► All the regions of France are or include popular tourist destinations, but there are considerable differences in culture, character and climate, from one region to are or include popular tourist destinations, but there are considerable differences in culture, character and climate, from one region to another.
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In greater detail ......
Region by region: |
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| Alsace Grand Est | Normandy (Haute & Basse) |
| Aquitaine | Pays de la Loire |
| Auvergne Auvergne Rhone-Alpes |
Picardy Hauts de France |
| Brittany |
Poitou-Charentes Nouvelle Aquitaine |
| Burgundy (Bourgogne- Franche-comté) | Provence - Côte-d'Azur |
| Centre | Rhone-Alpes Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes |
| Champagne Grand Est | Thematic pages and other area guides .... |
| Corsica | Cathar country - who were the Cathars? |
| Franche
Comté (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) |
The French Riviera |
| Ile de France (Paris) | The Camargue |
| Languedoc-Roussillon Occitanie | Wild France - far from the crowds |
| Limousin Nouvelle Aquitaine | French Alps ski areas |
| Lorraine Grand Est | The coasts and seaside of France |
| Midi-Pyrénées Occitanie | The Dordogne area |
| Nord – Pas-de-Calais Hauts de France | The Massif Central |
1. Discover the regions of France
Since 2016, Metropolitan France has been divided administratively into 13 regions; until the end of 2015, there were 22 regions.The reduction has been obtained by mergeing certain regions together, as can be seen on the map above. The old regions' identities, though not their institutions, will remain strong for some time to come.
There are also five overseas regions. Select any region or area in the list below right, or on the map above, for specific regional information and main tourist attractions.
Definition:
Regions are the principal territorial units of France. There are 13 regions in metropolitan France, i.e. continental France plus the island of Corsica. There are five overseas regions.The number was reduced to 13 at the start of 2016. Mergeing regions are linked by colour in the map at the top of the page. For example Midi Pyrenees and Languedoc Roussillon are now combined in the new region currently known as "Midi-Pyrenees-Languedoc-Roussillon". The definitive names of new combined regions will in theory be determined by the new regional councils during 2016. Basically the new division means that there are now nine regions in the north of France, and just four in the south.
Each region has its regional council, whose members are elected by universal suffrage. The council is presided over by a regional president, and has a full local administration to go with it.
Regions have extensive powers in the fields of transport, infrastructure, economic development, tourism and education (provision of lycées), and since these powers were devolved to them from 1981 onwards regions have often worked hard over the years to develop a regional identity.
Regions are the top tier of a distinctly complex multi-tiered system of local administration, which also includes counties (départements), local areas (communautés de communes) and boroughs (communes).
This guide only covers France in Europe, and consequently excludes French overseas regions such as the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe.