 'synagogues' and the town name)

Religion across France as a whole is less strong than in the past, with only 50% of marriages consecrated in church and 60% of babies baptised. However, France's famous shrine of Our Lady at Lourdes still attracts many thousands of visitors each year, hoping for a miracle cure.

The Catholic church in France also runs many private schools, which receive considerable state funding. Socialist attempts to withdraw this funding have always provoked an outcry and been unsuccessful.

For details of local places of worship, contact your town hall (Mairie). The yellow pages holds lists of churches and religious centres (look under 'Eglises' or 'Cultes'), including American and English churches. To find services conducted in English, you may wish to contact the Intercontinental Church Society, either in writing at: 1 Athena Drive, Tachbrook Park, Warwick, CV34 6NL, UK (telephone 01926 430347) or by email to enquiries@ics-uk.org .The society also publishes the 'Directory of English-Speaking Churches Abroad', covering France and many other countries.

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