There is no better way to get to know a country than
by cruising it’s highways and byways and sampling it’s gastronomical delights
along the way.
So, as France is considered to be the gastronomical
capital of the world, shown below is a list of France’s twenty two geographical
regions, complete with a small overview of their geographical attributes,
tourist hot spots and world renowned classical cuisine.
I have also included a small piece about the River
Loire as this vast river, which flows through an area known as the Garden of
France, has many sections and geographical areas which tend to confuse some visitors to France.
Owing to this, this blog post is rather on the large size!
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| REGIONAL MAP OF FRANCE |
ALSACE
This region of north east France, which shares a
border with Germany to it’s east, is renowned for it’s forests, rivers,
mountains and vineyards. The area has a huge wine making industry where it
produces several Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc varieties.This
has led to the area becoming famous for it’s 170 kilometer long, Route de Vin
d’Alsace – Route of Alsatian Vineyards.
Alsace’s regional capital Strasbourg is renowned for
being the seat of several European institutions, including the European Parliament
and the European Court of Human Rights. The city is also the headquarters of
the world renowned brewery Kronenbourg, which began operations in the city in
1664.
AQUITANE
Aquitane is situated in the very south west of France,
where it shares a border with Spain and the Pyrenees Mountains to the south and
has a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean to it’s west.
The area is particularly noted for it’s major holiday
hot spots situated in and around the Dordogne and the Lot and Garonne valleys,
areas which have become popular owing to it’s stunning countryside which is
interspersed with several vineyards, French chateaux and traditional towns and
villages.
Popular cities in the region include Auch, Bayonne and
Bordeaux.
Alsace is one of the country’s major wine producers,
where it produces some of the world’s most famous wines, including Cabernet
Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Sauternes and Syrah varieties.
The area is also noted for it’s high quality Truffles,
the controversial delicacy known as Fois Gras and the liquer known as
Armagnac.
AUVERGNE
Situated in central France, this small, mainly rural
agricultural region is renowned for it’s isolated terrain which is interspersed with several lakes located along France's Massif Centrale mountain range.
The area’s largest towns are Clermont – Ferrand, Mont
Lucon and Vichy, areas which are particularly noted for the production of dairy
products, particularly the award winning cheeses Bleu d’Auvergne, Cantal and
Sainte – Nectaire.
The area as a whole is probably best known for being
the headquarters of several internationally renowned French companies including the dairy producer Danone, the mineral water producer Volvic, the
cutlery manufacturer Thiers and the tyre manufacturers Michelin and Dunlop.
The area’s food production is centred mainly around
meat and dairy products, locally sourced honey and jam and the local delicacy
of candied fruit.
The Auvergne National Park, located in the Puy de Dome area of of the Chaine des Puys mountains, is also the source of France's most popular exported mineral water, Volvic.
BRITTANY
Brittany is situated in north west France and has a
coastline on both the English Channel (known as La Manche in French) and the Bay of Biscay.
The area is renowned for it’s hilly interior, which is
criss-crossed with a network of heathland, moorland and marshland, and it’s
rocky coastline of isolated beaches and traditional French fishing villages.
The area’s main towns and cities are Brest, Renne, and
Saint Malo.
The region as a whole is renowned for it’s long
traditions of beer, biscuit, cider, salt and whiskey production and for being
the traditional home of the Crepe (pancake), Kouign Amann (Butter Cake) and
Pont L’Eveque cheese.
BURGUNDY
Situated in eastern France where it shares a border
with Switzerland, this predominantly rural region of hills and wide open spaces
is France’s largest producer of AOC protected wines. The area is particularly
noted for it’s Pinot Noir, Chablis, Macon and Beaujolais varieties and for
producing the world’s most expensive wine, Romane Conti.
Burgundy’s regional capital, the ancient city of
Dijon, is the ancestral home of Dijon mustard.
The region is also renowned for it’s Maconnais cheese,
the classic dishes of Boeuf Bourgignon
and Coq au Vin, the world renowned pastry, Mille Feuille and for introducing
the world to the culinary delights of L’escargot, otherwise known as
snails.
CENTRE
Named Centre not because of it’s geographical
location but because of the high number of it’s former historic regions that
it now contains. The region is noted for it’s stunning fertile countryside located along
the River Loire Valley, an area of significant cultural importance which
includes an 800 square kilometer UNESCO World Heritage Site and hundreds of
vineyards, which has made the area one of France’s main tourist destinations.
Popular areas of Centre include the historic towns of
Blois, Bourges, Chartres, Orleans and Tours.
Centre’s culinary originals include the desserts Tart
Tatin, Crème Caramel and Crème Brulee, the award winning cheese Chaource and, although actually originating in Venice during the 8th century, the world renowned dessert known as the macaron, which was brought to France in 1533 by Catherine de Medici.
CHAMPAGNE ARDENNES
This large fertile region is situated in north east
France along it’s border with Belgium.The area is particularly noted for it’s
vast swathes of farmland and vineyards which have made the area world renowned
due to it’s famous sparkling wine known as Champagne.
Champagne is made from the Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and
Pinot Meunier grapes.
There are nineteen thousand grape growers with over
thirty three thousand hectares of vineyards between them, all of which are
situated in three hundred and nineteen villages within the region, that produce
over four hundred champagne varieties.
The region’s most famous Champagne Houses are Gosset,
Moet and Chandon and Veuve de Cliquot.
Popular tourist destinations within the region include
the historic towns of Langes, Reims and Troyes.
CORSICA
The island of Corsica is situated in the Mediterranean
Sea, one hundred and seventy kilometres from the coast of southern France.
The island is predominantly known for being the
birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in the island’s regional
capital, the beautiful port city of Ajaccio.
Notable culinary products which originate from Corsica
include Brocciu Cara cheese, Aquavita brandy, the world’s oldest sparkling wine
Blanquette de Limoux and the world renowned meat dish Ragout.
FRANCHE COMPTE
Franche - Compte is situated in south east France and
lies along most of the country’s border with Switzerland.
Franche – Compte is a mainly rural area of pine
forests, lakes and waterfalls which are surrounded by the peaks of the Jura and
Vosges Mountains.
Notable tourist destinations in the region include the
two historical towns of Besancon, the regional capital, and Dole.
The area’s industry is dedicated to dairy farming,
where the region is renowned for producing
Gruyere, Morbier and Emmental cheeses.
Local alcoholic beverages produced in Franche – Compte
include the aniseed flavoured Pastis, Pernod and Absinthe.
ILE DE FRANCE
Ile de France is France’s largest region in terms of
population and is home to it’s major city Paris and Europe’s largest theme
park, Disneyland Paris, making it the country’s largest tourist destination.
Ile de France is noted for being the traditional home
of Praline, Chantilly cream, Brie cheese and the choux pastry, celebration dessert known as croqembouche.
LANGUEDOC ROUSSILLON
Situated in the south east of France along some of the
country’s Mediterranean Sea coast, Languedoc Roussillon is the largest wine
producing area in the world with over 700,000 acres of vineyards, which between
them produce one third of France’s total wine production.
The region is also famous for it’s AOC protected goats
cheese Pelardon, for the production of a local armagnac liqueur and for the world renowned spring water known as Perrier.
It is also believed that it is in the Languedoc
Roussillon town of Carcasonne that champagne was originally made – a sparkling wine known as Blanquette de
Limoux - by Benedictine monks at the
Abbey of Sainte Hilaire during the 1500’s.
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| THE LOIRE VALLEY |
LIMOUSIN
Situated in south central France, Limousin is a
picturesque, rural area renowned for it’s vast French Oak forests and apple
orchards.
Limousin is the ancestral home of the Charrolais and
Limousin breeds of cattle and it’s regional capital, Limoges, is the capital of
the French porcelain industry.
The region’s culinary claims to fame are the cherry
dessert Clafoutis and the La Feuille de Limousin and Pas de L’Escallette
cheeses.
LORRAINE
Situated in north, east France, Lorraine is the only
region of France to border three of France’s neighbours, Belgium, Luxembourg
and Germany.
Geographically the region contains the Vosges Mountains and forms what is known as the
Paris Basin, a large area of alluvial plains and chalk plateau, formed by the
many rivers which flow through the area, which include the River Moselle and the River Rhine.
The region’s main tourist attractions are located in
and around the historical towns of Metz, the regional capital, and Nancy.
The area has introduced the world to several culinary
classics, including the world famous desserts known as Macaroons, Madeleines
and Rum Baba, Munster cheese and the most famous Lorraine dish of all, Quiche
Lorraine.
It is also in the Vosges Mountains of Lorraine that the small town of Vittel is located, a town renowned for it's mineral water.
LOWER NORMANDY
Situated in north, west France on the country’s
English Channel coast, Lower Normandy is a mainly agricultural region which is
renowned for it’s many fruit orchards and dairy farms.
The area is particularly noted for it’s production of
Camenbert cheese and Calvados brandy.
The region shares many of it’s classic culinary dishes
with it’s neighbour Upper Normandy as the two regions were once a single
geographical and political region which shared mutual traditions, language and
heritage.
MIDI PYRENEES
At 45,000 square kilometers Midi – Pyrenees is
France’s largest region. The region is situated in the south central area of
the country along it’s mountainous border with Spain.
The region is a predominantly rural area of gently
rolling hills and lush green river valleys interspersed with isolated villages
and traditional French towns, including the picturesque towns of Cahors,
Millau, famous for it’s high suspension bridge, the world renowned pilgrimage
site of Lourdes and the city of Toulouse.
The area is the traditional home of Tomme de Pyrenees
and Roquefort cheeses and the classic, rustic dish known as Cassoulet.
NORD PAS DE CALAIS
Situated in north, east France, Nord Pas de Calais
shares a border with neighbouring Belgium and a coastline along the English
Channel. Throughout it’s history the region has been associated with heavy
industry, but is better known today for it’s major ferry ports and for housing
the French terminal of the Eurotunnel.
Major settlements of the region include Bolougne,
Dunkirk, Saint Omer and the regional capital, Lille.
This heavilly populated area shares many of it’s
culinary traditions of sea food and cheese making with it’s other north coast
regional neighbours and Belgium, although the area does have one culinary claim
to fame, it is the headquarters of the international brewery chain, Brasserie
de Saint Omer, France’s largest exporter of beer and lager.
PAYS DE LA LOIRE
The Pays de la Loire region of France, which is named
after the River Loire estuary not it’s valley, is situated in the west of the
country and has a coastline along the Bay of Biscay.
The area is a popular tourist destination due to it’s
many wide sandy beaches, stunning countryside and it’s many historic royal
chateaux.
Popular areas of the region include the historic towns
and cities of Angers, Chinon, Le Mans, Nantes and Saint Lazaire and the UNESCO
World Heritage Site of Fontevraud Abbey, which houses the tombs of former
English royalty, King Henry I I, his queen consort Eleanor of Aquitaine, their
son King Richard I and his queen consort Isabella of Angouleme.
Culinary classics from the area include Port Salut
cheese, Petit Beurre biscuits and Beurre Blanc sauce. The region also produces some fine Sauvignon Blanc and Sancerre
wines.
PICARDY
Picardy is situated in the north east of France and
has a small coastline on the English Channel.
The region as a whole is a mainly rural landscape of
forests, pasturelands and gently rolling hills.
The region is renowned for it’s very distinctive
cuisine the most famous of which includes Amiens duck pate, Rollot and Maroilles
cheeses, local honey and a large beer making industry.
POITOU CHARENTES
Poitou Charentes is situated along the west coast of
France and has a small Bay of Biscay coastline, which has become a popular
seaside holiday destination of the French.
The region is particulalry noted for it’s historical
towns of Angouleme, Cognac, La Rochelle, Rochefort and it’s regional capital,
Poitiers.
The region is renowned for it’s brandy production,
particularly around the town of Cognac, a small wine making industry, it’s
locally sourced truffles and for the production of Cabichou de Poitou and
Rochefort cheeses.
PROVINCE ALPES COTE D'AZUR
Situated in south east France, where it shares a
border with Italy and a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, the Cote D’Azur is
the most famous region of France after it’s capital city Paris.
It’s cities of Antibes, Cannes, Marseille, Nice and
Toulon are popular Mediterranean holiday destinations.
The region is also home to the small principality of
Monaco, famous for it’s casino at Monte Carlo and it’s Mediterranean Sea
harbour at Fontveille.
The area is also home to the 930 square kilometer Ramsar Site known as the Camargue National Park. The park is situated south of the ancient Bohemian town of Arles and north of the area's dramatic and rocky Mediterranean coastline. It is flanked to it's east and west by two arms of the stately River Rhone and is renowned for being home to Europe's largest river delta and Europe's only brine lagoons which have become home to Europe's only colony of flamingos.
The park is also home to over four hundred species of bird, an indigenous grey horse, large herds of indigenous black cattle and the weather phenomena known as the mistral, a strong, cold wind that reaches speeds of up to 40 kilometers an hour which can last for days on end. After the mistral has subsided the area is left with very fresh, clear skies which led to the entire region becoming a haven for artists.
Also located along the area's very rocky and dramatic coastline is France's largest sea port located in the vast coastal city of Marseille.
The region is famous for producing excellent Cabernet
Sauvignon and Chateauneuf du Pape wines, Banon cheese and for introducing the
world to the culinary classics of Bouillabaisse, Ratatouille, Salad Nicoise and
Tapanade.
RHONE ALPES
Situated in south, west France where it shares borders
with both Switzerland and Italy, Rhone Alpes is the largest Winter ski area in
the world and is famous for having hosted three Winter Olympic Games.
This beautiful region of high peaked mountains and
picturesque valleys is home to the western most point of the European Alps
mountain range, which includes Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc.
It’s three major cities are the world famous ski resorts
of Chamonix, Grenoble and Lyon. Chamonix is also the location of the French
side of the Mont BlancTunnel, which gives drivers access into Italy
The region as a whole is the ancestral home of several French culinary classics, including
Fondue, Gratin Dauphinois, Quenelle, Salade Lyonnaise, Nougat, Marron Glace,
Cuisses de Grenouille (frogs legs) and Reblochon and Sainte Felicien
cheeses.
The region is also the traditional home of Beaujolais
and Cotes du Rhone wines, the liqueur known as Chartreuse, Badoit mineral water, produced at St Galmier and Evian mineral water produced in the spa town of Evian les Bains located on the south shore of Lake Geneva.
UPPER NORMANDY
Situated in northern France with a coastline on the
English Channel, Upper Normandy is a popular tourist destination, particularly
with the British.
The region has a mainly rural agricultural interior
and a chalk cliff shoreline which is renowned for being the site of the River
Seine estuary.
The region’s capital is the historic city of Rouen,
which is renoned for it’s cathedral which has the tallest spire in France.
Other well known towns in the region include the large port towns of Dieppe and
Le Havre.
The region shares many of it’s classical culinary
dishes with it’s neighbour Lower Normandy as the two regions were once a single
geographical and political region which shared mutual traditions, language and
heritage, although the area is noted for it’s butter and Neuchatal cheese
production.
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| MAP OF THE RIVER LOIRE CATCHMENT AREA |
RIVER LOIRE
At 1,012 kilometers long, the River Loire is
France’s longest river. The river begins life on the southern slopes of Mont Gerbier
de Jonc located in the Cevennes Highlands of Rhone Alpes in south west France.
The river flows in a northerly direction
for around six hundred kilometers before changing course to a westerly
direction near the city of Orleans, where it then flows on to the coastal town
of Saint Nazaire located on the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean.
The River Loire forms seventy five
tributaries, the longest of which is the 421 kilometer long, River Allier.
The river is geographically divided into three sections,
the Upper Loire, located between it’s source and it’s confluence with
the River Allier at Nevers, the Middle Loire, located between it’s
confluence with the River Allier and it’s confluence with the River Maine just
outside Angers and the Lower Loire, located between it’s confluence with
the River Maine and it’s estuary at Saint Nazaire.
The river has a 60 kilometer long tidal stretch
located between Nantes and it’s estuary, where the estuary forms over 99,000
acres of important wetlands.
The river is renowned for it’s vast fertle Loire
Valley, which covers an area of around 280 kilometers of it’s mid section,
which has been nicknamed the Garden of France due to large swathes of farmland
and it’s many fruit orchards and vineyards, where it flows through no less than
87 wine appellations.
The Loire Valley is also home to an 800 square
kilometer mid valley section nicknamed the Valley of a Thousand Chateaux, which
has been designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site due to it’s important
historical significance and architectural heritage.
Large settlements along the river include the historic
towns of Amboise, Blois, Chinon, Orleans, Nevers, Roanne, Samaur, Tours and
Vichy to name but a few.
FIND HOTELS AROUND FRANCE
PDO means Protected Geographical Status and AOC means Appellation d’Origine Controlee.
You may also be interested in my blog post - Some of the scenic routes of France.
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