History UsefulNotes / DepartementalIssues

[[TheGenericGuy A région of middle size, not really in the north nor in the south]]. Its capital is Poitiers, alleged birthplace of [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfPlantagenet Eleanor of Aquitaine]]. Île de Ré is there, where most of the Paris upper class BourgeoisBohemian use to spend their summer holidays. It regroups two historical regions: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Poitou (northern half) and Charente (southern half)]].

[[TheGenericGuy A région of middle size, not really in the north nor in the south]]. Its capital is Poitiers, alleged birthplace of [[TheHouseOfPlantagenet Eleanor of Aquitaine]]. Île de Ré is there, where most of the Paris upper class BourgeoisBohemian use to spend their summer holidays. It regroups two historical regions: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Poitou (northern half) and Charente (southern half)]].

* Aquitaine will be fused with Poitou-Charente and Limousin, creating the new biggest region of France (and more or less a recreation of the Duchy of Aquitaine in the Middle Ages).

* Aquitaine will be fused with Poitou-Charente and Limousin, creating the new biggest region of France.

->'''''81 -- Tarn''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Albi / '''Area:''' 5,758km² (2,223mi²) / '''Population (2012):''' 378,947) -- The departamental capital, Albi, used to be a hotbed of Catharism, thus its other name "Albigensianism", and after their defeat an imposing, fortress-like cathedral was built as a show of Roman Catholic power, said to be the largest brick building in the world.

Nord is the historical Western half of Flanders and Pas-de-Calais contains, as the name implies, the port of Calais. This area played key roles in both World Wars. In France, it used to hold a ''very'' bad reputation for being extremely poor, polluted and [[WorkingClassPeopleAreMorons backward]]. The extremely successful movie ''Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis'' did a lot to change that vision of things. Nord-Pas-de-Calais retains a strong [[WorkingClassHero working class]] identity, with people whose origins come from all over Europe. Think of northern industrial England, only French. The best French beers come from there; Nord in particular shares in the Flemish brewing tradition with Belgium.

Its capital is Lille and it consists of:
* Nord (59)
* Pas-de-Calais (62)

'''Population (2011):''' 1,852,325

->'''''67 -- Bas-Rhin (Lower Rhine)''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Strasbourg / '''Area:''' 4,755km² (1,836mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,099,269) -- The more populous of the two departments of Alsace, Bas-Rhin's capital, Strasbourg (which also doubles as regional capital) is home to the [[UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion European Parliament]], although frankly the EP isn't happy with the arrangement and spends as much time in Brussels as possible, only going to Strasbourg for the obligatory annual four-day plenary session. Also, its cathedral is the second-largest in France (after that in Rouen). Facing the German border is Ouvrage Schoenenbourg, the largest visitable fortification of the UsefulNotes/MaginotLine.
->'''''68 -- Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine)''''' ('''Capital:''' Colmar / '''Largest City:''' Mulhouse / '''Area:''' 3,525km² (1,361mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 753,056) -- Disproportionately for its size and population, Haut-Rhin is one of the richest departments in France. Its largest city, Mulhouse, is home to a Peugeot car factory, while the formal capital, Colmar, is a pretty town with an old city center and takes pride as the "capital of Alsatian wine", and is also the home of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the man who sculpted the Statue of Liberty.

'''Population (2011):''' 3,254,233

->'''''24 -- Dordogne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Périgueux / '''Area:''' 9,060km² (3,500mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 415,168) -- Corresponding to the ancient county of Périgord, Dordogne is known for its truffles (the other "black gold"). At its eastern frontier lay the caves of Lascaux, famed for its prehistoric paintings.
->'''''33 -- Gironde''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bordeaux / '''Area:''' 10,000km² (4,000mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,463,662) -- The departemental (and regional) seat, Bordeaux, is considered the capital of the world's wine industry, and holds an annual wine exhibit. 60 kilometers away (and into the sea) is the Dune of Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe. Named after the Gironde estuary, by which the Garonne river goes into the Atlantic.
->'''''40 -- Landes''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Mont-de-Marsan / '''Area:''' 9,243km² (3,569mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 387,929) -- Created from parts of the ancient provinces of Guyenne and Gascony, Landes is home to the largest maritime-pine forest in Europe.
->'''''47 -- Lot-et-Garonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Agen / '''Area:''' 5,361km² (2,070mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 330,866) -- Another byproduct of the division of Guyenne and Gascony.
->'''''64 -- Pyrénées-Atlantiques''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Pau / '''Area:''' 7,645km² (2,952mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 656,608) -- The western part of this department is the ''other'' half of the "Basque country" (including that in Spain, just beyond the Pyrénées), and is also the home department of such glamorous beach towns as Biarritz. The eastern half is a part of Gascogne called Béarn, where politician François Bayrou was born.

'''Population (2011):''' 1,350,682

->'''''03 -- Allier''''' ('''Capital:''' Moulins / '''Largest City:''' Montluçon / '''Area:''' 7,340km² (2,830mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 656,608) -- Comprising much of the former Duchy of Bourbonnais, Allier played a big role during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. The spa city of Vichy served as the capital of the Nazi-sponsored French government, while the countryside around nearby Montluçon saw much LaResistance activity led by New Zealand-born Australian agent [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Wake Nancy Wake]].
->'''''15 -- Cantal''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Aurillac / '''Area:''' 5,726km² (2,211mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 147,577) -- One of the most sparsely populated departements in France, Cantal is also one of France's most isolated, with its capital, Aurillac, being the farthest-removed departemental capital from any major motorway. Its most famous son is probably the scholar [[ThePope Pope]] Sylvester II, who was originally Gerbert d'Aurillac.
->'''''43 -- Haute-Loire''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Le Puy-en-Velay / '''Area:''' 4,977km² (1,922mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 224,907) -- Its capital, Le Puy-en-Velay, is famous for its cathedral, which served as part of the route of the Camino de Santiago (the pilgrimage to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain) as well as a pilgrimage site in its own right.
->'''''63 -- Puy-de-Dôme''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Clermont-Ferrand / '''Area:''' 4,977km² (3,080mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 224,907) -- Named after the dormant volcano that towers over the departemental (and regional) capital, Clermont-Ferrand, and a tourist destination in its own right, being the site of several religious compounds, including a Roman one dedicated to Mercury. Clermont-Ferrand is also known as the home of tire-making company Michelin (the one with a rubber-man for a mascot).

'''Population (2011):''' 1,642,734

->'''''21 -- Côte-d'Or''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Dijon / '''Area:''' 8,763km² (3,383mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 525,931) -- Literally meaning "golden slope", Côte-d'Or is home to some of France's most prestigious vineyards, while much of the departement's economic activity centers on its capital Dijon (also seat of the entire region). The area is also the birthplace of the Cistercians, a Roman Catholic monastic order that stressed on austerity.
->'''''58 -- Nièvre''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Nevers / '''Area:''' 6,817km² (2,632mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 218,341) -- A rural departement that largely thrives on the wine industry, its capital, Nevers, is home to a cathedral literally made of two earlier ones patched together, as well as the final resting place of St. Bernadette Soubirous, the recipient of visions attributed to the Virgin Mary at the town Lourdes farther south.
->'''''71 -- Saône-et-Loire''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Mâcon / '''Area:''' 8,575km² (3,311mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 555,999) -- Dominated by a series of hills, Saône-et-Loire is most famous for the Benedctine abbey at Cluny, once ''the'' center of monastic activity in Europe, as well as the town of Taizé, home to a Christian ecumenical community.
->'''''89 -- Yonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Auxerre / '''Area:''' 7,427km² (2,868mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 342,463) -- An otherwise quiet departement largely known for Sens, the town whose Roman Catholic Archdiocese once covered Paris and its surrounding areas until the 17th century.

'''Population (2011):''' 3,217,767

->'''''22 -- Côtes-d'Armor''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Saint-Brieuc / '''Area:''' 6,878km² (2,656mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 594,375) -- Brittany's oddball departement, being a holdout of left-wing politics in an otherwise conservative region, centered on the socialist stronghold of Guingamp.
->'''''29 -- Finistère''''' ('''Capital:''' Quimper / '''Largest city:''' Brest / '''Area:''' 6,733km² (2,600mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 899,870) -- Literally plunked at the westernmost end of the Brittany Peninsula, Finistère remains Brittany's largest speaker of the Breton language, with an annual festival held at its capital, Quimper, while much of its economic activity revolves at the port city of Brest, only a few kilometers away from the westernmost end of the peninsula.
->'''''35 -- Ille-et-Vilaine''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Rennes / '''Area:''' 6,775km² (2,616mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 996,439) -- The heart of western Brittany, the bustling city of Rennes serves as the heart of both the department and the region, while the tidal fortress-island of Saint-Malo was a primary destination for merchants and pirates alike.
->'''''56 -- Morbihan''''' ('''Capital:''' Vannes / '''Largest city:''' Lorient / '''Area:''' 6,823km² (2,634mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 727,083) -- The departement completely surrounds the eponymous gulf, which is a famous surfing and bird-watching destination -- but is better-known as home to what is said to be the largest collection of megalithic structures in the world, of which the most famous is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnac_stones stone formations at Carnac]].

'''Population (2011):''' 2,556,835

Known as the "Centre" region until 2014, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin it is located in the center of France]] (well, more in the North-West. Ish.). It is known for two things: the Loire Valley and its famous ''châteaux'', and the fact that it is the only region with no individual cultural identity whatsoever. In fact, it's constituted of various smaller historical provinces (Berry, Touraine and Orléans), and some of them were even in conflict. It is often said that Centre was made with the leftovers when all the other regions where created. After a long campaign, it was renamed ''Centre-Val de Loire'' in January 2015, the latter in reference to the one thing the departements have in common: their location on the scenic Loire River Valley.

->'''''18 -- Cher''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bourges / '''Area:''' 7,235km² (2,793mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 311,694) -- Half of the ancient province of Berry, its departemental capital, Bourges, was also the said province's capital.
->'''''28 -- Eure-et-Loir''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Chartres / '''Area:''' 5,880km² (2,270mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 430,416) -- A largely agricultural region, Eure-et-Loir is created from parts of the old province of Orléans. Almost everyone has already heard of Chartres, the departemental capital, whose skyline is still dominated to this day by the twin spires of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres_Cathedral its cathedral]], arguably the best-preserved Gothic church in France.
->'''''36 -- Indre''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Châteauroux / '''Area:''' 6,791km² (2,622mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 230,175) -- The other half of the former province of Berry. Most famous for Saint-Benoît-du-Sault and Gargilesse-Dampierre, said to be two of the most beautiful villages in France.
->'''''37 -- Indre-et-Loire''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Tours / '''Area:''' 6,127km² (2,366mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 593,683) -- Formerly part of the province of Touraine, Indre-et-Loire saw a crucial battle during the 8th century which saw invading Moors repelled by Frankish duke Charles Martel on the modern-day departemental capital of Tours. The town of Chinon is home to a riverside château that once served as a residence of French and English kings in the 11th century, while another town, Chenconceaux, is host to another château built over an old flour mill literally straddling the Cher river.
->'''''41 -- Loir-et-Cher''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Blois / '''Area:''' 6,343km² (2,449mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 331,280) -- Created from portions of Orléans and Touraine, this departement is best-known for the Château de Chambord, the largest of its kind in the Loire Valley and distinctive for its strong French architectural style.
->'''''45 -- Loiret''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Orleans / '''Area:''' 6,775km² (2,616mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 659,587) -- Formerly of the province of Orléans, its same-named capital is also the capital both of the departement and the region. The city of Orleans is better known, however, for a siege during UsefulNotes/TheHundredYearsWar, which saw a 19-year-old peasant girl from Lorraine named JoanOfArc help the beleaguered French repel the English and turn the tide of the war.

'''Population (2011):''' 1,336,053

->'''''08 -- Ardennes''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Charleville-Mézières / '''Area:''' 5,229km² (2,019mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 283,110) -- The departemental capital, Charleville-Mézières, is best known as the birthplace of Creator/ArthurRimbaud and home to a medieval fair.
->'''''10 -- Aube''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Troyes / '''Area:''' 6,004km² (2,318mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 303,997) -- A departement best-known for its capital, Troyes, which features half-timbered houses and was a former center of international trade (an English [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_weight weight measurement system for precious metals and stones]] is named after the town).
->'''''51 -- Marne''''' ('''Capital:''' Châlons-en-Champagne / '''Largest City:''' Reims / '''Area:''' 8,162km² (3,151mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 566,571) -- In a predominantly wine-making region, the town of Épernay is ''the'' place where barrels of champagne are gathered from all over the region. Its largest city, Reims, features a cathedral that served as the coronation site of the Kings of France (for British readers, think Westminster Abbey, only French and Catholic).
->'''''52 -- Haute-Marne''''' ('''Capital:''' Chaumont / '''Largest City:''' Saint-Dizier / '''Area:''' 6,211km² (2,398mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 182,375) -- An otherwise quiet departement mostly known as the site of Lake Der-Chantecoq, the largest manmade lake in Europe.

'''Population (2011):''' 314,486

->'''''2A -- Corse-du-Sud''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Ajaccio / '''Area:''' 4,014km² (1,550mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 145,846) -- Directly facing Sardinia, the capital, Ajaccio, is the birthplace of Napoleon, while the town of Bonifacio literally sits on top of a seaside cliff facing.
->'''''2B -- Haute-Corse''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bastia / '''Area:''' 4,666km² (1,802mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 168,640) -- Literally "Upper Corsica", its capital, Bastia, is the island's principal port, directly facing continental France, while the smaller town of Calvi claims to be the actual birthplace of UsefulNotes/ChristopherColumbus (then a Genoan territory).

'''Population (2011):''' 1,173,440

->'''''25 -- Doubs''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Besançon / '''Area:''' 5,234km² (2,021mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 529,103) -- A departement built around the Roman-era trade post of Besançon, the birthplace of Creator/VictorHugo, overlooked by an imposing hilltop fortress.
->'''''39 -- Jura''''' ('''Capital:''' Lons-le-Saunier / '''Largest city:''' Dole / '''Area:''' 4,999km² (1,930mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 261,294) -- Jura is a predominantly wine-making region, and for lack of industrial activity, much of the departement's business work is concentrated in such small towns as Lons-le-Saunier and Dole.
->'''''70 -- Haute-Saône''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Vesoul / '''Area:''' 5,360km² (2,070mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 239,695) -- An quiet, rural departement amidst a hotspot of economic activity that straddles the French-German border.
->'''''90 -- Territoire de Belfort''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Belfort / '''Area:''' 609km² (235mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 143,348) -- For such a small departement, Belfort is distinct from the rest of the region by being a remnant of Alsace retained by the French after the rest was lost to the Germans after the UsefulNotes/FrancoPrussianWar (partly as a show of respect to the 17,000 Frenchmen who defended the eponymous capital against 40,000 Germans during a 103-day siege; in their honor a massive stone lion was sculpted by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, finished a few months before he started work on the Statue of Liberty).

'''Population (2011):''' 11,852,851

->'''''75 -- UsefulNotes/{{Paris}}''''' ('''Area:''' 105km² (41mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 2,249,975)
->'''''77 -- Seine-et-Marne''''' ('''Capital:''' Melun / '''Largest City:''' Meaux / '''Area:''' 1,804km² (2,284mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,225,191) -- Best known for Disneyland Paris, as well as the Palace of Fontainebleau, which used to be Napoleon's seat of power.
->'''''78 -- Yvelines''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Versailles / '''Area:''' 2,284km² (882mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,413,635) -- Best known for the Palace of Versailles, Music/{{Air}} and Music/DaftPunk.
->'''''91 -- Essonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Évry / '''Area:''' 1,804km² (697mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,225,191) -- Home to the École Polytechnique, the most prestigious engineering school in France, as well as Arianespace, builders of the near-eponymous rockets frequently launched from French Guiana.
->'''''92 -- Hauts-de-Seine''''' ('''Capital:''' Nanterre / '''Largest city:''' Boulogne-Billancourt / '''Area:''' 176km² (68mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,581,628) -- Forming the western half of the "Petit Couronne", its largest city, Boulogne-Billancourt, is the largest and richest of the Parisian suburbs. Hauts-de-Seine is also home to La Défense, Europe's largest purpose-built business district.
->'''''93 -- Seine-Saint-Denis''''' ('''Capital:''' Bobigny / '''Largest city:''' Saint-Denis / '''Area:''' 231km² (91mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,529,928) -- The northeastern part of the "Petite Couronne", the departement is home to several French hip-hop acts. The cathedral of its largest city, Saint-Denis, is also the final resting place of the Kings of France since the 10th century, built on the spot where, so legend goes, the eponymous first Roman Catholic Bishop of Paris died after walking six miles preaching to the masses while ''carrying his severed head on his arms after being beheaded''.
->'''''94 -- Val-de-Marne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Créteil / '''Area:''' 245km² (95mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,333,702) -- Completing the "Petite Couronne", Val-de-Marne is famous for its [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinguette ginguettes]]. The town of Vincennes is most famous for its château.
->'''''95 -- Val-d'Oise''''' ('''Capital:''' Pontoise / '''Largest City:''' Argenteuil / '''Area:''' 1,246km² (481mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 1,180,365) -- Its largest city, Argenteuil, is the second-largest Parisian suburb after Boulogne-Billancourt.

'''Population (2011):''' 2,670,046

->'''''11 -- Aude''''' ('''Capital:''' Carcassonne / '''Largest City:''' Narbonne / '''Area:''' 6,139km² (2,370mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 359,967) -- Aude has a long culture of wine-making, inherited from the Greeks, and throughout the medieval period was part of the territory of the Cathars, a Christian sect which rejects Christ's human nature and advocates escape from mortal flesh. Its prefectural capital, Carcassonne, is well-known for its restored medieval fortresses, while the slightly larger city of Narbonne to the coast existed since Roman times, remains of which era survive to this day.
->'''''30 -- Gard''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Nîmes / '''Area:''' 5,853km² (2,260mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 718,357) -- Best-known the Roman arena in the departemental capital, Nîmes, still used to this day, and the Pont du Gard, the highest aqueduct bridge throughout the Roman Empire.
->'''''34 -- Hérault''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Montpellier / '''Area:''' 5,853km² (2,356mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 718,357) -- A departement known for long stretches of beaches, while the capital, is home to one of the (if not ''the'') oldest schools of medicine in the world.
->'''''48 -- Lozère''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Mende / '''Area:''' 5,167km² (1,995mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 77,156) -- An otherwise sparsely populated departement, Lozère made headlines almost 300 years ago through a bunch of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_G%C3%A9vaudan lupine man-eaters]] which terrorized the countryside.
->'''''66 -- Pyrénées-Orientales''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Perpignan / '''Area:''' 4,116km² (1,589mi²) / '''Population (2011):''' 452,530) -- Originally the other half of the Principality of Catalonia just across the Pyrénées Mountains, Pyrénées-Orientales still maintains a nominal Catalan identity, and its capital, Perpignan, is considered the third largest Catalan city (after Barcelona and Lerida) in Europe.

'''Area:''' 16,942km²\\
'''Population (2011):''' 741,072

->'''''19 -- Corrèze''''' ('''Capital:''' Tulle / '''Largest City:''' Brive-la-Gaillarde / '''Area:''' 5,857km² / '''Population (2011):''' 242,454) -- An otherwise quiet departement which produced two of France's presidents: Jacques Chirac, who began as its deputy representative for the national lower house, and the incumbent François Hollande, former mayor of the departemental capital, Tulle.
->'''''22 -- Creuse''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Guéret / '''Area:''' 5,565km² / '''Population (2011):''' 122,560) -- The departemental capital, Guéret, is home to some of the last native wolves in France.
->'''''87 -- Haute-Vienne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Limoges / '''Area:''' 5,520km² / '''Population (2011):''' 376,058) -- The departemental (and regional) capital, Limoges, is best-known for its porcelain, enamels and cork barrels used to store cognac wine. To the northwest lay Oradour-sur-Glane, infamous for a massacre upon its civilians during the latter half of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII by the Nazis, said to have been their [[DisproportionateRetribution retribution for the alleged kidnapping of an SS commander]].

'''Area:''' 23,547km²\\
'''Population (2011):''' 2,350,657

->'''''54 -- Meurthe-et-Moselle''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Nancy / '''Area:''' 5,246km² / '''Population (2011):''' 733,124) -- Its capital, Nancy, was also the capital of Lorraine, and gave the world art nouveau.
->'''''55 -- Meuse''''' ('''Capital:''' Bar-le-Duc / '''Largest City:''' Verdun / '''Area:''' 6,211km² / '''Population (2011):''' 193,557) -- The largest city, Verdun, is no stranger to warfare, being a strategic city and all, but the one during UsefulNotes/WorldWarI seared itself in the pages of history as perhaps one of the worst real-life cases of the "WarIsHell" trope, claiming over 700,000 Frenchmen and Germans between February and December 1916.
->'''''57 -- Moselle''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Metz '''Area:''' 6,216km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,045,146) -- The departemental (and regional) capital, Metz, has both a very old city center and a policy of eco-friendly urban planning.
->'''''88 -- Vosges''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Épinal '''Area:''' 5,874km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,045,146) -- Best-known as the birthplace of Joan of Arc, in the town of Domrémy (now suffixed "-la-Pucelle" in her honor).

'''Area:''' 45,348km²\\
'''Population (2011):''' 2,903,420

->'''''09 -- Ariège''''' ('''Capital:''' Foix / '''Largest City:''' Pamiers / '''Area:''' 4,890km² / '''Population (2011):''' 152,286) -- The departemental capital, Foix is home to a castle sitting on a rocky outcrop, while the hilltop fortress of nearby Montségur saw the last major stand of Catharism, snuffed out by a 10-month siege by French Crusaders in 1244.
->'''''12 -- Aveyron''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Rodez / '''Area:''' 8,735km² / '''Population (2011):''' 275,813) -- Home to several scenic castles and monasteries, including the one in Conques, a stopover on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The town of Miliau is also well-known for what is now known as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct the highest bridge in the world]], spanning the gaping Tarn Valley.
->'''''31 -- Haute-Garonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Toulouse / '''Area:''' 6,309km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,260,226) -- A departement dominated by Toulouse, the fourth-largest city in France, which prides itself as the heart of the European aerospace industry (Airbus has its main office in the suburb of Blagnac).
->'''''32 -- Gers''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Auch / '''Area:''' 6,257km² / '''Population (2011):''' 188,893) -- The departemental capital, Auch, is best-known as the designated hometown of [[Literature/TheThreeMusketeers Charles d'Artagnan]]. More infamously, the departement is home to the town of... [[UnfortunateNames Condom]] (actually a shorthand of the Gaulish "Condatómagos", or "Market of the Confluence").
->'''''46 -- Lot''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Cahors / '''Area:''' 5,217km² / '''Population (2011):''' 174,754) -- The departemental capital, Cahors, is known for its wine industry that predates that of Burgundy, while the town of Rocamadour features a rocky outcrop upon which a sword was buried, allegedly belonging to FolkHero Roland.
->'''''65 -- Hautes-Pyrénées''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Tarbes / '''Area:''' 4,464km² / '''Population (2011):''' 229,228) -- Home to several popular ski resorts and an almost-fixture on any version of the Tour de France, but perhaps better known for the town of Lourdes, where on 1858 14-year-old shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous received visions attributed to the Virgin Mary, turning the town into one of France's most popular religious pilgrimage destinations.
->'''''81 -- Tarn''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Albi / '''Area:''' 5,758km² '''Population (2011):''' 377,675)
->'''''82 -- Tarn-et-Garonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Montauban / '''Area:''' 3,717km² '''Population (2010):''' 241,698)

'''Area:''' 8,280km²\\

->'''''67 -- Bas-Rhin (Lower Rhine)''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Strasbourg / '''Area:''' 4,755km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,099,269) -- The more populous of the two departments of Alsace, Bas-Rhin's capital, Strasbourg (which also doubles as regional capital) is home to the [[UsefulNotes/TheEuropeanUnion European Parliament]], although frankly the EP isn't happy with the arrangement and spends as much time in Brussels as possible, only going to Strasbourg for the obligatory annual four-day plenary session. Also, its cathedral is the second-largest in France (after that in Rouen). Facing the German border is Ouvrage Schoenenbourg, the largest visitable fortification of the UsefulNotes/MaginotLine.
->'''''68 -- Haut-Rhin (Upper Rhine)''''' ('''Capital:''' Colmar / '''Largest City:''' Mulhouse / '''Area:''' 3,525km² / '''Population (2011):''' 753,056) -- Disproportionately for its size and population, Haut-Rhin is one of the richest departments in France. Its largest city, Mulhouse, is home to a Peugeot car factory, while the formal capital, Colmar, is a pretty town with an old city center and takes pride as the "capital of Alsatian wine", and is also the home of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the man who sculpted the Statue of Liberty.

'''Area:''' 41,308km²\\

Aquitaine was already considered a specific region under the Roman Empire, where it consisted of a good chunk of the south-western part of Gaul. Nowadays, it is significantly smaller[[note]]The medieval Dukes of Aquitaine were far more important that their title alone would suggest; the Duchy of Aquitaine, inherited from Richard the Lionheart's mother Eleanor of Aquitaine, was the core and main French part of the Angevin Empire of the [[TheHouseOfPlantagenet Plantagenets]] until UsefulNotes/{{the Hundred Years War}} put the kibosh on all that.[[/note]], but it is still one of the biggest regions of France.

->'''''24 -- Dordogne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Périgueux / '''Area:''' 9,060km² / '''Population (2011):''' 415,168) -- Corresponding to the ancient county of Périgord, Dordogne is known for its truffles (the other "black gold"). At its eastern frontier lay the caves of Lascaux, famed for its prehistoric paintings.
->'''''33 -- Gironde''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bordeaux / '''Area:''' 10,000km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,463,662) -- The departemental (and regional) seat, Bordeaux, is considered the capital of the world's wine industry, and holds an annual wine exhibit. 60 kilometers away (and into the sea) is the Dune of Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe. Named after the Gironde estuary, by which the Garonne river goes into the Atlantic.
->'''''40 -- Landes''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Mont-de-Marsan / '''Area:''' 9,243km² / '''Population (2011):''' 387,929) -- Created from parts of the ancient provinces of Guyenne and Gascony, Landes is home to the largest maritime-pine forest in Europe.
->'''''47 -- Lot-et-Garonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Agen / '''Area:''' 5,361km² / '''Population (2011):''' 330,866) -- Another byproduct of the division of Guyenne and Gascony.
->'''''64 -- Pyrénées-Atlantiques''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Pau / '''Area:''' 7,645km² / '''Population (2011):''' 656,608) -- The western part of this department is the ''other'' half of the "Basque country" (including that in Spain, just beyond the Pyrénées), and is also the home department of such glamorous beach towns as Biarritz. The eastern half is a part of Gascogne called Béarn, where poltician François Bayrou was born.

'''Area:''' 26,013km²\\

->'''''03 -- Allier''''' ('''Capital:''' Moulins / '''Largest City:''' Montluçon / '''Area:''' 7,340km² / '''Population (2011):''' 656,608) -- Comprising much of the former Duchy of Bourbonnais, Allier played a big role during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. The spa city of Vichy served as the capital of the Nazi-sponsored French government, while the countryside around nearby Montluçon saw much LaResistance activity led by New Zealand-born Australian agent [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Wake Nancy Wake]].
->'''''15 -- Cantal''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Aurillac / '''Area:''' 5,726km² / '''Population (2011):''' 147,577) -- One of the most sparsely populated departements in France, Cantal is also one of France's most isolated, with its capital, Aurillac, being the farthest-removed departemental capital from any major motorway. Its most famous son is probably the scholar [[ThePope Pope]] Sylvester II, who was originally Gerbert d'Aurillac.
->'''''43 -- Haute-Loire''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Le Puy-en-Velay / '''Area:''' 4,977km² / '''Population (2011):''' 224,907) -- Its capital, Le Puy-en-Velay, is famous for its cathedral, which served as part of the route of the Camino de Santiago (the pilgrimage to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain) as well as a pilgrimage site in its own right.
->'''''63 -- Puy-de-Dôme''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Clermont-Ferrand / '''Area:''' 4,977km² / '''Population (2011):''' 224,907) -- Named after the dormant volcano that towers over the departemental (and regional) capital, Clermont-Ferrand, and a tourist destination in its own right, being the site of several religious compounds, including a Roman one dedicated to Mercury. Clermont-Ferrand is also known as the home of tire-making company Michelin (the one with a rubber-man for a mascot).

'''Area:''' 31,582km²\\

->'''''21 -- Côte-d'Or''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Dijon / '''Area:''' 8,763km² / '''Population (2011):''' 525,931) -- Literally meaning "golden slope", Côte-d'Or is home to some of France's most prestigious vineyards, while much of the departement's economic activity centers on its capital Dijon (also seat of the entire region). The area is also the birthplace of the Cistercians, a Roman Catholic monastic order that stressed on austerity.
->'''''58 -- Nièvre''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Nevers / '''Area:''' 6,817km² / '''Population (2011):''' 218,341) -- A rural departement that largely thrives on the wine industry, its capital, Nevers, is home to a cathedral literally made of two earlier ones patched together, as well as the final resting place of St. Bernadette Soubirous, the recipient of visions attributed to the Virgin Mary at the town Lourdes farther south.
->'''''71 -- Saône-et-Loire''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Mâcon / '''Area:''' 8,575km² / '''Population (2011):''' 555,999) -- Dominated by a series of hills, Saône-et-Loire is most famous for the Benedctine abbey at Cluny, once ''the'' center of monastic activity in Europe, as well as the town of Taizé, home to a Christian ecumenical community.
->'''''89 -- Yonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Auxerre / '''Area:''' 7,427km² / '''Population (2011):''' 342,463) -- An otherwise quiet departement largely known for Sens, the town whose Roman Catholic Archdiocese once covered Paris and its surrounding areas until the 17th century.

'''Area:''' 27,208km²\\

->'''''22 -- Côtes-d'Armor''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Saint-Brieuc / '''Area:''' 6,878km² / '''Population (2011):''' 594,375) -- Brittany's oddball departement, being a holdout of left-wing politics in an otherwise conservative region, centered on the socialist stronghold of Guingamp.
->'''''29 -- Finistère''''' ('''Capital:''' Quimper / '''Largest city:''' Brest / '''Area:''' 6,733km² / '''Population (2011):''' 899,870) -- Literally plunked at the westernmost end of the Brittany Peninsula, Finistère remains Brittany's largest speaker of the Breton language, with an annual festival held at its capital, Quimper, while much of its economic activity revolves at the port city of Brest, only a few kilometers away from the westernmost end of the peninsula.
->'''''35 -- Ille-et-Vilaine''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Rennes / '''Area:''' 6,775km² / '''Population (2011):''' 996,439) -- The heart of western Brittany, the bustling city of Rennes serves as the heart of both the department and the region, while the tidal fortress-island of Saint-Malo was a primary destination for merchants and pirates alike.
->'''''56 -- Morbihan''''' ('''Capital:''' Vannes / '''Largest city:''' Lorient / '''Area:''' 6,823km² / '''Population (2011):''' 727,083) -- The departement completely surrounds the eponymous gulf, which is a famous surfing and bird-watching destination -- but is better-known as home to what is said to be the largest collection of megalithic structures in the world, of which the most famous is the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnac_stones stone formations at Carnac]].

'''Area:''' 39,151km²\\

Known as the "Centre" region until 2014, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin it is located in the center of France]] (well, more in the North-West. Ish.). It is known for two things: the Loire Valley and its famous ''châteaux'', and the fact that it is the only region with no individual cultural identity whatsoever. In fact, it's constituted of various smaller historical provinces (Berry, Touraine and Orléans), and some of them were even in conflict. It is often said that Centre was made with the leftovers when all the other regions where created. After a long campaign, it was renamed ''Centre-Val de Loire'' in January 2015.

->'''''18 -- Cher''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bourges / '''Area:''' 7,235km² / '''Population (2011):''' 311,694) -- Half of the ancient province of Berry, its departemental capital, Bourges, was also the said province's capital.
->'''''28 -- Eure-et-Loir''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Chartres / '''Area:''' 5,880km² / '''Population (2011):''' 430,416) -- A largely agricultural region, Eure-et-Loir is created from parts of the old province of Orléans. Almost everyone has already heard of Chartres, the departemental capital, whose skyline is still dominated to this day by the twin spires of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartres_Cathedral its cathedral]], arguably the best-preserved Gothic church in France.
->'''''36 -- Indre''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Châteauroux / '''Area:''' 6,791km² / '''Population (2011):''' 230,175) -- The other half of the former province of Berry. Most famous for Saint-Benoît-du-Sault and Gargilesse-Dampierre, said to be two of the most beautiful villages in France.
->'''''37 -- Indre-et-Loire''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Tours / '''Area:''' 6,127km² / '''Population (2011):''' 593,683) -- Formerly part of the province of Touraine, Indre-et-Loire saw a crucial battle during the 8th century which saw invading Moors repelled by Frankish duke Charles Martel on the modern-day departemental capital of Tours. The town of Chinon is home to a riverside château that once served as a residence of French and English kings in the 11th century, while another town, Chenconceaux, is host to another château built over an old flour mill literally straddling the Cher river.
->'''''41 -- Loir-et-Cher''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Blois / '''Area:''' 6,343km² / '''Population (2011):''' 331,280) -- Created from portions of Orléans and Touraine, this departement is best-known for the Château de Chambord, the largest of its kind in the Loire Valley and distinctive for its strong French architectural style.
->'''''45 -- Loiret''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Orleans / '''Area:''' 6,775km² / '''Population (2011):''' 659,587) -- Formerly of the province of Orléans, its same-named capital is also the capital both of the departement and the region. The city of Orleans is better known, however, for a siege during UsefulNotes/{{the Hundred Years War}} which saw a 19-year-old peasant girl from Lorraine named JoanOfArc help the beleaguered French repel the English, turning the tide of the Hundred Years War.

'''Area:''' 25,606km²\\

->'''''08 -- Ardennes''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Charleville-Mézières / '''Area:''' 5,229km² / '''Population (2011):''' 283,110) -- The departemental capital, Charleville-Mézières, is best known as the birthplace of Creator/ArthurRimbaud and home to a medieval fair.
->'''''10 -- Aube''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Troyes / '''Area:''' 6,004km² / '''Population (2011):''' 303,997) -- A departement best-known for its capital, Troyes, which features half-timbered houses and was a former center of international trade (an English [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_weight weight measurement system for precious metals and stones]] is named after the town).
->'''''51 -- Marne''''' ('''Capital:''' Châlons-en-Champagne / '''Largest City:''' Reims / '''Area:''' 8,162km² / '''Population (2011):''' 566,571) -- In a predominantly wine-making region, the town of Épernay is ''the'' place where barrels of champagne are gathered from all over the region. Its largest city, Reims, features a cathedral that served as the coronation site of the Kings of France (for British readers, think Westminster Abbey, only French and Catholic).
->'''''52 -- Haute-Marne''''' ('''Capital:''' Chaumont / '''Largest City:''' Saint-Dizier / '''Area:''' 6,211km² / '''Population (2011):''' 182,375) -- An otherwise quiet departement mostly known as the site of Lake Der-Chantecoq, the largest manmade lake in Europe.

'''Area:''' 8,680km²\\

->'''''2A -- Corse-du-Sud''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Ajaccio / '''Area:''' 4,014km² / '''Population (2011):''' 145,846) -- Directly facing Sardinia, the capital, Ajaccio, is the birthplace of Napoleon, while the town of Bonifacio literally sits on top of a seaside cliff facing.
->'''''2B -- Haute-Corse''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bastia / '''Area:''' 4,666km² / '''Population (2011):''' 168,640) -- Literally "Upper Corsica", its capital, Bastia, is the island's principal port, directly facing continental France, while the smaller town of Calvi claims to be the actual birthplace of UsefulNotes/ChristopherColumbus (then a Genoan territory).

'''Area:''' 16,202km²\\

->'''''25 -- Doubs''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Besançon / '''Area:''' 5,234km² / '''Population (2011):''' 529,103) -- A departement built around the Roman-era trade post of Besançon, the birthplace of Creator/VictorHugo, overlooked by an imposing hilltop fortress.
->'''''39 -- Jura''''' ('''Capital:''' Lons-le-Saunier / '''Largest city:''' Dole / '''Area:''' 4,999km² / '''Population (2011):''' 261,294) -- Jura is a predominantly wine-making region, and for lack of industrial activity, much of the departement's business work is concentrated in such small towns as Lons-le-Saunier and Dole.
->'''''70 -- Haute-Saône''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Vesoul / '''Area:''' 5,360km² / '''Population (2011):''' 239,695) -- An quiet, rural departement amidst a hotspot of economic activity that straddles the French-German border.
->'''''90 -- Territoire de Belfort''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Belfort / '''Area:''' 609km² / '''Population (2011):''' 143,348) -- For such a small departement, Belfort is distinct from the rest of the region by being a remnant of Alsace retained by the French after the rest was lost to the Germans after the UsefulNotes/FrancoPrussianWar (partly as a show of respect to the 17,000 Frenchmen who defended the eponymous capital against 40,000 Germans during a 103-day siege; in their honor a massive stone lion was sculpted by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, finished a few months before he started work on the Statue of Liberty).

'''Area:''' 12,012km²\\

->'''''75 -- UsefulNotes/{{Paris}}''''' ('''Area:''' 105km² / '''Population (2011):''' 2,249,975)
->'''''77 -- Seine-et-Marne''''' ('''Capital:''' Melun / '''Largest City:''' Meaux / '''Area:''' 1,804km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,225,191) -- Best known for Disneyland Paris, as well as the Palace of Fontainebleau, which used to be Napoleon's seat of power.
->'''''78 -- Yvelines''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Versailles / '''Area:''' 2,284km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,413,635) -- Best known for the Palace of Versailles, Music/{{Air}} and Music/DaftPunk.
->'''''91 -- Essonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Évry / '''Area:''' 1,804km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,225,191) -- Home to the École Polytechnique, the most prestigious engineering school in France, as well as Arianespace, builders of the near-eponymous rockets frequently launched from French Guiana.
->'''''92 -- Hauts-de-Seine''''' ('''Capital:''' Nanterre / '''Largest city:''' Boulogne-Billancourt / '''Area:''' 176km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,581,628) -- Forming the western half of the "Petit Couronne", its largest city, Boulogne-Billancourt, is the largest and richest of the Parisian suburbs. Hauts-de-Seine is also home to La Défense, Europe's largest purpose-built business district.
->'''''93 -- Seine-Saint-Denis''''' ('''Capital:''' Bobigny / '''Largest city:''' Saint-Denis / '''Area:''' 231km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,529,928) -- The northeastern part of the "Petite Couronne", the departement is home to several French hip-hop acts. The cathedral of its largest city, Saint-Denis, is also the final resting place of the Kings of France since the 10th century, built on the spot where the eponymous first Roman Catholic Bishop of Paris died after walking six miles preaching to the masses while ''carrying his severed head on his arms after being beheaded''.
->'''''94 -- Val-de-Marne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Créteil / '''Area:''' 245km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,333,702) -- Completing the "Petite Couronne", Val-de-Marne is famous for its [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinguette ginguettes]]. The town of Vincennes is most famous for its château.
->'''''95 -- Val-d'Oise''''' ('''Capital:''' Pontoise / '''Largest City:''' Argenteuil / '''Area:''' 1,246km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,180,365) -- Its largest city, Argenteuil, is the second-largest Parisian suburb after Boulogne-Billancourt.

'''Area:''' 27,376km²\\

->'''''11 -- Aude''''' ('''Capital:''' Carcassonne / '''Largest City:''' Narbonne / '''Area:''' 6,139km² / '''Population (2011):''' 359,967) -- Aude has a long culture of wine-making, inherited from the Greeks, and throughout the medieval period was part of the territory of the Cathars, a Christian sect which rejects Christ's human nature and advocates escape from mortal flesh. Its prefectural capital, Carcassonne, is well-known for its restored medieval fortresses, while the slightly larger city of Narbonne to the coast existed since Roman times, remains of which era survive to this day.
->'''''30 -- Gard''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Nîmes / '''Area:''' 5,853km² / '''Population (2011):''' 718,357) -- Best-known the Roman arena in the departemental capital, Nîmes, still used to this day, and the Pont du Gard, the highest aqueduct bridge throughout the Roman Empire.
->'''''34 -- Hérault''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Montpellier / '''Area:''' 5,853km² / '''Population (2011):''' 718,357) -- A departement known for long stretches of beaches, while the capital, is home to one of the (if not ''the'') oldest schools of medicine in the world.
->'''''48 -- Lozère''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Mende / '''Area:''' 5,167km² / '''Population (2011):''' 77,156) -- An otherwise sparsely populated departement, Lozère made headlines almost 300 years ago through a bunch of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_G%C3%A9vaudan lupine man-eaters]] which terrorized the countryside.
->'''''66 -- Pyrénées-Orientales''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Perpignan / '''Area:''' 4,116km² / '''Population (2011):''' 452,530) -- Originally the other half of the Principality of Catalonia just across the Pyrénées Mountains, Pyrénées-Orientales still maintains a nominal Catalan identity, and its capital, Perpignan, is considered the third largest Catalan city (after Barcelona and Lerida) in Europe.

The largest city in the region is Marseille which is France's second biggest city and famous for being the oldest French city (founded by Greeks merchants in the 600s BC), and the one with the most intense football fever − its football club notably has a long rivalry with that of Bordeaux. It is also the main birthplace of [[TheGoldenAgeOfHipHop French rap]] after Paris. Other big cities includes Toulon, Nice and Avignon.

The largest city in the region is Marseille which is France's second biggest city and famous for being the oldest French city (founded by Greeks merchants in the 600s BC), and the one with the most intense football fever. Other big cities includes Toulon, Nice and Avignon.

Modern-day Brittany is actually only roughly 80% of the historical region, with the rest now belonging to Pays de Loire [[TheArtifact just because]]. Pretty Celtic in culture (it's part of the six Celtic nations with UsefulNotes/{{Ireland}}, UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wales}}, Cornwall and the Isle of Man), this is the last Celtic country in continental European (established by Cornish/Welsh refugees from Britain[[note]]We say "Cornish/Welsh" because there wasn't a strong difference at the time. They would have called themselves "Britons" (or something close to that, anyway), but that would be needlessly confusing.[[/note]]). The local language, Breton, is being revived as part of France's gradual relaxation of its cultural policy. It is very closely related to Cornish and slightly more distantly related to Welsh.

->'''''33 -- Gironde''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Bordeaux / '''Area:''' 10,000km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,463,662) -- The departemental (and regional) seat, Bordeaux, is considered the capital of the world's wine industry, and holds an annual wine exhibit. 60 kilometers away (and into the sea) is the Dune of Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe.

Capital is Saint-Denis. Réunion is renowned for its volcano, food (a surprising mix of French, Indian and African cooking), surf spots and ''awesome'' [[TheWorldIsJustAwesome inner mountains and landscapes]]. It is also said to be a paradise for botanists given the range of completely unique species it shelters.

The départements are purely administrative, having been created during UsefulNotes/{{the French Revolution}} as a means to "rationalize" administration: originally, the idea was to divide along the lines of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChassisFiguratif.jpg rigid grid]], and although that idea was quickly scrapped, the départemental lines are drawn with more consideration for compactness and equality of geographic size than anything else − nobody had to be "more than a day of horseriding" away from the main city of their department. Most of these departments are named after rivers, mountains or seas (or several at once like ''Pyrénées Atlantiques'').. The regions, on the other hand, tend to vaguely follow the old provinces of the ''Ancien Régime'', although not always (Centre, Rhône-Alpes, Pays de la Loire, and Midi-Pyrénées in particular are noted for their artificiality). The historic provinces tend to be very much a focus for attachment for ordinary French people, as do the towns, cities, and other municipalities that form the next level down below the département. The old provinces tend to have their own characteristic dialects, cuisines, customs, and traditions -- to say nothing of the cheese and the wine. Although the dialects have been worn away by generations of concerted attempts to impose Standard French, the rest have remained -- and that's why we talk about it.

The départements are purely administrative, having been created during UsefulNotes/{{the French Revolution}} as a means to "rationalize" administration: originally, the idea was to divide along the lines of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChassisFiguratif.jpg rigid grid]], and although that idea was quickly scrapped, the départemental lines are drawn with more consideration for compactness and equality of geographic size than anything else − nobody had to be "more than a day of horseriding" away from the main city of their department. The regions, on the other hand, tend to vaguely follow the old provinces of the ''Ancien Régime'', although not always (Centre, Rhône-Alpes, Pays de la Loire, and Midi-Pyrénées in particular are noted for their artificiality). The historic provinces tend to be very much a focus for attachment for ordinary French people, as do the towns, cities, and other municipalities that form the next level down below the département. The old provinces tend to have their own characteristic dialects, cuisines, customs, and traditions -- to say nothing of the cheese and the wine. Although the dialects have been worn away by generations of concerted attempts to impose Standard French, the rest have remained -- and that's why we talk about it.

!Centre

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Located in the center of France]], Centre is known for two things: the Loire Valley and its famous ''châteaux'', and the fact that it is the only region with no individual cultural identity whatsoever. In fact, it's constituted of various smaller historical provinces (Berry, Touraine and Orléans), and some of them were even in conflict. It is often said that Centre was made with the leftovers when all the other regions where created. There's currently a campaign to get it renamed ''Val de Loire" ("Loire Valley", after its main unifying characteristic), but this is going slowly.

* Alsace will be fused with Lorraine and Champagne-Ardennes (and Alsacians are ''[[BerserkButton not]]'' happy with that).

The biggest of all the French régions: it is as big as Belgium or Portugal. It is the only one which isn't an island, being located between Suriname at the west and Brazil at the east. Guyane remains for its overwhelming part a chunk of the Amazonian rainforest, where several indigenous tribes still live. But most of the population lives on the shores.

The départements are purely administrative, having been created during UsefulNotes/{{the French Revolution}} as a means to "rationalize" administration: originally, the idea was to divide along the lines of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChassisFiguratif.jpg rigid grid]], and although that idea was quickly scrapped, the départemental lines are drawn with more consideration for compactness and equality of geographic size than anything else − the initial idea was that nobody had to be "more than a day of horseriding" away from the main city of their department. The regions, on the other hand, tend to vaguely follow the old provinces of the ''Ancien Régime'', although not always (Centre, Rhône-Alpes, Pays de la Loire, and Midi-Pyrénées in particular are noted for their artificiality). The historic provinces tend to be very much a focus for attachment for ordinary French people, as do the towns, cities, and other municipalities that form the next level down below the département. The old provinces tend to have their own characteristic dialects, cuisines, customs, and traditions -- to say nothing of the cheese and the wine. Although the dialects have been worn away by generations of concerted attempts to impose Standard French, the rest have remained -- and that's why we talk about it.

The départements are purely administrative, having been created during UsefulNotes/{{the French Revolution}} as a means to "rationalize" administration: originally, the idea was to divide along the lines of a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ChassisFiguratif.jpg rigid grid]], and although that idea was quickly scrapped, the départemental lines are drawn with more consideration for compactness and equality of geographic size than anything else. The regions, on the other hand, tend to vaguely follow the old provinces of the ''Ancien Régime'', although not always (Centre, Rhône-Alpes, Pays de la Loire, and Midi-Pyrénées in particular are noted for their artificiality). The historic provinces tend to be very much a focus for attachment for ordinary French people, as do the towns, cities, and other municipalities that form the next level down below the département. The old provinces tend to have their own characteristic dialects, cuisines, customs, and traditions -- to say nothing of the cheese and the wine. Although the dialects have been worn away by generations of concerted attempts to impose Standard French, the rest have remained -- and that's why we talk about it.

''Départements'' are the primary administrative divisions of France. As you can imagine given that bit about France being big, there's rather a lot of them. Nowadays they are grouped for administrative efficiency into 27 ''régions'', 22 within "Metropolitan France" (i.e., in continental Europe, including Corsica), and the remaining five elsewhere, but this is a [[NewerThanTheyThink fairly recent creation]]. Several regional projects aborted, the first one in 1919, the second one during [[WorldWarII the Vichy regime]], and the third one rejected by referendum in 1969 (which is what led to Charles De Gaulle's retirement from power). It wasn't until the seventies that the current regions were created, and they were only given significant power by 1983's decentralization law under François Mitterrand.

In 2014, a rather controversial reform was initiated by François Hollande to reduce the number of metropolitan regions from 22 to 14 and increase the administrative powers of regions − and conversely reduce those of departments. It's controversial for mostly three reasons: the express will of the government to make the departmental level eventually disapear, the relative randomness of the new division, notably accused of [[TheyJustDidntCare not taking cultural aspects into account]] (it doesn't help that nonsensical regions like Pays-de-la-Loire and Centre are left as they are), and the fact that the government has apparently no intention of asking the inhabitants their opinion on the matter. The reform is planned to take effect in 2016.

->'''''31 -- Haute-Garonne''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Toulouse / '''Area:''' 6,309km² / '''Population (2011):''' 1,260,226) -- A departement dominated by Toulouse, the fourth-largest city in France, which prides itself as the heart of the European aerospace industry.

[[TheGenericGuy A région of middle size, not really in the north nor in the south]]. Its capital is Poitiers, alleged birthplace of [[TheHouseOfPlantagenet Eleanor of Aquitaine]]. Île de Ré is there, where most of the Paris upper class BourgeoisBohemian use to spend their summer holidays. It regroups two historical regions: [[ExactlyWhatItSayOnTheTin Poitou (northern half) and Charente (southern half)]].

''Départements'' are the primary administrative divisions of France. As you can imagine given that bit about France being big, there's rather a lot of them. Nowadays they are grouped for administrative efficiency into 27 ''régions'', 22 within "Metropolitan France" (i.e., in continental Europe, including Corsica), and the remaining five elsewhere, but this is a [[NewerThanTheyThink fairly recent creation]]. Several regional projects aborted, the first one in 1919, the second one during [[UsefulNotes/VichyFrance the Vichy regime]], and the third one rejected by referendum in 1969 (which is what led to Charles De Gaulle's retirement from power). It wasn't until the seventies that the current regions were created, and they were only given significant power by 1983's decentralization law under François Mitterrand.

->'''''64 -- Pyrénées-Atlantiques''''' ('''Capital [and largest city]:''' Pau / '''Area:''' 7,645km² / '''Population (2011):''' 656,608) -- The western part of this department is the ''other'' half of the "Basque country" (including that in Spain, just beyond the Pyrénées), and is also the home department of such glamorous beach towns as Biarritz.

In 2014, a rather controversial reform was initiated by François Hollande to reduce the number of metropolitan regions from 22 to 14 and increase the administrative powers of regions − and conversely reduce those of departments. It's controversial both for the express will of the government to make the departmental level eventually disapear, and the relative randomness of the new division (though that part was ''slightly'' tweaked compared to the initial project), accused of not taking cultural aspects into account. It is planned to take effect in 2016.

* Midi-Pyrénées will be fused with Languedoc-Roussillon.

''Départements'' are the primary administrative divisions of France. As you can imagine given that bit about France being big, there's rather a lot of them, so they are grouped for administrative efficiency into 27 ''régions'', 22 within "Metropolitan France" (i.e., in continental Europe, including Corsica), and the remaining five elsewhere. Each département is allocated a number[[note]]Numbers are supposed to be allocated alphabetically, but with départements changing names and new ones being created by dividing old ones, this rule has several exceptions.[[/note]], which appears on French postcodes and car registrations.

A region with a strong cultural identity, Lorraine (along with Alsace) changed hands between France and Germany a few times throughout its history.

[[TheGenericGuy A région of middle size, not really in the north nor in the south]]. Its capital is Poitiers, alleged birthplace of [[TheHouseOfPlantagenet Eleanor of Aquitaine]]. Île de Ré is there, where most of the Paris upper class BourgeoisBohemian use to spend their summer holidays.

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-->-- '''CharlesDeGaulle'''

People tend to forget this, but UsefulNotes/{{France}} is big. Really big. By land area it is the largest country in Western Europe and of UsefulNotes/{{the European Union}}, and the third-largest in Europe overall (after Russia and Ukraine); it's also about the same size as Texas, which of course [[EverythingIsBigInTexas prides itself on its size]]. As a result, despite the centralization of power in Paris, the government needs to divide the country up somehow in order to govern effectively.

-->-- '''UsefulNotes/CharlesDeGaulle'''