An Overview of France's Regions Outside Paris

It has been described by Ernest Hemingway that Paris life is like a “moving feast.” Each province and each city has its own culture and look. Visit a modest cafe in a tiny village or a fancy restaurant in Aix-en-Provence to learn about the local life and customs.

Each region of France had its own unique flavor, whether you chose Alsace, Brittany, Loire Valley, Normandy, Provence, Dordogne, or a rental villa. The scenery in France is surprisingly diverse for a country so small: canyons, cliffs, beaches, and mountains of all sizes, as well as long, fertile valleys and plains. Climate and geography were adapted by their common ancestors through long history and cooperation.

France’s borders encompass ten distinct cultural identities, from Annecy to Chamonix, Nice to Brest. The vibrancy of Marseille sometimes makes it feel like a North African port. Spanish tones are evident throughout Perpignan, Biarritz, and Pays Basque. The Spanish undercurrents of Biarritz give way to the British ones of Bordeaux and Cognac because of their shared history. North American ex-pats moved to the continent for economic and religious reasons. France is the pulsating heart of Europe. There is a combination of Welsh and Cornish populations in Lille, Arras, and Pas de Calais, as well as Normans in southern England. As a result of back-and-forth migrations, only French genes remain common.

From Belgium, let’s move southeast to Luxembourg and Germany. In Alsace, you can see the German influence in architecture, dialect, wine, food, and environmental concerns. The French Alps and Swiss Alps are sisters. In Switzerland, French is one of the three official languages. Chamonix to Nice and the eastern half of the French Riviera are dotted with Italian last names and physical characteristics.

As a result, rich human resources are pooled in one country, France. A nation’s unity is based on its rural areas and cities such as Lyon and Limoges.