France
We'll now give a short description of the main regions of France, to help you decide where in
the country you may like to purchase your property.
Bretagne
Brittany (Bretagne), the région occupying the rugged western tip of France, is surrounded on three
sides by a long (1110km) and varied coastline. There are rugged cliffs dotted with lighthouses,
wide estuaries, islands and islets where bird life is protected, and picturesque harbours with
strong maritime traditions. The many white sandy beaches and pretty coves make for wonderful
bathing opportunities. Sailing and windsurfing are popular and some of the best scuba-diving in
France can be found.
The climate is mild because of the Gulf Stream but its Atlantic exposure
means that winters can be wet, very windy and bitterly cold. Ferry links at Roscoff, St Malo and
the nearby ports in Normandy have made this an area very popular with UK holiday-makers and second
home owners. It's also very popular with French holiday makers and in the summer months the beaches
and attractive seaside towns such as Dinard, Vannes and Dinan are teeming with tourists.
Pays de la Loire
Pays de la Loire in western France, has a diverse, if low lying landscape, residing largely in the
Massif Armoricain. The wild and rugged Atlantic coast in the west contrasts with the lush, green
countryside and rivers of the Loire valley in the centre. There are vast rural areas, many devoted
to agriculture, plus large urban conurbations and economic centres. It has a temperate climate with
mild winters ands warm summers.
Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes is a tranquil and largely unspoilt région halfway down the West coast. Its long
Atlantic coastline has fine sandy beaches, pretty marinas and bustling resorts. There are a number
of beautiful islands such as nineteen-mile long Ile d'Oléron which is popular with naturists and
whose main industry is oyster catching. Another island, Ile de Ré is known for its salt marshes and
is reputed to receive more hours of sunshine than anywhere else in France away from the Mediterranean.
A bridge linking it with the mainland makes it easily accessible to outsiders, to the chagrin of
residents who feel that the island's previous pleasant seclusion has gone and traffic has hugely
increased. On the mainland Royan, at the southern tip of the région, is a busy tourist resort with
five well-kept but congested beaches, or conches as they're referred to.
Aquitaine
Aquitaine, in the south-west, is the largest région of France. It has a long, straight west coast,
which stretches 200km from the mouth of the Gironde estuary down to Spanish border. Along this border
there are two main resorts, Biarritz in the south which, once fashionable with the glamour set of the
1930s has recently been revived by trendy Parisians, and Arcachon to the north with its grand villas,
which is popular with Bordelais weekenders. Apart from these resorts the beautiful endless white
beaches of this coastline are half-empty during the summer months compared to France's packed
scorching Mediterranean coast.
Limousin
Limousin, located in the central France, is one of the most rural régions in the country and is
perfect for those looking for tranquillity and remote, unspoiled landscapes. Its green wooded hills
are dotted with old churches and castles and charming villages and bastides. Watersports lovers will
be in their element as there are deep gorges, numerous rivers and "1,000" lakes. It's excellent
territory for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing and fishing. The only large town is Limoges,
a pleasant place famed for its pottery.
Languedoc-Roussillon
Languedoc-Roussillon in south-west France curves around a corner of the Mediterranean, from
Provence in the east down to the borders with Spain and Andorra in the south. The modern région
was formed when two historic provinces were merged. Languedoc takes its name from langue d'oc,
a language closely linked to Catalan, and Roussillon in the far south was known as France's Catalonia,
but today Catalonia is confined to an autonomous région in north-eastern Spain. |
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