Top 10 Western Europe facts

In Potsdam. Sanssouci is the summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, built between 1745 and 1747 in Potsdam. Its name, French phrase sans souci, translates as "without concerns".

Dancer and courtesan. Margaretha Geertruida "Margreet" MacLeod , better known by the stage name Mata Hari was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I and executed by firing squad in France

France. Aquitaine is a region in the south-west of France, with capital in Bordeaux. Aquitaine was an English possession from 1152 to 1453.

In Brussels. The Atomium is a 102 m tall landmark building in Brussels. Originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair, it is now a museum. Its nine 18 m diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected, so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Five of them are habitable, containing exhibit halls and other public spaces.

France. French Guiana borders Brazil and is a part of France (and the European Union).

France. Languedoc is a region in southern part of France. The capital of Languedoc is Toulouse. Rugby union is the "national" sport in Languedoc, unlike most other parts of France where football is more popular. The Toulouse rugby club (Stade Toulousain) is one of the most successful in Europe.

Austria. Carinthia is a region in the southern Austria and northern Slovenia. The capital city of Carinthia is Klagenfurt.

France. Alsace is a region in the east of France, on the French-German border. The region changed hands many times between France and Germany. The capital of Alsace is Strasbourg.

France. Brittany is a region in the north-west of France. The area was settled by the Britons from British Islands in 4th-6th century AD.

France. Picardy is a province in the northern France, with capital in Amiens. The region has its own unique culture, cuisine, architecture, sports and language.