Departments of France
Table:
INSEE code

Arms 1

Department

Prefecture

Region

Named after

01

Ain

Bourg-en-Bresse

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Ain (river)

02

Aisne

Laon

Hauts-de-France

Aisne (river)

03

Allier

Moulins

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Allier (river)

04

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence 2

Digne-les-Bains

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Alps mountains and Provence region

05

Hautes-Alpes

Gap

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Alps mountains

06

Alpes-Maritimes

Nice

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Alps mountains

07

Ardèche

Privas

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Ardèche (river)

08

Ardennes

Charleville-Mézières

Grand Est

Ardennes Forest

09

Ariège

Foix

Occitanie

Ariège (river)

10

Aube

Troyes

Grand Est

Aube (river)

11

Aude

Carcassonne

Occitanie

Aude (river)

12

Aveyron

Rodez

Occitanie

Aveyron (river)

13

Bouches-du-Rhône

Marseille

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Rhône (river)

14

Calvados

Caen

Normandy

Calvados rocks

15

Cantal

Aurillac

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Mounts of Cantal

16

Charente

Angoulême

Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Charente (river)

17

Charente-Maritime 3

La Rochelle

Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Charente (river)

18

Cher

Bourges

Centre-Val de Loire

Cher (river)

19

Corrèze

Tulle

Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Corrèze (river)

Looking at the table and the context paragraphs listed below.

Give the answer to the question: How many tourist attractions are listed in the prefecture whose department 's inhabitants are officially known as Bourbonnais since October 2018 ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

The INSEE code is a numerical indexing code used by the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies ( INSEE ) to identify various entities , including communes and départements . They are also used as national identification numbers given to people .
Ain ( /æ̃/ , French : [ ɛ̃ ] ( listen ) ; Arpitan : En ) is a department named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France . It is part of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and bordered by the rivers Saône and Rhône . Ain is composed of four geographically different areas ( Bresse , Dombes , Bugey and Pays de Gex ) each of which contribute to the diversity and the dynamic economic development of the department . In the Bresse agriculture and agro-industry are dominated by the cultivation of cereals , cattle breeding , milk and cheese production as well as poultry farming . In the Dombes , pisciculture assumes greater importance as does wine making in the Bugey . Due to the alphabetical numbering of French departments , Ain is assigned the number 01 as its department number .
Bourg-en-Bresse ( French pronunciation : ​ [ buʁk‿ɑ̃ bʁɛs ] ; Bôrg in Arpitan language ) is a commune in eastern France , capital of the Ain department , and the capital of the ancient province of Bresse ( Arpitan : Brêsse ) . It is located 70 km ( 43 mi ) north-northeast of Lyon . The inhabitants of Bourg-en-Bresse are known as Burgiens .
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ( ARA ; French : [ ovɛʁɲ ʁon‿alp ] ( listen ) ; Arpitan : Ôvèrgne-Rôno-Ârpes ; Occitan : Auvèrnhe Ròse Aups ; Italian : Alvernia-Rodano-Alpi ) is a region in southeast-central France created by the territorial reform of French Regions in 2015 ; it resulted from the merger of Auvergne and Rhône-Alpes . The new region came into effect on 1 January 2016 , after the regional elections in December 2015 . The region covers an area of more than 69,711 km2 ( 26,916 sq mi ) , making it the third largest in metropolitan France , and has a population of 7,877,698 , second only to Île-de-France . It consists of 12 departments and one territorial collectivity . Lyon is the chef-lieu of the region . This new region combines diverse geographical , sociological , economic , and cultural regions , which was already true of Rhône-Alpes , as well as Auvergne , to a lesser extent . While the old Rhône-Alpes and Auvergne regions each enjoyed a unity defined by axes of communication and the pull of their respective metropoles , [ Note 1 ] the new combination is heterogeneous , and sustained lively opposition from some local officials after its creation .
The Ain ( /æ̃/ , French : [ ɛ̃ ] ( listen ) ; Arpitan : En ) is a river in eastern France . It gave its name to the Ain department .
Aisne ( /eɪn/ AYN , also US : /ɛn/ EN , French : [ ɛːn ] ( listen ) ) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France . It is named after the river Aisne .
Laon ( French pronunciation : ​ [ lɑ̃ ] ) is the capital city of the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France , northern France . As of 2012 [ update ] its population was 25,317 .
Hauts-de-France ( French pronunciation : ​ [ o d ( ə ) fʁɑ̃s ] , Dutch : Opper-Frankrijk , meaning Upper France ) is the northernmost region of France , created by the territorial reform of French Regions in 2014 , from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy . Its capital is Lille . The new region came into existence on 1 January 2016 , after the regional elections in December 2015 . France 's Conseil d'État approved Hauts-de-France as the name of the region on 28 September 2016 , effective 30 September 2016 . With 6,009,976 inhabitants ( as of 1 January 2015 ) , and a population of 189 inhabitants/km2 , it represents the 3rd most populous region in France and the 2nd most densely populated in metropolitan France after its southern neighbor Île-de-France .
The Aisne ( /eɪn/ AYN , also US : /ɛn/ EN , French : [ ɛːn ] ( listen ) ) is a river in northeastern France . It is a left tributary of the Oise . It gave its name to the French department of Aisne . It was known in the Roman period as Axona . The river rises in the forest of Argonne , at Rembercourt-Sommaisne , near Sainte-Menehould . It flows north and then west before joining the Oise near Compiègne . The Aisne is 356 kilometres ( 221 mi ) long . Its main tributaries are the Vesle , the Aire and the Suippe . The Battle of the Axona was fought near there between the Romans and the Belgae in 57 BC . Three Battles of the Aisne were fought in the Aisne valley during the First World War .
Allier ( UK : /ˈælieɪ/ AL-ee-ay , US : /ælˈjeɪ , ɑːlˈjeɪ/ a ( h ) l-YAY , French : [ alje ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Alèir ) is a French department located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France named after the river Allier . Moulins is the prefecture and the INSEE and Post Code is 03 . The inhabitants of the department are officially known as Bourbonnais since October 2018 .
Moulins ( French : [ mu.lɛ̃ ] ; Occitan : Molins ) is a commune in central France , capital of the Allier department . It is located on the Allier River . Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin , the Anne de Beaujeu Museum and The National Center of Costume and Scenography .
The Allier ( UK : /ˈælieɪ/ AL-ee-ay , US : /ælˈjeɪ , ɑːlˈjeɪ/ a ( h ) l-YAY , French : [ alje ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Alèir ) is a river in central France . It is a left tributary of the Loire . Its source is in the Massif Central , in the Lozère department , east of Mende . It flows generally north . It joins the Loire west of the city of Nevers . It is 421 km ( 262 mi ) long , and has a drainage basin of 14,350 km2 ( 5,540 sq mi ) .
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence ( French : [ alp də ot pʁɔvɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Aups d'Auta Provença ; lit . Alps of Upper Provence ) is a department in Southeastern France , located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region . Formerly part of the province of Provence , it had a population of 161,916 in 2013 . Its main cities are Digne-les-Bains ( prefecture ) , Manosque , Sisteron , Barcelonnette , Castellane and Forcalquier . Inhabitants of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence are called the Bas-Alpins or Bas-Alpines referring to the department of Basses-Alpes which was the former name of the department until 1970 .
Digne-les-Bains ( French : [ diɲ le bɛ̃ ] ; Occitan : Dinha dei Banhs ) , or simply and historically Digne ( Occitan : Dinha in classical norm or Digno in Mistralian norm ) , is a commune of France , capital of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department , and situated in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur . The name of its inhabitants is Dignois . It had a population of 17,268 as of 2008 .
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ( French : [ pʁɔvɑ̃s‿alp kot d‿azyʁ ] ; Occitan : Provença-Aups-Còsta d'Azur ; Italian : Provenza-Alpi-Costa Azzurra ; Région Sud ) is one of the 18 administrative regions of France , the far southeastern on the mainland . Its capital is Marseille . The region is roughly coterminous with the former French province of Provence , with the addition of the following adjacent areas : the former papal territory of Avignon , known as Comtat Venaissin ; the former Sardinian-Piedmontese county of Nice , whose coastline is known in English as the French Riviera , and in French as the Côte d'Azur ; and the southeastern part of the former French province of Dauphiné , in the French Alps . Previously known by the acronym PACA , the region adopted the name Région Sud as a commercial name or nickname in December 2017 . 5,007,977 people live in the region according to the 2015 census . It encompasses six departments in Southeastern France : Alpes-de-Haute-Provence , Alpes-Maritimes , Bouches-du-Rhône , Hautes-Alpes , Var and Vaucluse . It is bounded to the east by the France-Italy border , to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and by the Principality of Monaco , to the north by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes , and to the west by Occitanie , with the Rhône river marking its westernmost border . The region logotype displays the coat of arms created in the 1990s and which combines the coats of arms of the old provinces making up Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur . Economically , the region is the third most important in France , just behind Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes . Its GDP in 2012 was €142.4 billion ( US $ 183.1 billion ) while its per capita GDP was €28,861 ( $ US 37,121 ) .
The Alps ( /ælps/ ; French : Alpes [ alp ] ; German : Alpen [ ˈalpn̩ ] ( listen ) ; Italian : Alpi [ ˈalpi ] ; Romansh : Alps ; Slovene : Alpe [ ˈáːlpɛ ] ) are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe , [ note 1 ] and stretching approximately 1,200 kilometres ( 750 mi ) across eight Alpine countries ( from west to east ) : France , Switzerland , Monaco , Italy , Liechtenstein , Austria , Germany , and Slovenia . The mountains were formed over tens of millions of years as the African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided . Extreme shortening caused by the event resulted in marine sedimentary rocks rising by thrusting and folding into high mountain peaks such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn . Mont Blanc spans the French-Italian border , and at 4,810 m ( 15,781 ft ) is the highest mountain in the Alps . The Alpine region area contains about a hundred peaks higher than 4,000 metres ( 13,000 ft ) . The altitude and size of the range affects the climate in Europe ; in the mountains precipitation levels vary greatly and climatic conditions consist of distinct zones . Wildlife such as ibex live in the higher peaks to elevations of 3,400 m ( 11,155 ft ) , and plants such as Edelweiss grow in rocky areas in lower elevations as well as in higher elevations . Evidence of human habitation in the Alps goes back to the Palaeolithic era . A mummified man , determined to be 5,000 years old , was discovered on a glacier at the Austrian-Italian border in 1991 . By the 6th century BC , the Celtic La Tène culture was well established . Hannibal famously crossed the Alps with a herd of elephants , and the Romans had settlements in the region . In 1800 , Napoleon crossed one of the mountain passes with an army of 40,000 .
Provence ( /prəˈvɒ̃s/ , US : /proʊ-/ ; French : [ pʁɔvɑ̃s ] ; Provençal : Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm , pronounced [ pʀuˈvɛnsɔ ] ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France , which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east , and is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the south . It largely corresponds with the modern administrative region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and includes the departments of Var , Bouches-du-Rhône , Alpes-de-Haute-Provence , as well as parts of Alpes-Maritimes and Vaucluse . The largest city of the region is Marseille . The Romans made the region the first Roman province beyond the Alps and called it Provincia Romana , which evolved into the present name . Until 1481 it was ruled by the Counts of Provence from their capital in Aix-en-Provence , then became a province of the Kings of France . While it has been part of France for more than five hundred years , it still retains a distinct cultural and linguistic identity , particularly in the interior of the region .
Hautes-Alpes ( French : [ ot.z‿alp ] ; Occitan : Auts Aups ; English : Upper Alps ) is a department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France . Located in and named after the French Alps , it had a population of 141,107 in 2016 . Its prefecture is Gap ; its sole subprefecture is Briançon .
Gap ( French : [ ɡap ] ; Occitan : Gap ) is a commune in southeastern France , the capital and largest town of the Hautes-Alpes department . At a height of 750 m above sea level , it is France 's highest prefecture ( departmental capital ) . Together with other Alpine towns , Gap engages in the Alpine Town of the Year Association for the implementation of the Alpine Convention to achieve sustainable development in the Alpine Arc . Gap was awarded Alpine Town of the Year in 2002 . In 2013 Gap was named the sportiest city in France by the national sports newspaper L'Équipe .
Alpes-Maritimes ( French : [ alpmaʁitim ] ; Occitan : Aups Maritims ; Italian : Alpi Marittime , Maritime Alps ) is a department of France located in the extreme southeast corner of the country , on the border with Italy and on the Mediterranean coast . Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region , it had a population of 1,803,704 in 2016 . It has become in recent years one of the world 's most attractive destinations , featuring cities such as Nice , Cannes , Antibes and Grasse , and numerous alpine ski resorts . Alpes-Maritimes also entirely surrounds Monaco . The department 's inhabitants are called Maralpins or Maralpines ; it has the same flag and arms as the City of Nice .
Nice ( /niːs/ , NEESS ; French pronunciation : ​ [ nis ] ; Niçard Occitan : Niça , classical norm , or Nissa , nonstandard , pronounced [ ˈnisa ] ; Italian : Nizza [ ˈnittsa ] ; Greek : Νίκαια ; Latin : Nicaea ) is the seventh most populous urban area in France and the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department . The metropolitan area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits , with a population of about 1 million on an area of 721 km2 ( 278 sq mi ) . Located in the French Riviera , on the south east coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea , at the foot of the Alps , Nice is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast and the second-largest city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region after Marseille . Nice is approximately 13 kilometres ( 8.1 mi ) from the principality of Monaco and 30 kilometres ( 19 mi ) from the French-Italian border . Nice 's airport serves as a gateway to the region . The city is nicknamed Nice la Belle ( Nissa La Bella in Niçard ) , which means Nice the Beautiful , which is also the title of the unofficial anthem of Nice , written by Menica Rondelly in 1912 . The area of today 's Nice contains Terra Amata , an archaeological site which displays evidence of a very early use of fire 380,000 years ago . Around 350 BC , Greeks of Marseille founded a permanent settlement and called it Nikaia , after Nike , the goddess of victory . Through the ages , the town has changed hands many times . Its strategic location and port significantly contributed to its maritime strength . For centuries it was a dominion of Savoy , and was then part of France between 1792 and 1815 , when it was returned to the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia until its re-annexation by France in 1860 . The natural environment of the Nice area and its mild Mediterranean climate came to the attention of the English upper classes in the second half of the 18th century , when an increasing number of aristocratic families took to spending their winters there .
Ardèche ( French pronunciation : ​ [ aʁdɛʃ ] ; Occitan and Arpitan : Ardecha ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France . It is named after the Ardèche River and had a population of 320,379 as of 2013 . Its largest cities are Aubenas , Annonay , Guilherand-Granges , Tournon-sur-Rhône and Privas ( prefecture ) .
Privas ( French : [ pʁiva ] ; Occitan : Privàs [ pɾiˈβas ] ) is a commune of France , capital of the Ardèche department . It is the smallest administrative centre of any department in France . It is the fifth-largest commune in the Ardèche , behind Annonay , Aubenas , Guilherand-Granges , and Tournon-sur-Rhône . It was the location of the 1629 Siege of Privas . Today Privas is known for the purée made from the local chestnuts , and for its sweetened marron glacé .
The Ardèche ( Occitan : Ardecha ) is a 125-kilometre ( 78 mi ) long river in south-central France , a right-bank tributary of the River Rhône . Its source is in the Massif Central , near the village of Astet . It flows into the Rhône near Pont-Saint-Esprit , north-west of Orange . The river gives its name to the French department of Ardèche . The valley of the Ardèche is very scenic , in particular a 30-kilometre ( 19 mi ) section known as the Ardèche Gorges . The walls of the river here are limestone cliffs up to 300 metres ( 980 ft ) high . A kayak and camping trip down the gorge is not technically difficult and is very popular in the summer . The most famous feature is a natural 60-metre ( 200 ft ) stone arch spanning the river known as the Pont d'Arc ( arch bridge ) .
Ardennes ( French : [ aʁdɛn ] ( listen ) ) is a department in the Grand Est region of northeastern France named after the Ardennes area . Its prefecture is the town Charleville-Mézières . The inhabitants of the department are known as Ardennais or Ardennaises .
Charleville-Mézières ( French pronunciation : ​ [ ʃaʁləvil mezjɛʁ ] ) is a commune in northern France , capital of the Ardennes department in the Grand Est region . Charleville-Mézières is located on the banks of the Meuse River .
Grand Est ( Great East ; French pronunciation : [ ɡʁɑ̃t‿ɛst ] ( listen ) ; Alsatian : d ' r Grossa Oschta ; Moselle Franconian/Luxembourgish : de Grouss Osten ; Rhine Franconian : de Groß Oschte ; German : der Große Osten [ dɛɐ̯ ˈɡʁoːsɐ ˈɔstn̩ ] ) is an administrative region in northeastern France . It superseded three former administrative regions - Alsace , Champagne-Ardenne , and Lorraine - on 1 January 2016 under the provisional name of Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine ( ACAL or , less commonly , ALCA ) , as a result of territorial reform which had been passed by the French legislature back in 2014 . [ a ] The region sits astride three water basins ( Seine , Meuse and Rhine ) , spanning an area of 57,433 km2 ( 22,175 sq mi ) , the 5th largest in France , and includes two mountain ranges ( Vosges and Ardennes ) . It shares borders with Belgium , Luxemburg , Germany , and Switzerland , and stands partly within the European Megalopolis . As of 2017 , it had a population of 5,549,586 inhabitants . The administrative capital and largest city , by far , is Strasbourg . The East of France has a rich and diverse culture , being situated at a crossroads between the Latin and Germanic worlds which is reflected in the variety of languages spoken there ( Alsatian , Champenois , Lorraine Franconian etc. ) . Most of today 's Grand Est region was considered Eastern as early as the 8th century , when it constituted the southern part of the Francian territory of Austrasia . The city of Reims ( in Champagne ) , where Frankish king Clovis I had been baptized in 496 AD , would later play a prominent ceremonial role in French monarchical history as the traditional site of the coronation of the kings of France . The Champagne fairs played a significant role in the economy of medieval Europe as well . Alsace and Lorraine thrived in the sphere of influence of the Holy Roman Empire for most of the Middle Ages and Renaissance . The region is home to distinctive traditions ( the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day , Christmas markets , or traditions involving the Easter hare in Alsace and Lorraine ) .
The Ardennes ( /ɑːrˈdɛn/ ar-DEN ; French : Ardenne [ aʁdɛn ] ( listen ) ; Dutch : Ardennen [ ɑrˈdɛnə ( n ) ] ( listen ) ; German : Ardennen ; Walloon : Årdene [ ɑːʀdɛn ] ; Luxembourgish : Ardennen [ ɑʁˈdænən ] ) , also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes , is a region of extensive forests , rough terrain , rolling hills and ridges . Geologically , the range is a western extension of the Eifel , and both were raised during the Givetian age of the Devonian ( 382.7 to 387.7 million years ago ) , as were several other named ranges of the same greater range . Located primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg , but stretching as well into Germany and France ( lending its name to the Ardennes department and the former Champagne-Ardenne region ) , and geologically into the Eifel - the eastern extension of the Ardennes Forest into Bitburg-Prüm , Germany , most of the Ardennes proper consists of southeastern Wallonia , the southern and more rural part of the Kingdom of Belgium ( away from the coastal plain but encompassing more than half of the country 's total area ) . The eastern part of the Ardennes forms the northernmost third of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , also called Oesling ( Luxembourgish : Éislek ) . On the southeast the Eifel region continues into the German state of the Rhineland-Palatinate . The trees and rivers of the Ardennes provided the charcoal industry assets that enabled the great industrial period of Wallonia in the 18th and 19th centuries , when it was arguably the second great industrial region of the world , after England . The greater region maintained an industrial eminence into the 20th century , after coal replaced charcoal in metallurgy . Allied generals in World War II believed that the region was impenetrable to massed vehicular traffic and especially armor , so the area was effectively all but undefended [ citation needed ] during the war . The German Army twice used this region to invade Northern France and Southern Belgium , via Luxembourg in the Battle of France and the later Battle of the Bulge .
Ariège ( French pronunciation : ​ [ aʁjɛʒ ] ; Occitan : Arièja [ aɾiˈɛdʒɔ ] ) is a department in southwestern France , in the Occitanie region . It is named after the Ariège River and its capital is Foix . Ariège is known for its rural landscape , with a population of 153,067 as of 2016 . Its INSEE and postal code is 09 , hence the department 's informal name of le zéro neuf . The inhabitants of the department are known as Ariègeois or Ariègeoises .
Foix ( French pronunciation : ​ [ fwa ] ; Occitan : Fois [ ˈfujs , ˈfujʃ ] ; Catalan : Foix [ ˈfoʃ ] ) is a commune , the former capital of the County of Foix . Today it is the Préfecture of the Ariège department in southwestern France in the Occitanie region . It is the second least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France , the least-populous being Privas . Foix lies south of Toulouse , close to the border with Spain and Andorra . At the 2009 census , the city had a population of 9,861 people . It is only the second city of the department after Pamiers which is one of the two sub-prefectures . Foix is twinned with the English cathedral city of Ripon .
Occitanie ( French : [ ɔksitani ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Occitània [ utsiˈtanjɔ ] ; Catalan : Occitània [ uksiˈtaniə ] ) or Occitania is the southernmost administrative region of metropolitan France excluding Corsica , created on 1 January 2016 from the former regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées . The Conseil d'État approved Occitanie as the new name of the region on 28 September 2016 , coming into effect on 30 September 2016 . The modern administrative region is named after the larger cultural and historical region of Occitania , which corresponds with the southern third of France . The region Occitanie as it is today covers a territory similar to that ruled by the Counts of Toulouse in the 12th and 13th centuries . The banner of arms of the Counts of Toulouse , known colloquially as the Occitan cross , is used by the modern region and is also a popular cultural symbol .
The Ariège ( Occitan : Arièja , Catalan : Arieja ) is a 164 km long river in southern France , right tributary of the Garonne . Its source is in the Pyrenees , where it forms part of the border with Andorra . It flows north through the following départements and towns :
Aube ( French pronunciation : ​ [ ob ] ) is a French department in the Grand Est region of north-eastern France . As with sixty departments in France , this department is named after a river : the Aube . With 305,606 inhabitants ( 2012 ) , Aube is 76th department in terms of population . The inhabitants of the department are known as Aubois or Auboises The department was constituted as it is today by a decree of the National Assembly of 15 January 1790 .
Troyes ( French pronunciation : [ tʁwa ] ( listen ) ) is a commune and the capital of the department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France . It is located on the Seine river about 150 km ( 93 mi ) southeast of Paris . Troyes is situated within the Champagne wine region and is near to the Orient Forest Regional Natural Park . Many half-timbered houses ( mainly of the 16th century ) survive in the old town . Troyes has been in existence since the Roman era , as Augustobona Tricassium , which stood at the hub of numerous highways , primarily the Via Agrippa .
The Aube is a river in France , a right tributary of the Seine . It is 248 kilometres ( 154 mi ) long . The river gives its name to the Aube department . Its source is in the Haute-Marne department , on the plateau of Langres , near the town of Auberive . It flows through the departments of Haute-Marne , Côte-d'Or , Aube , and Marne . It flows into the river Seine near Marcilly-sur-Seine . Cities along the river include Bar-sur-Aube and Arcis-sur-Aube .
Aude ( French : [ od ] ; Occitan : [ ˈawðe ] ) is a department in Southern France , located in the Occitanie region and named after the Aude River . The departmental council also calls it Cathar Country ( French : Pays cathare ) after a group of religious dissidents active in the 12th century . Its prefecture is Carcassonne and its subprefectures are Limoux and Narbonne . As of 2016 , it had a population of 368,025 . Aude is a frequent feminine French given name in Francophone countries , deriving initially from Aude or Oda , a wife of Bertrand , Duke of Aquitaine , and mother of Eudo , brother of Saint Hubertus . Aude was the name of Roland 's fiancée in the chansons de geste .
Carcassonne ( /ˌkɑːrkəˈsɒn/ , also US : /-ˈsɔːn , -ˈsoʊn/ , French : [ kaʁkasɔn ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Carcassona [ kaɾkaˈsunɔ ] ; Latin : Carcaso ) is a French fortified city in the department of Aude , in the region of Occitanie . A prefecture , it has a population of about 50,000 . Inhabited since the Neolithic period , Carcassonne is located in the plain of the river Aude between historic trade routes , linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées . Its strategic importance was quickly recognized by the Romans , who occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire . In the fifth century , it was taken over by the Visigoths , who founded the city . Its strategic location led successive rulers to expand its fortifications until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659 . Its citadel , known as the Cité de Carcassonne , is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period and restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in 1853 . It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 . Consequently , Carcassonne relies heavily on tourism but also counts manufacturing and wine-making as some of its other key economic sectors .
The Aude ( French : [ od ] ; Occitan : [ ˈawðe ] ; Latin Atax [ ˈataks ] ) is a river of southern France that is 224 kilometres ( 139 mi ) long . Its source is in the Pyrenees mountains then runs to Carcassonne and finally reaches the Mediterranean Sea near Narbonne . The river is navigable by raft or canoe for nearly all of its length . It is registered as essential to the Languedoc-Roussillon region . The river gave its name to the Aude department .
Aveyron ( French : [ avɛʁɔ̃ ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Avairon ; [ aβajˈɾu ] ) is a department located in Occitanie region of Southern France . Named after the Aveyron River , it had a population of 278,697 in 2016 . Its inhabitants are known as Aveyronnais or Aveyronnaises in French . The inhabitants of Rodez are called Ruthénois , based on the first Celtic settlers in the area , the Ruteni .
Rodez ( French : [ ʁo.dɛs ] ; Occitan : Rodés [ ruˈðes ] ) is a small city and commune in the South of France , about 150 km northeast of Toulouse . It is the prefecture of the department of Aveyron in the region of Occitanie . Rodez is the seat of the Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Rodez [ fr ] , of the First Constituency of Aveyron as well as of the general Council of Aveyron . Former capital of the Rouergue , the city is seat of the Diocese of Rodez and Vabres . Its inhabitants are called Ruthénois , from the name of the Ruteni , a Gallic tribe which once occupied the territory , the former demonym of Rodanois ( from Occitan rodanés ) having given way to this scholarly form .
The Aveyron ( Occitan : Avairon ) is a 291 km long river in southern France , right tributary of the Tarn . It rises in the southern Massif Central , near Sévérac-le-Château . In 1855 evidence of prehistoric man was found near Bruniquel under a hill called Montastruc . The hill was 98 foot high . The account said the overhang extended for about 46 feet along the river and the area enclosed was 298 square yards . Within this cave was found the 13,000-year-old sculpture called Swimming Reindeer .
Bouches-du-Rhône ( French pronunciation : ​ [ buʃ dy ʁon ] , locally [ buʃə dy ʁonə ] ) ; Occitan : Bocas de Ròse , pronounced [ ˈbukɔz de ˈʁɔze ] ; literally Mouths of the Rhône ) is a department in Southern France named after the mouth of the river Rhône . It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region with 2,019,717 inhabitants in 2016 ; it has an area of 5,087 km2 ( 1,964 sq mi ) . Its INSEE and postal code is 13 . Marseille is Bouches-du-Rhône 's largest city and prefecture .
Marseille ( /mɑːrˈseɪ/ mar-SAY , also spelled in English as Marseilles ; French : [ maʁsɛj ] ( listen ) , locally [ maʁˈsɛjə ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Marselha [ maʀˈsejɔ , -ˈsijɔ ] ) is the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur . It is located on the Mediterranean coast near the mouth of the Rhône . The city covers an area of 241 km2 ( 93 sq mi ) and had a population of 870,018 in 2016 . Its metropolitan area , which extends over 3,173 km2 ( 1,225 sq mi ) is the third-largest in France after those of Paris and Lyon , with a population of 1,831,500 as of 2010 . Known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as Massalia ( Greek : Μασσαλία , romanized : Massalía ) , Marseille was an important European trading centre and remains the main commercial port of the French Republic . Marseille is now France 's largest city on the Mediterranean coast and the largest port for commerce , freight and cruise ships . The city was European Capital of Culture in 2013 and European Capital of Sport in 2017 ; it hosted matches at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2016 . It is home to Aix-Marseille University .
The Rhône ( /roʊn/ ROHN , French : [ ʁon ] ( listen ) ; German : Rhone [ ˈroːnə ] ( listen ) ; Walser : Rotten [ ˈrotən ] ; Italian : Rodano [ ˈrɔːdano ] ; Spanish : Ródano [ ˈroːdano ] ; Arpitan : Rôno [ ˈʁono ] ; Occitan : Ròse [ ˈrɔze , ˈʀɔze ] ) is one of the major rivers of Europe and has twice the average discharge of the Loire ( which is the longest French river ) , rising in the Rhône Glacier in the Swiss Alps at the far eastern end of the Swiss canton of Valais , passing through Lake Geneva and running through southeastern France . At Arles , near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea , the river divides into two branches , known as the Great Rhône ( French : le Grand Rhône ) and the Little Rhône ( le Petit Rhône ) . The resulting delta constitutes the Camargue region .
Calvados ( French pronunciation : [ kalvados ] ( listen ) ) [ needs Norman IPA ] is a department in the Normandy region in northwestern France . It takes its name from a cluster of rocks off the English Channel coast .
Caen ( /kɒ̃ , kɑːn/ , French : [ kɑ̃ ] ( listen ) ; Norman : Kaem ) is a commune in northwestern France . It is the prefecture of the department of Calvados . The city proper has 108,365 inhabitants ( as of 2012 [ update ] ) , while its urban area has 420,000 , making Caen the largest city in former Lower Normandy . It is also the third largest municipality in all of Normandy after Le Havre and Rouen and the third largest city proper in Normandy , after Rouen and Le Havre . The metropolitan area of Caen , in turn , is the second largest in Normandy after that of Rouen , the 21st largest in France . It is located 15 kilometres ( 9.3 miles ) inland from the English Channel , 200 kilometres north-west of Paris , and connected to the south of England by the Caen- ( Ouistreham ) -Portsmouth ferry route . Caen is located in the centre of its northern region , and it is a centre of political , economic and cultural power . Located a few miles from the coast , the landing beaches , the bustling resorts of Deauville and Cabourg , Norman Switzerland and Pays d'Auge , Caen is often considered the archetype of Normandy . Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror , who was buried there , and for the Battle for Caen - heavy fighting that took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944 , destroying much of the city . The city has now preserved the memory by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace , the Mémorial de Caen .
Normandy ( /ˈnɔːrməndi/ ; French : Normandie [ nɔʁmɑ̃di ] ( listen ) ; Norman : Normaundie ; from Old French Normanz , plural of Normant , originally from the word for northman in several Scandinavian languages ) is the northwesternmost of the 18 regions of France , roughly referring to the historical Duchy of Normandy . Normandy is divided into five administrative departments : Calvados , Eure , Manche , Orne , and Seine-Maritime . It covers 30,627 square kilometres ( 11,825 sq mi ) , comprising roughly 5% of the territory of metropolitan France . Its population of 3,322,757 accounts for around 5% of the population of France . The inhabitants of Normandy are known as Normans , and the region is the historic homeland of the Norman language . The neighboring regions are Hauts-de-France and Ile-de-France to the east , Centre-Val de Loire to the southeast , Pays de la Loire to the south , and Brittany to the southwest . The capital is Rouen . The historical region of Normandy comprised the present-day region of Normandy , as well as small areas now part of the departments of Mayenne and Sarthe . The Channel Islands ( French : Îles Anglo-Normandes ) are also historically part of Normandy ; they cover 194 km² and comprise two bailiwicks : Guernsey and Jersey , which are British Crown dependencies over which Queen Elizabeth II reigns as Duke of Normandy . Normandy 's name comes from the settlement of the territory by mainly Danish and Norwegian Vikings ( Northmen ) from the 9th century , and confirmed by treaty in the 10th century between King Charles III of France and the Viking jarl Rollo . For a century and a half following the Norman conquest of England in 1066 , Normandy and England were linked by Norman and Frankish rulers .
Cantal ( French pronunciation : ​ [ kɑ̃tal ] ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France , with its prefecture in Aurillac . Its other principal towns are Saint-Flour ( the episcopal see ) and Mauriac and its residents are known as Cantalians ( French : Cantaliens or Cantalous ) . Cantal borders the departments of Puy-de-Dôme , Haute-Loire , Aveyron , Lot , Lozère and Corrèze , in the Massif Central natural region . Along with Lozère and Creuse , Cantal is among the most sparsely populated and geographically isolated departments of France and Aurillac is the departmental capital farthest removed from a major motorway . It had a population of 145,969 in 2016 , making it the country 's 97th most populated department .
Aurillac ( French pronunciation : [ ɔʁijak ] ( listen ) ; Occitan : Orlhac [ uɾˈʎak ] ) is the prefecture of the Cantal department , in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France . The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aurillacois or Aurillacoises .
The Mounts of Cantal ( or Volcanoes of Cantal ; French : Monts du Cantal [ mɔ̃ dy kɑ̃tal ] ) are a mountainous massif in the mid-west of the Massif Central , France , made up of the remnants of the largest stratovolcano of Europe , which was formed from 13 million years ago and last erupted approximately 2 million years ago . However , the main part of the volcanic activity was concentrated between 8.5 and 7 million years ago . Thereafter , the original volcano was largely eroded , massive landslides occurred , and it was further eroded by glaciers and water .
Charente ( French : [ ʃaʁɑ̃t ] ( listen ) ; Saintongeais : Chérente ; Occitan : Charanta ) is a department in western France , north half of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region . It is named after the Charente River , the most important river in the department , and also the river beside which the department 's two largest towns , Angoulême and Cognac , are sited .
Angoulême ( French pronunciation : ​ [ ɑ̃ɡulɛːm ] ( listen ) ; Poitevin-Saintongeais : Engoulaeme ; Occitan : Engoleime ) is a commune , the capital of the Charente department , in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France . The inhabitants of the commune are known as Angoumoisins or Angoumoisines . Located on a plateau overlooking a meander of the Charente River , the city is nicknamed the balcony of the southwest . The city proper 's population is a little less than 42,000 but it is the centre of an urban area of 110,000 people extending more than fifteen kilometres ( 9.3 miles ) from east to west . Formerly the capital of Angoumois in the Ancien Régime , Angoulême was a fortified town for a long time , and was highly coveted due to its position at the centre of many roads important to communication , so therefore it suffered many sieges . From its tumultuous past , the city , perched on a rocky spur , inherited a large historical , religious , and urban heritage which attracts a lot of tourists . Nowadays , Angoulême is at the centre of an agglomeration , which is one of the most industrialised regions between Loire and Garonne ( the paper industry was established in the 16th century , a foundry and electromechanical engineering developed more recently ) . It is also a commercial and administrative city with its own university of technology , and a vibrant cultural life . This life is dominated by the Angoulême International Comics Festival , the FFA Angoulême Francophone Film Festival and the Musiques Métisses Festival that contribute substantially to the international renown of the city . Moreover , Angoulême hosts 40 animation and video game studios that produce half of France 's animated production . Currently the city is developing filming for both French television and cinema . Wes Anderson chose Angoulême for his next movie at the end of 2018 .
Nouvelle-Aquitaine ( French pronunciation : ​ [ nuvɛl akitɛn ] , New Aquitaine ; Occitan : Nòva Aquitània ; Basque : Akitania Berria ; Poitevin-Saintongeais : Novéle-Aguiéne ; Spanish : Nueva Aquitania ) is the largest administrative region in France , spanning the west and southwest of the mainland . The region was created by the territorial reform of French Regions in 2014 through the merger of three regions : Aquitaine , Limousin and Poitou-Charentes . It covers 84,061 km2 ( 32,456 sq mi ) - or ​1⁄8 of the country - and has approximately 5,879,144 inhabitants . ( municipal population on 1 January 2012 ) . The new region was established on 1 January 2016 , following the regional elections in December 2015 . It is the largest region in France by area , with a territory slightly larger than that of Austria ; even French Guiana is smaller . Its largest city , Bordeaux , together with its suburbs and satellite cities , forms the 7th-largest metropolitan area of France , with 850,000 inhabitants . The region has 25 major urban areas , among which the most important after Bordeaux are Bayonne ( 288,000 inhabitants ) , Limoges ( 283,000 ) , Poitiers ( 255,000 ) , Pau ( 241,000 ) , and La Rochelle ( 206,000 ) , as well as 11 major clusters . The growth of its population , particularly marked on the coast , makes this one of the most attractive areas economically in France ; the new region outperforms the Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in demographic dynamism . After Île-de-France , New Aquitaine is the premier French region in research and innovation , with five universities ( Bordeaux , La Rochelle , Limoges , Poitiers and Pau ) and several Grandes Ecoles . The agricultural region of Europe with the greatest turnover , it is the French region with the most tourism jobs , as it has three of the four historic resorts on the French Atlantic coast : ( Arcachon , Biarritz and Royan ) , as well as several ski resorts ( e.g . Gourette ) , and is the fifth French region for business creation ( all sectors ) .
The Charente ( Occitan : Charanta ) is a 381-kilometre ( 237 mi ) long river in southwestern France . Its source is in the Haute-Vienne département at Chéronnac , a small village near Rochechouart . It flows through the departments of Haute-Vienne , Charente , Vienne and Charente-Maritime . The river flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Rochefort .
Charente-Maritime ( French pronunciation : [ ʃaʁɑ̃t maʁitim ] ( listen ) ) is a department on the western coast of France named after the Charente River .
La Rochelle ( /ˌlɑː rəˈʃɛl/ , French : [ la ʁɔʃɛl ] ) is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay , a part of the Atlantic Ocean . It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department . The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a 2.9-kilometre ( 1.8-mile ) bridge completed on 19 May 1988 . Its harbour opens into a protected strait , the Pertuis d'Antioche .
Cher ( French pronunciation : ​ [ ʃɛʁ ] ; Berrichon : Char ) is a department in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France . It is named after the Cher River .
Bourges ( French pronunciation : [ buʁʒ ] ( listen ) ) is a city in central France on the Yèvre river . It is the capital of the department of Cher , and also was the capital of the former province of Berry .
Centre-Val de Loire ( /væl ˈdə lwɑːr/ , French pronunciation : ​ [ sɑ̃tʁə val də lwaʁ ] , literal translation : Centre-Loire Valley ) or Centre Region ( French : Région Centre , pronounced [ ʁeʒjɔ̃ sɑ̃tʁ ] ) is one of the 18 administrative regions of France . It straddles the middle Loire Valley in the interior of the country . The administrative capital is Orléans .
The Cher ( Occitan : Char ) is a river in central France , a left tributary of the Loire . It is 367.8 km ( 228.5 mi ) long and its basin area is 13,718 km2 ( 5,297 sq mi ) . Its source is in the Creuse department , north-east of Crocq . It joins the river Loire at Villandry , west of Tours . The river suffered a devastating flood in 1940 , which damaged the Château de Chenonceau , which spans the river , and other structures along the banks . It owes its name to the pre-Indo-European root kʰar 'stone ' .
Corrèze ( French pronunciation : ​ [ kɔʁɛz ] ; Occitan : Corresa ) is a department in south-western France , named after the river Corrèze which runs though it . Its capital is Tulle , and its most populated town is Brive-la-Gaillarde . The inhabitants of the department are called Corréziens .
Tulle ( French : [ tyl ] ; Occitan : Tula [ ˈtylɔ ] ) is a commune in central France . It is the capital of the department of Corrèze , in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine . It is also the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulle . It is the third-largest town in the former region of Limousin , after Limoges and Brive-la-Gaillarde . Known sometimes as the town on seven hills , Tulle rose to prominence through the development of its manufacturing sector .
The Corrèze ( Occitan : Corresa ) is a 95 km long river in south-western France , left tributary of the river Vézère . Its source is in the north-western Massif Central . It flows south-west through the Corrèze département ( named after the river ) and the cities Tulle and Brive-la-Gaillarde . A few km after Brive-la-Gaillarde , the Corrèze flows into the Vézère .
Corse-du-Sud ( French pronunciation : ​ [ kɔʁs.dy.syd ] ; Corsican : Corsica suttana , pronounced [ ˈkorsika sutˈtana ] , or Pumonti , pronounced [ ˈpumonti ] ; English : Southern Corsica ) is still as of 2019 [ update ] an administrative department of France consisting of the southern part of the island of Corsica . The corresponding departmental territorial collectivity merged with that of Haute-Corse on 1 January 2018 , forming the single territorial collectivity of Corsica , coinciding with territorial elections The people living in Corse-du-Sud are called Southerners ( Suttanacci ) .
Ajaccio ( UK : /əˈdʒæ ( k ) siəʊ/ , US : /ɑːˈjɑːtʃ ( i ) oʊ/ , French : [ aʒaksjo ] ( listen ) , Italian : Aiaccio , pronounced [ aˈjattʃo ] ; Corsican : Aiacciu [ aˈjattʃu ] ; Latin : Adiacium ) is a French commune , prefecture of the department of Corse-du-Sud , and head office of the Collectivité territoriale de Corse ( capital city of Corsica ) . It is also the largest settlement on the island . Ajaccio is located on the west coast of the island of Corsica , 210 nautical miles ( 390 km ) southeast of Marseille . The original city went into decline in the Middle Ages , but began to prosper again after the Genoese built a citadel in 1492 to the south of the earlier settlement . After the Corsican Republic was declared in 1755 the Genoese continued to hold several citadels , including Ajaccio , until the French took control of the island . The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ajacciens or Ajacciennes . The most famous of these is Napoleon Bonaparte who was born in Ajaccio in 1769 , and whose ancestral home , the Maison Bonaparte , is now a museum . Other dedications to him in the city include Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport .
Corsica ( /ˈkɔːrsɪkə/ ; French : Corse [ kɔʁs ] ; Corsica in Corsican and Italian , pronounced [ ˈkorsiga ] and [ ˈkɔrsika ] respectively ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France . It is located southeast of the French mainland and west of the Italian Peninsula , with the nearest land mass being the Italian island of Sardinia to the immediate south . A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds of the island . The island is an administrative region of France ( with the regional capital being Ajaccio ) , divided in two administrative departments , Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud . The corresponding regional and departmental territorial collectivities , however , merged on 1 January 2018 , forming the single territorial collectivity of Corsica . As a single territorial collectivity , Corsica enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than other French regional collectivities ; for example , the Corsican Assembly is able to exercise limited executive powers . Bastia , the prefecture city of Haute-Corse , is the second largest town in Corsica . After being ruled by the Republic of Genoa since 1284 , in 1755 Corsica became a self-proclaimed Italian-speaking Republic , until it was officially ceded by Genoa to Louis XV as part of a pledge for debts and subsequently annexed to France in 1769 . Napoleon Bonaparte was born the same year in Ajaccio , and his ancestral home ( Maison Bonaparte ) is today a significant visitor attraction and museum . Due to Corsica 's historical ties with the Italian peninsula , the island retains many Italian cultural elements , and the native tongue is recognized as a regional language by the French government .