Southern France: Difference between revisions
Undid revision 1033818680 by 124.149.228.172 (talk) |
No edit summary |
||
Line 110: | Line 110: | ||
|footnotes = |
|footnotes = |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Southern France''', also known as the '''South of France''' or colloquially in [[French language|French]] as '''{{lang|fr|le Midi}}''',<ref>{{cite book |title=Cycling guide to the Canal du Midi, Languedoc, France, Europe |first=Declan |last=Lyons |isbn=978-1-85284-559-9 |date=18 February 2009 |publisher=Midpoint Trade Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=International French–English and English–French dictionary |first=Paul |last=Passy |isbn=<!-- too early to have one --> |publisher=Hinds, Noble & Eldredge |year=1904 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKBiAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA388 }}</ref> is a defined geographical area consisting of the [[regions of France]] that border the [[Atlantic Ocean]] south of the [[Marais Poitevin]],<ref name=a>Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas et géographie de la France moderne, Flammarion, Paris, 1984.</ref> [[Spain]], the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and [[Italy]]. It includes: southern [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] in the west, [[Occitanie]] in the centre, the southern parts of [[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]] in the northeast, [[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] in the southeast, as well as the island of [[Corsica]] in the southeast. |
'''Southern France''', also known as the '''South of France''' or colloquially in [[French language|French]] as '''{{lang|fr|le Midi}}''',<ref>{{cite book |title=Cycling guide to the Canal du Midi, Languedoc, France, Europe |first=Declan |last=Lyons |isbn=978-1-85284-559-9 |date=18 February 2009 |publisher=Midpoint Trade Books }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=International French–English and English–French dictionary |first=Paul |last=Passy |isbn=<!-- too early to have one --> |publisher=Hinds, Noble & Eldredge |year=1904 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKBiAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA388 }}</ref> is a defined geographical area consisting of the [[regions of France]] that border the [[Atlantic Ocean]] south of the [[Marais Poitevin]],<ref name=a>Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas et géographie de la France moderne, Flammarion, Paris, 1984.</ref> [[Spain]], the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and [[Italy]]. It includes: southern [[Nouvelle-Aquitaine]] in the west, [[Occitanie]] in the centre, the southern parts of [[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]] in the northeast, [[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]] in the southeast, as well as the island of [[Corsica]] in the southeast. Part of the [[Southern Europe]]. |
||
The term {{lang|fr|Midi}} derives from {{lang|fro|mi}} ('middle') and {{lang|fro|di}} ('day') in [[Old French]], comparable to the term {{lang|it|[[Southern Italy|Mezzogiorno]]}} to indicate Southern Italy or {{lang|ro|Miazăzi}} which is a synonym for South in [[Romanian language|Romanian]]. The time of midday was synonymous with the direction of south because in France, as in all of the [[Northern Hemisphere]] north of the [[Tropic of Cancer]], the sun is in the south at noon. The [[synonym]]y existed in [[Middle French]] as well, where {{lang|frm|meridien}} can refer to both ''midday'' and ''south''. The Midi is considered to start at [[Valence, Drôme|Valence]], hence the saying {{lang|fr|à Valence le Midi commence}}. |
The term {{lang|fr|Midi}} derives from {{lang|fro|mi}} ('middle') and {{lang|fro|di}} ('day') in [[Old French]], comparable to the term {{lang|it|[[Southern Italy|Mezzogiorno]]}} to indicate Southern Italy or {{lang|ro|Miazăzi}} which is a synonym for South in [[Romanian language|Romanian]]. The time of midday was synonymous with the direction of south because in France, as in all of the [[Northern Hemisphere]] north of the [[Tropic of Cancer]], the sun is in the south at noon. The [[synonym]]y existed in [[Middle French]] as well, where {{lang|frm|meridien}} can refer to both ''midday'' and ''south''. The Midi is considered to start at [[Valence, Drôme|Valence]], hence the saying {{lang|fr|à Valence le Midi commence}}. |
Revision as of 21:29, 4 September 2021
Southern France
Le Midi (French) | |
---|---|
Country | France |
Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French as le Midi,[1][2] is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,[3] Spain, the Mediterranean Sea and Italy. It includes: southern Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the west, Occitanie in the centre, the southern parts of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in the northeast, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in the southeast, as well as the island of Corsica in the southeast. Part of the Southern Europe.
The term Midi derives from mi ('middle') and di ('day') in Old French, comparable to the term Mezzogiorno to indicate Southern Italy or Miazăzi which is a synonym for South in Romanian. The time of midday was synonymous with the direction of south because in France, as in all of the Northern Hemisphere north of the Tropic of Cancer, the sun is in the south at noon. The synonymy existed in Middle French as well, where meridien can refer to both midday and south. The Midi is considered to start at Valence, hence the saying à Valence le Midi commence.
Geography
The area corresponds in large part to Occitania (Occitanie) in southern Europe, the historical and cultural region in which Occitan (Template:Lang-fr) – as distinct from the langues d'oïl of northern France – was the predominant language. Though part of Occitania, the regions of Auvergne and Limousin are not normally considered part of the South of France. The largest cities of southern France are Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nice and Montpellier. The Pyrenees and French Alps are also located in the area, respectively in its southwestern and eastern parts. The island of Corsica, situated to the south of continental France and right above the island of Sardinia (Italy) may also be included.
Tourism
Notable touristic landmarks include the Roman-era Pont du Gard and Arena of Nîmes, the Verdon Gorge in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Canal du Midi, linking Toulouse and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the natural regions of Larzac, Luberon and Camargue. The French Riviera is located in Southern France's southeastern quadrant. Several towns in Southern France are renowned for their architecture and surroundings, such as Roussillon, Ménerbes, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Gordes, Rocamadour, Rennes-le-Château, Les Baux-de-Provence, Lourmarin, Gassin, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Seillans, Crillon-le-Brave and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.
-
Nice is often considered to be Southern France's best known city abroad, although it is not the largest.
-
Coastal road near Sainte-Maxime
-
Lavender fields are a well known feature of the South of France, mainly located in Provence
-
Pont du Gard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
-
A view of vineyards in Vaucluse, producing Provence wine
-
Traditional landscape of the historical province of Béarn, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department
-
Village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse near Avignon
Films set in Southern France
The following films are set in Southern France:
- To Catch a Thief (1955)
- Summer Holiday (1963)
- Pierrot le Fou (1965)
- Lacombe, Lucien (1974)
- French Connection II (1975)
- Never Say Never Again (1983)
- Under the Cherry Moon (1986)
- Jean de Florette (1986)
- Manon des Sources (1986)
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
- Happiness Is in the Field (1995)
- Taxi (1998)
- Chocolat (2000)
- The Transporter (2002)
- Swimming Pool (2003)
- Le Grand Voyage (2004)
- Priceless (2006)
- The Grocer's Son (2007)
- Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)
- Amer (2009)
- Magic in the Moonlight (2014)
See also
- Occitania
- Gascony
- Béarn
- Northern Basque Country
- Mediterranean Sea
- Northern Catalonia
- Novempopulania
- Corsica
- Southern Italy
- Southern Europe
- Vichy France
References
- ^ Lyons, Declan (18 February 2009). Cycling guide to the Canal du Midi, Languedoc, France, Europe. Midpoint Trade Books. ISBN 978-1-85284-559-9.
- ^ Passy, Paul (1904). International French–English and English–French dictionary. Hinds, Noble & Eldredge.
- ^ Louis Papy, Le midi atlantique, Atlas et géographie de la France moderne, Flammarion, Paris, 1984.