New Regions of France, Capitals and facts

Corsica

Capital is Ajaccio. It is an island off of the coast of France in the mediterranean sea; birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte; this area retains some of its own Langauge which is similar to Italian

Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Capital is Bordeaux; region is on the Atlantic Ocean and is important for oyster farming; it has the largest sand dune in France

Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

Capital is Dijon; The region is a merger of the former regions of Burgundy and Franche-Comté; these regions were themselves based on French provinces abolished in 1790

Hauts-de-France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie)

Capital is Lille; Occupying the northern tip of the country, this region's name translates to "Upper France". It is a merger of the former regions of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy, which recalled a province of France abolished in 1790

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Capital is Lyon; Home to the city of Grenoble; only region with glaciers; home to Mont Blanc; ski capital and held Winter Olympics

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Capital is Marseille; home to Nice and Cannes and inspired many famous artists like Cezanne and Van Gogh; tourist area of French Riviera and old "arenas"

Grand Est

Capital is Strasbourg; the Rhine river flows here; home to the European parliament; there is strong german influence due to it being fought over by the Germans since the borders both France and Germany; had only Nazi concentration camp in France

Occitanie

Toulouse is the Capital; Pont du gard is the most famous tourist attraction as well as the towns of Avignon, Nimes and Carcassone; borders Mediterranean Sea but near Spain with a strong Spanish cultural influence

Pays de la Loire

Capital is Nantes; The name translates to "Land(s) of the Loire," as the Loire river is the major waterway in the area; the region has no historic basis, but was created as a zone of influence for the city of Nantes.

Centre-Val de Loire

Capital is Orléans; Translating to "Centre-Loire Valley," the region's name has no historic basis, but is geographically located in north-central France and straddles the middle of the Loire Valley

Île de France

Capital is Paris; Home to Eiffel Tower and other of the world's most famous landmarks; most populated and one of the wealthiest regions

Bretagne (Brittany)

Capital is Rennes; also includes cities of St. Malo (large fish producer and Brest (important naval port)

Normandie (Normandy)

Capital is Rouen; Famous region noted during WWII for the allied invasion of its beaches= D-Day; had a upper and lower; BEST WWII museum in France; largest producer of apple products in France