Two regions, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, opted to retain their interim names. [9] [10] France boasts a rich cultural heritage that spans centuries. Explore the world-famous Louvre Museum, home to masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, and marvel at the intricate architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral. Delve into the world of high fashion in Paris, and immerse yourself in the literary and artistic traditions that have shaped France’s cultural identity. Indulge in Gastronomic Delights With Clovis's conversion to Catholicism in 498, the Frankish monarchy, elective and secular until then, became hereditary and of divine right. One overseas "country" ( pays d'outre-mer, or POM): French Polynesia. In 2003 it became an overseas collectivity (or COM). Its statutory law of 27 February 2004 gives it the particular designation of overseas country inside the Republic (or POM), but without legal modification of its status.

All of the thirteen metropolitan administrative regions (including Corsica as of 2019 [update]) are further subdivided into two to thirteen administrative departments, with the prefect of each region's administrative centre's department also acting as the regional prefect. The overseas regions administratively consist of only one department each and hence also have the status of overseas departments. The Angevin Realm, also known as the Angevin Empire or the Plantagenet Empire, was a vast territory in Western Europe during the 12th and 13th centuries. It was established and ruled by the Plantagenet dynasty, with Henry II as its first Angevin king. The realm included England, large portions of modern-day France (including Anjou, Normandy, Aquitaine, and Gascony), as well as parts of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The Angevin kings, particularly Henry II and his son Richard the Lionheart, played significant roles in European politics, engaging in conflicts such as the Crusades and the struggles for power within the English monarchy. The Angevin Realm came to an end with the death of King John in 1216 and subsequent territorial losses. Reddit user: The Wise Beluga Borrowed from the institutions of the Roman Empire, the word first appeared in the 15th century and has continued to spread, both in official documents and in popular or common usage. Whatever the century or dictionary consulted, the definition of the word often remains vague, due to the coexistence of several territorial division systems under the Ancien Régime. Some geographers, even some of the most famous, such as Onésime Reclus, have widely criticised the idea of provinces and provincial identity, sometimes denying that the word covers any tangible reality. In fact, the many lists and maps showing the provinces of France are neither perfectly superimposable nor exactly comparable. The fact remains, however, that the names of many of the territorial subdivisions of the Ancien Régime refer to Gallic civitates.Northern France, with its wealth of historical and cultural heritage and diverse range of architecture influenced by great chapters in the region history, is filled with interesting museums and lively cultural venues as its shown in the map of Northern France. The traditions, heritage and knowledge in Northern France perpetuate an inherited identity of centuries-old thriving customs. Meet a group of Dunkirk fishermen, uncover some treasures in the annual Lille ‘braderie’, fall in love with a piece of feather-light lace, relive the mining period, drink a pint in a regional tavern. Try new experiences and encounter some gripping tales. The cool-summer mediterranean continental climate ( Dsc) is found in all the mountainous regions of Southern France between 1,400 and 2,300-2,400 metres a.s.l. Summers are cool, short and dry while winters are very cold and snowy. While during the years 1980 and 1990 the demographic growth of metropolitan France was worn mostly by the urban peripheries, now all types of areas are benefiting. In 2006, although the population is still centered around Paris and major cities, some remote areas of cities are becoming denser strongly. Before the French Revolution, France was made up of territorial divisions resulting from history, geography and settlement, which differed according to the different powers that were exercised there, with different categories such as metropolises, dioceses, duchies, baronies, governments, states, elections, generalities, intendances, parliaments, countries, bailliages, seneschaussées, etc. Each of these categories took the name of a province, without covering the same geographical area. For example, the jurisdiction of the parlement d'Artois did not correspond to the same territory as the gouvernement d'Artois or the intendance d'Artois.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon (located just south of Newfoundland, Canada, in North America), once an overseas department, was demoted to a territorial collectivity in 1985. France has a population of 67 million people (est. 2020); 64.8 million people in Metropolitan France and 2.2 million in its overseas regions.Flooding, avalanches, midwinter windstorms, drought, forest fires in the south near the Mediterranean An urban area is defined by INSEE as a continuum formed by an urban center and its suburban ring. When a significant portion of the workforce resident working in another municipality in the urban area, these towns are said "monopolarisées". The French Revolution, starting in 1789, marked a significant turning point by overthrowing the monarchy and initiating radical political and social transformations. A region's primary responsibility is to build and furnish high schools. In March 2004, the French central government unveiled a controversial plan to transfer regulation of certain categories of non-teaching school staff to the regional authorities. Critics of this plan contended that tax revenue was insufficient to pay for the resulting costs, and that such measures would increase regional inequalities.

Southernmost point — Îles Lavezzi (off Corsica), Bonifacio, Corse-du-Sud at 41°20′N 9°15′E / 41.333°N 9.250°E / 41.333; 9.250 Metropolitan (i.e. European) France is divided into 12 régions and 1 territorial collectivity, Corsica. However, Corsica is referred to as a region in common speech. These regions are subdivided into 96 départements, which are further divided into 320 arrondissements, which are further divided into 1,995 cantons, which are further divided into 34,836 communes (as of 1/1/2021). [3]Under the wars of Louis XV (r. 1715–1774), France lost New France an France is divided into eighteen administrative regions ( French: régions, singular région [ʁeʒjɔ̃]), of which thirteen are located in metropolitan France (in Europe), while the other five are overseas regions (not to be confused with the overseas collectivities, which have a semi-autonomous status). [1]