Regions of France
France: large and well connected
France is divided into 22 official ‘régions’ each of which is subdivided into several administrative ‘départements’. Many of the regions have very clearly defined and distinct regional identities. This is in part due to the enormous geographical and climatic differences between the regions which force the inhabitants of the various regions to lead very different ways of life.
France is one of the largest countries in Europe and is bordered by six countries – Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the north-east, Switzerland and Italy across the Alps to the south-east and Spain across the Pyrenees to the south-west. The UK is across the English Channel (La Manche).
France is regarded by many people as the geographical gateway to Europe with several large international airports, two of which are in the capital, Paris, and many of which are served by budget airlines. Ferry terminals are located along the north, west and Mediterranean coasts. Visitors from the UK also have the option of taking the Channel Tunnel rail link. Once in France, the motorway network and French rail service are known to be extremely efficient with the high-speed, long distance TGV train service the envy of other nations.
Geographical diversity and cultural plenty
France is perhaps the world’s most popular tourist destination and it doesn’t take long to work out why. The country has an extremely diverse physical landscape and an equally diverse climate to match. This makes it ideal for hosting a huge range of sporting and other outdoor activities. For example, France has a many golf courses but also caters on a grand scale for those who prefer a more sedate pace of life. There are numerous museums and art galleries in France reflecting the fact that the French are fiercely and deservedly proud of their country’s rich cultural, educational and political heritage. This nation has had a turbulent history characterised by successive revolutions but at every stage it has been at the forefront of European development. The notion of France as a leader finds its legacy in the country’s pivotal role in the construction of the European Union as we know it today.
The French: polite and chic
The French people – and particularly the older generations - tend to be extremely courteous and formal, a national trait that is often ungenerously dismissed as arrogance by other nations. The French are also renowned for being ‘chic’, that is, for taking great pride in their personal appearance and in particular, their clothes. This is symptomatic of the importance placed on presentation in general in France. The French simply don’t do scruffy. Shops, homes and public gardens are all immaculately kept and display immense attention to detail.
PROVENCE
Provence is the southeastern region of France on the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Italy on the east. The topography of this region is characterized by mountains, valleys, beautiful beaches and salt marshes. Originally a Greek colony, Provence was part of the Roman Empire and eventually became incorporated into France in the 15th century.
From its herb-scented hills to its yacht-filled harbors, no other region of France fires the imagination as strongly as Provence. The vivid landscape and luminous light have inspired artists and writers from Van Gogh to Picasso and from F. Scott Fitzgerald to Pagnol.
The borders of Provence are defined by nature: to the west, the Rhône; south, the Mediterranean; and north, where the olive trees end. To the east are the Alps and a border which has shifted over the centuries between France and Italy. Within is a contrasting terrain of plummeting gorges, Camargue salt flats, lavender fields and sun-drenched beaches.
The most important towns are:
The town of Orange, famed for its history as the place where the Roman conquest of ancient Gaul began, really does please the eye and satisfy those curious about its colourful name. Many of the buildings in the town appear to be a pale orange in colour, and when seen in the golden light of the Provençal summer sunshine this unusual shade changes to a true ochre. An especially wonderful sight in this town is the triumphal arch, a smaller version of the famous Parisian monument, but just as authentic and beautiful.
As Orange is situated in beautiful Provence, there is plenty of delightful scenery on the doorstep. From here you can take a trip to the amazing gorges of the Ardêche, or pay homage to Peter Mayle, the famous author of ‘A year in Provence’ and visit the Luberon, where Peter Mayle lived and based his work. Most sports are available close to the town, with swimming, golf and camping to name but a few.
Once you begin to wander around the narrow winding streets of Avignon, or sit to sip a coffee in one of the elegant squares (so reminiscent of the great Italian piazzas in Florence or Siena) of this beautiful old town you will want to stay for a long time, if not for ever. The town casts a spell on its visitors, and the buildings, the bridge and the very atmosphere take you back in time and invite you to explore, discover and enjoy.
Avignon itself is full of character, its Italian influenced architecture speaking of a time when it was a papal seat for no less than seven popes. Inside the papal palace you can see frescoes, tapestries and some beautiful floor tiles. There are many museums to visit, with subjects to interest all, ranging from classical fine art, to modern art, to zoological and botanical specimens, decorative arts (furnishings, faience and tapestries), sculpture and many many more. This rich cultural heritage is a significant factor in the wealth of Avignon, as it has proved an irresistible draw for tourists, including business tourists as the town makes a wonderful base for conferences and courses.
The village of Èze lies in the far south-east of France, on the celebrated French Riviera stretch of the Mediterranean coastline. It is one of the most visited and beloved villages in the south. Èze consists of a coastal stretch and an ancient village that sits atop a dramatic cliff overlooking the sea. In the coastal stretch and the land that lies between the two, you will find most unusual vegetation, with date palms, banana trees and carobs growing happily in the almost tropical climate. Fortified villages like Eze were built to withstand the Saracen pirates who plagued the coast in the 6th century. In the 19th century, rich Europeans sought winter warmth on the Riviera, and by the 1920s, high society was in residence all year, and their elegant villas remain..
The elegant and majestic town of Aix-en-Provence is situated in the far South-East of France and once served as the capital of Provence. It is now a highly esteemed and lively University town. The locals refer to their town as Aix (pronounced like the letter ‘x’). It has become a very popular and fashionable place in which to live. The city began its life as a Roman camp and was made capital of Provence in the 12th Century. Aix blossomed under the rule of Good King Rene who made it a centre for art and learning. There is still a great deal of history to discover in Aix. The town has some 200 historical mansions dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Aix is a very pretty city with an array of parks, squares and fountains dominating the town centre. The buildings are predominantly yellow in colour, like many Provencal towns. What makes this town unique, however, is the abundance of Italian Baroque architecture.
35km. south of Avignon by the N570 and 90km from Marseilles by the N568 and A55,
Arles is the largest city in France with a surface area of 758 km2. It is surrounded by an environment of exceptional beauty: the banks of the Rhône river, the arid plains of Crau, the Alpilles and the untamed land of Camargue. Once a metropolis of Roman Gaul, Arles became a symbol of ardent Christianity as can be seen from the arena, the Alyscamps burial grounds, the amphitheater and the Roman baths of Constantin.
Arles is now the gateway to Camargue, land of the Gypsies and meeting place of the Camargue cowboys. Today the ferias or bull runs and bull fights are held in this very same arena (12,000 seats) that was the scene of the Roman games in the first century!
City of festivals, art, and culture, Arles has never stopped attracting artists. Van Gogh stayed here with his friend Gaugain. Picasso, a lover of bull fights, was inspired by them to do two paintings and 57 drawings. Arles is also a center of photography. Each summer the Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie brings many visitors.
The Roman monuments of Arles are registered with Unesco and should be seen. The houses and private mansions of the 16th and 17th centuries, the cloister of St. Trophime, the Hôtel de Ville, and the shaded terraces of the Place des Lices are all well worth a tour.
LANGUEDOC
Miles of fine sandy beaches, a hinterland rising up the foothills of the Massif Central and the Pyrénées - Languedoc-Roussillon is a land of sun-filled charm. The Languedoc-Roussillon region, where the Pyrénées Mountains plunge into the Mediterranean, has come into its own with a sparkling group of new yacht-port resorts.
The most important towns are:
Béziers www.beziers-tourisme.fr
Originally a Phoenician settlement, later an important Roman military post. This was the setting for the first siege of the Cathar Crusade, where some 20,000 inhabitants were massacred in 1209. The Cathédrale de St-Nazaire (XIIe-XV Centuries) is a good example of a fortress cathedral. Beziers, in the heart of the Languedoc wine country, is marked by its cathedral that stands proudly between L’Orbs and the Canal du Midi. Beziers’s proximity to Spain is also evident here: the bullfights in August set the town on fire.
Carcassonne www.carcassonne.org - The medieval walled town lies on the right bank of the river Aude and is featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It has 52 towers and 2 rings of town walls making a total of 3 km of battlements. It boasts a large number of shops and craftsmen
Mende www.ot-mende.fr - On the banks of the River Lot in Lozere, Mende still has the proud look of a town watched over by an imposing cathedral. The narrow, winding streets are lined with oratories and old houses with well-kept secrets behind heavy wooden doors.
Montpellier www.ot-montpellier.fr - Montpellier is a cultural, scientific and artistic crossroads with an incomparable heritage. L’Ecusson, with its Place de la Comedie, dominated by the opera house, stretches all the way to the new Antigone quarter designed by Ricardo Bofill. The narrow streets, lined by many 17th and 18th century mansions, lead to St Peter’s cathedral, the western world’s oldest medical school, the Place Royale du Peyrou and the botanical gardens created during the reign of Henry IV.
Leading University Town, with a medical school dating from the twelfth century. A quarter of the population is mad up of students. Now a vibrant high tech city, but with good communications. The charming old city has been transformed into pedestrian precints.
Narbonne www.mairie-narbonne.fr - Narbonne, the Visigoth kings’ former residence and capital of the Roman Septimania, is devoted to the Mediterranean art of living and marks the dividing line between Languedoc and Roussillon. The Archbishops’ Palace in the historic town and its 40-meter high fortified tower stand on the ruins of the Gallo-Roman ramparts and the via Domitia, overlooking the town.
Nimes www.ot-nimes.fr - Nimes, a beautiful, laid-back bourgeois city, displays its ancient roots and, during the Whitsun and Grape Harvest festivals, becomes an outpost of Spain, with bodegas vibrating all night to the beat of “penas”. An old Roman city, founded by the Emperor Augustus, it has some of the best surviving Roman buildings in Europe including Les Arènes (an amphitheatre) and the Maison Carées (a temple). Denim was originally made in Nîmes - its name come from the fact that it was "de Nîmes:".
Perpignan www.perpignantourisme.com - Once the capital of the Kingdom of Mallorca (1278-2344), still a major Catalan centre, more Spanish than French. Perpignan, at the foot of the Pyrenees, is graced with the heritage of the kings of Majorca. In the 20th century, Salvador Dali called it “the center of the world” because Picasso, Miro, Matisse, Derain and Chagall worked there creating new styles of painting.