From Psychedelic Traveller

France, officially the French Republic (French: République française), is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various overseas islands and territories located in other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is often referred to as L’Hexagone (The “Hexagon”) because of the geometric shape of its territory. France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its main ideals expressed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Metropolitan France is bordered (in clockwise direction from the north) by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra, and Spain. France's overseas departments and collectivities also share land borders with Brazil and Suriname (bordering French Guiana), and the Netherlands Antilles (bordering Saint-Martin). France is linked to the United Kingdom by the Channel Tunnel, which passes underneath the English Channel.

History

Around 1992, a wide range of techno sounds was available ranging from hardcore to goa trance and gabber. Depending on the party, one could hear one sound in a Free party and an other in the more "legal" ones. In the 90's the political repression appeared and accelerated this phenomena. The Free party movement' got organized and started to fight while other groups in the techno mouvement were trying to survive and face aggressive repression.

New authorisations required by the government in order to legalized the parties were most of the time denied and parties were cancelled without real justification a few days before the due date of the events. Gouvernement had decided to contain Rave movement! Free movement stayed alert and biggest regulars 'Technival', 50000 people, could not be stopped.

During those years of repression free parties became more and more underground with a very very young crowd and no medical help and drug prevention... So it finally looked like a military wearing teenagers herd dancing in the mud! The millenium brought a new rebirth ... the come back started. Time after time the mouvement grew.

[2009] Jump on the ride in FRANCE

written by Fatomic & Limpts

The alarm clock has awaken you to a new day. Get dress pick up your tickets and Allleeezzz.... Next destination : France. Jump on the ride, welcome to the French Trance Scene.

Memories from the past year fly.. Traveling miles from the South to the North, from the East to the West. The year has been filled of great moments from large parties with a very strong rave flavor like the Sterenn Party in Paris in February (more than a 1000 people) with international artists such as Astrix, the annual party in Porcieux ´Oceanidesªwith the Hadra team, ´Digital Harmonium by Elecrohm association and this year New Year party ´Digital Harmoniumª by the Gaia association. And the two festivals...The one done by Arcadia/Aqua veda in a magical forest/park and the one by the Hadra team surrounded by moutains. And the smaller parties, families gathering, specially the ones done in the south of France near Perpignan in Cubiere like the space pirate revolution,

No time to stay at home during the week end and watch TV. From January to March 2009 more than eleven parties just near and around Paris.Almost a party every week end. Far are the days, when people were scared of organizing a party due to governement restriction.

Did not even realized but you are at the door of the party. Showing your entrance ticket, you see some familiar faces. Standing outside you can hear the sound coming out strong. As you walk in, you realize something has changed. There are many new faces, younger, beautifull people megling with the older crowd. You fill a strong and energetic vibe surrounding you as if you were in a passionate artistic bubbling bottle ready to explode. From the topics read on the Forum Trance Goa, psytrance passion and psytrancepassion.com, there seems to be a major change on the scene. The new school is getting ready to leed the way. Listening to their elderest they got their experience and knowledge. They saw and lived what should and should not be done. Meanwhile, the old school welcomed the new ideas. Small associations are flourishing in all parts of the country: Atomes (Paris) and les lutins transkill's.

As you step deeper into the party, you come accross the essential components of a great trance party or festival: the decoration (like the one done by les lucioles, FMR for Hadra, Punkadelik or the createurs travellers), the lights and Vjing (such are the one by bocal-f.com for Aqua Veda, the amazing lazer show done at the sterenn party).

Than comes the junglers and fire attraction as the sound highest its BPM. As you get deeper into the night, a desire for food is tickling you and you decide to go for a small walk around the stands.

Tired, you come to the Chill out room for some comfort, surrounded by strangers, you can smell the essence. You can hear people talk, you feel secure, your body is becoming one with the sound of one of the Altimea record artist,. the French Ambiant/ Chill out Label from Lyon who has signed some real powerful international artists such as AES Dana, Tajmahal, H.U.V.A network, Solar Fields, Jaia, Vibrasphere and Aural Planet to just name a few...

Slowly drifting away, you start to think of the great festivals and parties for the year to come. The festival arcadia who this year's theme focuses on environmental protection awarness with its vegetal wall and psychedelic garden. The hadra festival, located near a lake surrounded by the Alps, promissing a great international line up. The world people festival in July and of course Fairy Fantasy festival which will open the begining of this summer gatherings. Large and small parties : the Voodoo light Bday Party in the South of France, Crespy Ritual Trance 2 in Montpellier by Mas 2 Crespy, Return to the Source by Chrystalide in Perpignan, Deep space adventure in Porcieux by Hadra.All these parties and festivals, where you will be able to have all your sences be greatly challenged. Want a small family tribe party, a large rave, a festival? ask and this year the French Trance scene will deliver once again. The scene, a world created by enthousiastic, voluteer, passionate creative people. A place where you will be able to get away from the harsh reality of today's world.

As you start to fall a sleep...a smile come to your face. The trance dogma (les valeurs) : freedom, unity, spirituality, love and friendship so well portrayed by the new organisation: the Happy Tribal Family come to your mind. Today you know in your heart that no matter what happens in this word of crazy financial crisis there is a parralel world that could lead a new revolution. You feel safe. The sentences we are one we are all is finally taking on all its meaning.