NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Pau

Pau is a town of southwestern France, préfecture (capital) of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département. Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including both internationally recognized and generally unrecognized independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... {{ Haute-Normandie ... Location Administration Capital Bordeaux Regional President Alain Rousset (PS) (since 1998) DÃ©partements Dordogne Gironde Landes Lot-et-Garonne PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques Arrondissements 18 Cantons 235 Communes 2,296 Statistics Land area1 41,309 kmÂ² Population (Ranked 6th) - January 1, 2005 est. ... The dÃ©partements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to British counties. ... PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques (Gascon: PirenÃ¨us-Atlantics; Basque: Pirinio-Atlantiarrak or Pirinio-Atlantikoak) is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. ... In France, a prÃ©fecture is the capital city of a dÃ©partement. ... The 100 French dÃ©partements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The arrondissement of Pau is an arrondissement of France, located in the PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques dÃ©partement, in the Aquitaine rÃ©gion. ... The canton is an administrative division of France. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... now. ... INSEE is the French abbreviation for the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (French: Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques). ... Postal codes were introduced in France in 1972, when La Poste introduced automated sorting. ... Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... In France, a prÃ©fecture is the capital city of a dÃ©partement. ... PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques (Gascon: PirenÃ¨us-Atlantics; Basque: Pirinio-Atlantiarrak or Pirinio-Atlantikoak) is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. ... The dÃ©partements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ...

Image File history File links MapOfGascony. ... Image File history File links MapOfGascony. ... Map of the historical and cultural area of Gascony. ...

Geography

Pau was the capital of the former province of Béarn. The site, on a slight elevation overlooking the valley of the mountain river called the Gave de Pau, where it was crossed by a ford, controlled access to an easy passage into the Pyrenees, used annually for the seasonal pasturage of flocks of sheep in the high meadows (now represented by a hiking footpath GR65 that runs about 60 km south to the Spanish border). Access to the pass partly accounts for Pau's strategic importance. The Kingdom of France was organized into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the dÃ©partement system superseded provinces. ... BÃ©arn coat of arms BÃ©arn (Gascon: Bearn or Biarn) is a former province of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. ... The Gave de Pau is a river of south-western France, tributary of the Adour. ... Central Pyrenees. ...

History

The site was fortified by the 11th century— "pau" means "palissade" in Occitan— the seat of the viscounts of Béarn. Pau was made the capital of Béarn in 1464. In the early 16th century the Château de Pau, made more habitable by Gaston Fébus, count of Foix, became the residence of the kings of Navarre, who were also counts of Béarn, and so it was the birthplace of Henry IV of France (1553–1610), though his mother, the redoubtable Jeanne d'Albret, had to cross the whole of France to ensure that her son was born at Pau. The baby's lips were moistened with the local wine and rubbed with garlic in his first moments. Charles XIV of Sweden was also born at the château, in 1763. The château now is considered a French historical monument and contains a nice collection of tapestry. Occitan, or langue doc is a Romance language characterized by its richness, variability, and by the intelligibility of its dialects. ... BÃ©arn coat of arms BÃ©arn (Gascon: Bearn or Biarn) is a former province of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. ... BÃ©arn coat of arms BÃ©arn (Gascon: Bearn or Biarn) is a former province of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. ... County of Foix in 1328 (BÃ©arn is outside of the map) The independent counts of Foix, with their castle overlooking the town of Foix, now in southernmost France, governed their county of Foix, which corresponded roughly to the eastern part of the modern dÃ©partement of AriÃ¨ge (the... This is a list of the kings of Navarre. ... Henry IV (French: Henri IV; December 13, 1553 â€“ May 14, 1610), was the first monarch of the Bourbon dynasty in France. ... King Charles XIV of Sweden, Charles III of Norway, or domestically Karl XIV Johan and Carl III Johan respectively, Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte (January 26, 1763 – March 8, 1844) was born at Pau, France, the son of Henri Bernadotte (1711–1780), procurator at Pau, and Jeanne St. ... This article is about tapestry the textile. ...

When Henri IV left Pau to become King of France, he remarked to the local notables that he was not giving Béarn to France, he was giving France to Béarn.

The English discovered the charms of Pau and its climate and left a decided imprint, before the French themselves did, partly because Wellington left a garrison at Pau on his way into Spain. The vacationing British, arriving before the railroad did, established the scenic promenade, the Boulevard des Pyrenées, the first full 18-hole golf course in Europe (laid out in 1856/1860, and still in existence), and a real tennis court (since converted into a trinquet). Download high resolution version (553x640, 45 KB)Chateau de Pau From French Wikipedia Château de Pau. ... Download high resolution version (553x640, 45 KB)Chateau de Pau From French Wikipedia Château de Pau. ... Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (c. ... This article is about the sport of golf. ... Real tennis is the original racket sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis, or tennis, is descended. ... A trinquete (also trinquet) is a special court for various indoor versions of pelota. ...

Napoleon III refurbished the château, while Pau added streets of Belle Époque architecture, before fashion transferred to Biarritz. Pau is still a major centre for winter sports and for equestrian events, with a famous steeplechase. NapolÃ©on III Emperor of the French (Charles Louis NapolÃ©on Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 â€“ 9 January 1873) was President of France from 1849 to 1852, and then Emperor of the French under the name NapolÃ©on III from 1852 to 1870. ... Tourist Office Hotel du Palais or Eugenie Palace La Grande Plage, the towns largest beach Biarritz is a town and commune which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in southwestern France. ... A steeplechase race The steeplechase is a form of horse racing (primarily conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, and Ireland) and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many...

Main sights

In the center of Pau there is a magnificent castle, le château de Pau that dominates the château quarter of the city. It is famous for being the birthplace of the 15th century king of France Henri IV and used to be used by Napoleon as a holiday home during his period of power. It has a small garden that was tended by Marie Antoinette when she spent much of the summers in the city. Tours are available daily except holidays and last apporimately an hour to an hour and a quarter (they are conducted exclusively in French but there are information sheets in English and other major languages).

The other must see attraction is the Boulevard de Pyrenees. A walk of only about three-quarters of a kilometer or so from the château to the Parc du Beaumont and the royal Beaumont Park it has magnificent views of the mountains in the Pyrenees mountain range. Taking a stroll along the elevated path, be sure to look at the iron hand-rails for the plaques that tell you which mountain is directly infront of you and how high it is.

From the Boulevard de Pyrenees there is a (currently not in use) funicular railway that takes you from the top of the boulevard to the bottom beside the train station.

When you arrive in Pau the tourist information office is well funded and can be found attached to the town hall in Place Royale

Economy

From the 1950s to the 1990s Pau depended on the production of natural gas and sulphur dioxide which were discovered nearby at Lacq. Today the mainstays of the Béarn area are the oil business, the aerospace industry (Turbomeca), tourism and agriculture. Pau was the birthplace of Elf Aquitaine, which has now become a part of Total. Natural gas is commonly referred to as gas. ... Lacq is a town and commune of southwestern France, in the PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques dÃ©partement, just northwest of the local capital of Pau. ... Founded in 1938, Turbomeca is one of the leading manufacturers of low and medium-power gas turbine for helicopters. ... Elf logo Elf Aquitaine is a former French oil company merged with TotalFina to form TotalFinaElf. ... Total SA (Euronext: FP, NYSE: TOT) is a French oil company headquartered in Paris, France, and one of the top four oil companies in the world (along with Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and ExxonMobil). ...

Transport

Pau has an airport, Pau Pyrénées Airport, which is about 10 km away from the centre. The A64 motorway runs across Pau. The Spanish border is about 60 km away from Pau. Pau PyrÃ©nÃ©es Airport is an airport in Pau, France. ...

Miscellaneous

The Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour (founded in 1972) is also in the town. LUniversitÃ© de Pau et des Pays de lAdour (UPPA), the French for University of Pau and the Adour Region has been founded in 1972. ...

Image File history File links Paucircuit. ... Image File history File links Paucircuit. ...

Grand Prix de Pau

Pau holds the honor of arranging the first race ever to be called a Grand Prix in 1901. After that the 1928 French Grand Prix was held in nearby St Gaudens, Pau also wanted to arrange the race and in 1930 the French Grand Prix was held on a Le Mans type track outside the city with Philippe Étancelin winning for Bugatti. Pau was back in the race calendar in 1933, now with a Monaco inspired track in the city center. The picturesque Pau Circuit The Grand Prix de Pau is an auto race held annually in Pau, France. ... // Grand Prix (French for Grand Prize) may refer to: Competitions Formula One Grand Prix motor racing Grand Prix motorcycle racing Eurovision Song Contest Grand Prix (snooker) Volleyball Grand Prix Grand Prix tennis tournaments Grand Prix chess tournaments Grand Prix Dressage Grand Prix show jumping Grand Prix (movie), a 1966 film... The French Grand Prix is a Formula One race held as part of FÃ©dÃ©ration Internationale de lAutomobiles annual Formula One automobile racing championship season. ... The French Grand Prix is a Formula One race held as part of FÃ©dÃ©ration Internationale de lAutomobiles annual Formula One automobile racing championship season. ... The Circuit de la Sarthe is a race track near Le Mans, France. ... Philippe Ã‰tancelin, born December 29, 1896 - died October 13, 1981, was a French Grand Prix motor racing driver who joined the new Formula One circuit at its inception. ... Bugatti is one of the most celebrated marques of automobile and one of the most exclusive Italian car producers of all time. ...

The track, which is 2.769km in length, is one of the most curious and twisty in the GP history and has remained more or less unchanged into the 1990s. The first curve is the sharp station hairpin. After that the road climbs on the Avenue Léon Say, alongside the stone viaduct that carries the Boulevard de Pyrenées, to Pont Oscar. A tunnel is followed by the narrow hairpin at the school that leads the track into the demanding Parc Beaumont section at the top of the town. After visiting the Casino garden and passing yet another hairpin, the Virage the Buisson, the track winds its way back to the startline along the Avenue Lacoste.

Pau was traditionally the season opener but selecting mid February as the date for the 1933 GP was to challenge the fate and the race took place in a snowstorm with sludge making the conditions into one of the worst ever in racing history. After a one year pause the race was back in 1935 with Tazio Nuvolari dominating for Ferrari. The 1936 race saw the only major victory for the Maserati V8-R1, driven by Ètancelin. In 1937 the race was part of the French sports car series with Jean-Pierre Wimille dominating, running three to four seconds a lap faster than the rest of the field. GP racing was back in 1938 and Pau became a test track for Mercedes-Benz before the Grandes Epreuves. A winter storm is a storm where the dominant forms of precipitation are forms that occur only at cold temperatures, such as snow or sleet, or a rainstorm where ground temperatures are cold enough to allow ice to form. ... Nuvolaris statue in front of PalaLottomatica in Rome. ... Ferrari is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. ... Present Maserati logo A 1957 Maserati 200SI at the Scarsdale Concours Maserati Birdcage 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe Maserati Sebring Maserati is a famous Italian manufacturer of racing cars and sports cars, established in 1914 in Bologna. ... Jean-Pierre Wimille (February 26, 1908 - January 28, 1949) was a Grand Prix motor racing driver. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... European Championship (auto racing) - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

The 1938 race saw René Dreyfus' Delahaye sensationally beating the Mercedes-Benz team. In 1939 Mercedes wasn't to be taken by surprise, Hermann Lang leading the team to a double victory. After the war Pau continued as a non-championship Formula 1 race until 1963. Thereafter the race was run to Formula 2 rules until the sport was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985. In 1999, the event again changed, with Formula Three cars racing. RenÃ© Dreyfus RenÃ© Dreyfus (born May 6, 1905 - died August 16, 1993) was a French driver who raced automobiles for 14 years in the 1920s and 1930s, the Golden Era of Grand Prix motor racing. ... The Delahaye automobile manufacturing company was started by Emile Delahaye in 1894, in Tours, France. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Hermann Lang (born April 6, 1909 â€“ died October 19, 1987) was a German champion race car driver. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Formula One, abbreviated to F1 and also known as Grand Prix racing, is the highest class of single-seat open-wheel auto racing. ... While Formula One has generally been regarded as the pinnacle of open-wheeled auto racing, the high performance nature of the cars and the expense involved in the series has always meant that there has needed to be a path to reach this peak. ... Formula 3000 is a type of formula racing. ... Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or, in abbreviated form, F3, is a type of formula racing and a class of open-wheeler motor racing. ...

Births

Jeanne dAlbret Jeanne dAlbret (January 7, 1528 â€“ June 9, 1572) was Queen of Navarre from 1555 to 1572, wife of Antoine de Bourbon, duke of Vendome and mother of Henry IV of France. ... Capital Pamplona (Basque: IruÃ±a) Official language(s) Spanish; Basque co-official in the north of community. ... Henry IV (French: Henri IV; December 13, 1553 â€“ May 14, 1610), was the first monarch of the Bourbon dynasty in France. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... Charles XIV John (Swedish: Carl XIV Johan), born Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte (January 26, 1763 â€“ March 8, 1844) was King of Sweden and Norway (where he was known as Carl III Johan) from 1818 until his death. ... The Marshal of France (marÃ©chal de France) was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France. ... Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system. ... AndrÃ© CourrÃ¨ges, born 1923, is a French fashion designer. ... Brief introduction on the history of fashion design and designers Fashion design is the art dedicated to the creation of wearing apparel and lifestyle. ... Roger-GÃ©rard Schwartzenberg (born April 17, 1943) is a French politician. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bertrand Cantat (born in Pau, France, March 5th 1964) is a French singer and songwriter. ... Ercole de Roberti performing the song Freinds Of P: Concert, c. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Cedric Gracia (born 23 July 1978 in Pau, France) is a French mountain biker. ... Mountain biker riding in the Arizona desert. ... Charles Denis Sauter Bourbaki ( April 22, 1816 - September 27, 1897) was a French general. ...

Twin towns

Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Zaragoza (Spanish) Spanish name Zaragoza Founded 24 Postal code 50001 - 50018 Website http://www. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Nickname: The Azalea City Coordinates: Country US State Alabama County Mobile Founded 1702 Incorporated 1814 Mayor Sam Jones Area - City 412. ... Official language(s) English Capital Montgomery Largest city Birmingham Area Ranked 30th - Total 52,419 sq mi (135,765 kmÂ²) - Width 190 miles (306 km) - Length 330 miles (531 km) - % water 3. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Pistoia (ancient Pistoria) is a city in the Tuscany region of Italy, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 km (18 mi) west and north of Florence. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... , Kofu (ç”²åºœå¸‚; KÅfu-shi) is the capital city of Yamanashi, Japan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Portugal. ... Coat of Arms SetÃºbal is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 172. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Wales_(bordered). ... Swansea (Welsh: , mouth of the Tawe) is a city in Wales and a Welsh County. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales forever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) English, Welsh Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056 Area - Total 20,779 kmÂ² (3rd in... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... GÃ¶ttingen ( ) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Cote_d'Ivoire. ... Daloa is a town in Cote dIvoire lying west of Yamoussoukro and has a population of over 100,000. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Peoples_Republic_of_China. ... Xian (Chinese: ; Pinyin: XÄ«Än; Wade-Giles: Hsi-An; Postal System Pinyin: Sian), is the capital of Shaanxi province in China and a sub-provincial city. ...

See also

The Ã‰lan BÃ©arnais Pau Orthez, is a French basketball club based in Pau. ... Section Paloise is a French rugby union club from Pau in Pyrénées-Atlantiques currently competing in the top level of the French league system. ...

External links

Préfectures of départements of France

Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain) • Laon (Aisne) • Moulins (Allier • Digne-les-Bains (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) • Gap (Hautes-Alpes) • Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) • Privas (Ardeche) • Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes) • Foix (Ariège) • Troyes (Aube) • Carcassonne (Aude) • Rodez (Aveyron) • Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) • Caen (Calvados) • Aurillac (Cantal) • Angoulême (Charente) • La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) • Bourges (Cher) • Tulle (Corrèze) • Ajaccio (corse-du-Sud) • Bastia (Haute-Corse) • Dijon (Côte-d'Or) • Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d'Armor) • Guéret (Creuse) • Périgueux (Dordogne) • Besançon (Doubs) • Valence (Drôme) • Évreux (Eure) • Chartres (Eure-et-Loir) • Quimper (Finistère) • Nîmes (Gard) • Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) • Auch (Gers) • Bordeaux (Gironde) • Montpellier (Hérault) • Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine) • Châteauroux (Indre) • Tours (Indre-et-Loire) • Grenoble (Isère) • Lons-le-Saunier (Jura) • Mont-de-Marsan (Landes) • Blois (Loir-et-Cher) • Saint-Étienne (Loire) • Le Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire) • Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) - Orléans (Loiret) • Cahors (Lot) • Agen (Lot-et-Garonne) • Mende (Lozère) • Angers (Maine-et-Loire) • Saint-Lô (Manche) • Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne) • Chaumont (Haute-Marne) - Laval (Mayenne) • Nancy (Meurthe-et-Moselle) • Bar-le-Duc (Meuse) • Vannes (Morbihan) • Metz (Moselle) • Nevers (Nièvre) • Lille (Nord) • Beauvais (Oise) • Alençon (Orne) • Calais (Pas-de-Calais) • Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) • Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) • Tarbes (Hautes-Pyrénées) • Perpignan (Pyrénées-Orientales) • Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin) • Colmar (Haut-Rhin) • Lyon (Rhône) • Vesoul (Haute-Saône) • Mâcon (Saône-et-Loire) • Le Mans (Sarthe) • Chambéry (Savoie) • Annecy (Haute-Savoie) • Paris (Paris) • Rouen (Seine-Maritime) • Melun (Seine-et-Marne) • Versailles (Yvelines) • Niort (Deux-Sèvres) • Amiens (Somme) • Albi (Tarn) • Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) • Toulon (Var) • Avignon (Vaucluse) • La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendée) • Poitiers (Vienne) • Limoges (Haute-Vienne) • Épinal (Vosges) • Auxerre (Yonne) • Belfort (Territoire de Belfort) - Évry (Essonne) - Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) • Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis) • Créteil (Val-de-Marne) • Cergy (Val-d'Oise)

Overseas départements:
Cayenne (French Guiana) • Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe) • Fort-de-France (Martinique) • Saint-Denis (Réunion) Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... In France, a prÃ©fecture is the capital city of a dÃ©partement. ... The dÃ©partements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to British counties. ... Bourg-en-Bresse is a city in eastern France, préfecture (capital) of the Ain département, and was capital of the former province of Bresse. ... PrÃ©fecture building of the Ain dÃ©partement, in Bourg-en-Bresse Ain is a dÃ©partement named after the Ain River on the eastern edge of France bordering Switzerland. ... Laon is a city and commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Aisne département. ... Aisne is a dÃ©partement in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River. ... Moulins is a city and commune in central France, préfecture (capital) of the Allier département. ... Allier is a dÃ©partement in south-central France named after the Allier River. ... Digne-les-Bains or simply Digne is a commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département. ... Alpes_de_Haute_Provence is a French département in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence. ... View overlooking the town of Gap. ... Hautes-Alpes is a dÃ©partement in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Alpes_Maritimes is a département in the extreme southeast corner of France. ... Privas is a commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Ardèche département. ... Ard che is a d partement in south-central France named after the Ard che River. ... Location within France Charleville-MÃ©ziÃ¨res is a town and commune in northeastern France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Ardennes dÃ©partement which is itself part of the Champagne-Ardenne rÃ©gion. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... ChÃ¢teau des Comtes de Foix Foix river Foix is a small town and commune, the prÃ©fecture (capital) of the AriÃ¨ge dÃ©partement in France. ... AriÃ¨ge is a dÃ©partement in southwestern France named after the AriÃ¨ge River. ... Troyes is a town in northeastern France. ... Aube is a dÃ©partement in the northeastern part of France named after the Aube River. ... Carcassonne (Carcassona in Occitan) is a fortified French town, in the Aude dÃ©partement of which it is the prÃ©fecture, in the former province of Languedoc. ... Aude is a dÃ©partement in south-central France named after the Aude River. ... Rodez is a city in southern France in département of Aveyron. ... Aveyron is a dÃ©partement in southern France named after the Aveyron River. ... City flag Coat of arms Motto: By her great deeds, Marseille shines in the world Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion Provence-Alpes-CÃ´te dAzur DÃ©partement Bouches-du-RhÃ´ne (13) Subdivisions 16 arrondissements (in 8 secteurs) Intercommunality Urban Community of... Bouches-du-RhÃ´ne is a dÃ©partement in the south of France named after the mouth of the RhÃ´ne River. ... Caen is a commune of northwestern France. ... For the apple brandy produced in the region, see Calvados (spirit). ... Aurillac is a town and commune in the Auvergne région of France, préfecture (capital) of the Cantal département, at 44° 55′ 44″ N 2° 26′ 38″ E. Population (1999) 30,551. ... Cantal is a dÃ©partement in south-central France. ... AngoulÃªme is a town and commune in southwestern France, prÃ©fecture (capital city) of the Charente dÃ©partement. ... Charente is a dÃ©partement in central France named after the Charente River. ... La Rochelle is a city and commune of western France, and a seaport on the Atlantic Ocean (population 76,584 in 1999). ... Charente-Maritime is a dÃ©partement on the west coast of France named after the Charente River. ... Bourges is a town and commune in central France. ... Cher is a dÃ©partement in the center of France. ... Tulle is a netting, which is often starched, made of various fibers, including silk, nylon, and rayon, that is often used for veils or gowns. ... CorrÃ¨ze is a dÃ©partement in the center of France, named after the CorrÃ¨ze River. ... Location within France Ajaccio (French: Ajaccio; Corsican: Aiacciu) is a city (commune) of France. ... Corse-du-Sud is a French dÃ©partement. ... Location within France Bastia (French & Corsican: Bastia), is a town and commune of northern Corsica, in France. ... Haute-Corse is a French dÃ©partement. ... Dijon ( ) is a city in eastern France, the prÃ©fecture (administrative capital) of the CÃ´te-dOr dÃ©partement and of the Bourgogne rÃ©gion. ... For other uses, see CÃ´te dOr (disambiguation). ... Saint-Brieuc (Breton: Sant-Brieg) is a commune France, situated in CÃ´tes-dArmor and in the Brittany rÃ©gion. ... CÃ´tes-dArmor (French) / AodoÃ¹-an-Arvor (Breton) is a dÃ©partement in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France. ... GuÃ©ret is a commune of France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Creuse dÃ©partement. ... Creuse is a dÃ©partement in central France named after the Creuse River. ... PÃ©rigueux ( (helpÂ· info)) is a commune of France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Dordogne dÃ©partement and capital of the PÃ©rigord area. ... Dordogne is a dÃ©partement in central France named after the Dordogne River. ... BesanÃ§on is a French city in the dÃ©partement of Doubs, of which it is the prÃ©fecture. ... Doubs is a dÃ©partement in eastern France named after the Doubs River. ... Location within France Champs de Mars and Kiosque Peynet in Valence A World War I memorial in Valence ville Valence is a commune in south-eastern France, the capital of the dÃ©partement of DrÃ´me, situated on the left bank of the RhÃ´ne, 65 miles south of Lyon... DrÃ´me is a dÃ©partement in southeastern France named after the DrÃ´me River. ... Ã‰vreux is a commune of Normandy, France, in the Eure dÃ©partement, of which it is the prÃ©fecture (capital). ... Eure is a dÃ©partement in the north of France named after the Eure River. ... Cathedral of Chartres Cathedral of Chartres, western spires Chartres is a town and commune of France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Eure-et-Loir dÃ©partement. ... Eure-et-Loir is a French département, named after the Eure and Loir rivers. ... Quimper (Kemper in Breton, Corspotium in Latin) is a commune of Brittany in northwestern France. ... FinistÃ¨re (Penn-ar-Bed in Breton) is a dÃ©partement of France, located in Brittany (Bretagne in French). ... NÃ®mes (ProvenÃ§al Occitan: Nimes in both classical and Mistralian norms) is a city and commune of southern France. ... Gard is a dÃ©partement located in le midi, the south of France, named after the river Gardon (or Gard). ... New city flag (Occitan cross) Traditional coat of arms Motto: (Occitan: For Toulouse, always more) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion Midi-PyrÃ©nÃ©es DÃ©partement Haute-Garonne (31) Intercommunality Community of Agglomeration of Greater Toulouse Mayor Jean-Luc Moudenc (UMP) (since 2004... Haute-Garonne is a département in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. ... Auch is a town and commune in southwestern France. ... Gers is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France named after the Gers River. ... New city flag (traditional tri-crescent) City coat of arms Motto: The fleur-de-lis alone rules over the moon, the waves, the castle, and the lion Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion Aquitaine DÃ©partement Gironde (33) Intercommunality Urban Community of Bordeaux Mayor... Gironde is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France named after the Gironde Estuary. ... Montpellier (Occitan MontpelhiÃ¨r) is a city in the south of France. ... HÃ©rault is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France named after the HÃ©rault River. ... Some medieval houses, such as these at Champ-Jacquet, can still be found in the center of Rennes. ... Ille-et-Vilaine is a dÃ©partement of France, located in Brittany (Bretagne in French) in the northwest corner of France. ... ChÃ¢teauroux is a commune of central France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Indre dÃ©partement. ... Indre is a dÃ©partement in the center of France named after the Indre River. ... Tours is a city in France, the prÃ©fecture (capital city) of the Indre-et-Loire dÃ©partement, on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between OrlÃ©ans and the Atlantic coast. ... Indre-et-Loire is a dÃ©partement in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers. ... Grenoble (Arpitan: GrasanÃ²bol) is a city and commune in south-east France, situated at the foot of the Alps, at the confluence of the Drac into the IsÃ¨re River. ... IsÃ¨re is a dÃ©partement in the east of France named after the IsÃ¨re River. ... Lons-le-Saunier is a commune of France, préfecture (capital) of the Jura département. ... Jura is a department in the east of France named after the Jura mountains (not be confused with the Swiss canton of Jura). ... Mont-de-Marsan is a commune of France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Landes dÃ©partement. ... Landes is a dÃ©partement in southern France. ... Blois is a city in France, the prÃ©fecture (capital) city of the Loir-et-Cher dÃ©partement, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between OrlÃ©ans and Tours. ... Loir-et-Cher is a dÃ©partement in north-central France named after its two principal rivers. ... Location within France Saint-Ã‰tienne is a city in the central eastern part of France, 60 km (40 miles) southwest of Lyon. ... Loire is a dÃ©partement in the east-central part of France occupying the Loire Rivers upper reaches. ... Le Puy-en-Velay or Le Puy is a commune of south-central France, pr fecture (capital) of the Haute-Loire d partement. ... Haute-Loire is a département in south-central France named after the Loire River. ... Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration DÃ©partement Loire-Atlantique (44) RÃ©gion Pays-de-la-Loire Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault (PS) (since 1989) Intercommunality Urban Community of Nantes City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 65. ... Loire-Atlantique (formerly Loire-InfÃ©rieure) is a dÃ©partement on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean. ... OrlÃ©ans Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Cross, built from 1278 to 1329; after being pillaged by Huguenots in the 1560s, the Bourbon kings restored it in the 17th century. ... Loiret is a dÃ©partement in north-central France named after the Loiret River. ... Cahors is a town in Western France in the Lot département. ... Lot is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France named after the Lot River. ... Agen is a city and commune located in the Aquitaine rÃ©gion in southern France, on the river Garonne, 84 miles above Bordeaux. ... Lot-et-Garonne is a département in the southwest of France named after the Lot and Garonne rivers. ... The Mende are a large tribe (population approximately 700,000) living primarily in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea. ... LozÃ¨re is a dÃ©partement in southeast France near the Massif Central. ... Location within France Angers is a city in France in the dÃ©partement of Maine-et-Loire, 191 miles south-west of Paris. ... Maine-et-Loire is a dÃ©partement in west-central France. ... Saint-LÃ´ is a town and commune of France, the prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Manche dÃ©partement, in Normandy. ... Manche is a French dÃ©partement in Normandy named after La Manche (the sleeve), which is the French name of the English Channel. ... ChÃ¢lons-en-Champagne is a city and commune in France. ... Marne is a dÃ©partement in northeastern France named after the Marne River which flows through the dÃ©partement. ... Chaumont is the name or part of the name of several France: Chaumont, in the Cher département Chaumont, in the Haute_Marne département Chaumont, in the Orne département Chaumont, in the Haute-Savoie département Chaumont, in the Yonne département Chaumont-dAnjou, in the Maine-et... Haute-Marne is a dÃ©partement in the northeast of France named after the Marne River. ... Laval is a commune in the Mayenne dÃ©partement of France. ... Mayenne is a dÃ©partement in northwest France named after the Mayenne River. ... Location within France Nancy (pronounced in French) (German: Nanzig) is a city and commune which is the prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Meurthe-et-Moselle dÃ©partement, in the Lorraine rÃ©gion of northeastern France. ... Meurthe-et-Moselle is a département in the northeast of France named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers. ... Bar-le-Duc is a town in northeastern France, in the Meuse département, of which it is the préfecture (capital). ... Meuse is a dÃ©partement in northeast France, named after the Meuse River. ... In the old city centre Harbour to cathedral Vannes (Breton: Gwened) is a town and commune located in the Morbihan dÃ©partement, in Brittany, in the west of France. ... Morbihan is a dÃ©partement in the northwest of France named after the Morbihan (small sea in Breton), the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline. ... For other uses of Metz, see Metz (disambiguation) City motto: Si paix dedans, paix dehors (French: If peace inside, peace outside) City proper (commune) RÃ©gion Lorraine DÃ©partement Moselle (57) Mayor Jean-Marie Rausch Area 41. ... Moselle is a dÃ©partement in the northeast of France named after the Moselle River. ... Nevers is a commune of central France, the prÃ©fecture (capital) of the NiÃ¨vre dÃ©partement, in the former province of Nivernais. ... NiÃ¨vre is a dÃ©partement in the center of France named after the NiÃ¨vre River. ... t* Autoroute A22 : Lille - Antwerp - Netherlands A sixth oher ejt weoitjh w newr0tipew roj40=9 dfiojg b o4it orpitre royieoy i53 -y035 3[49430ne â€” the proposed A24 â€” will link Amiens to Lille if built, but there is opposition to its route. ... Nord may refer to: Places Nord (dÃ©partement), in France Nord, Greenland Nord Region, Burkina Faso Nord Department, Haiti Note: Nord means North in German and French. ... Beauvais is a town and commune of northern France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Oise dÃ©partement. ... Oise is a dÃ©partement in the north of France named after the Oise River. ... Library of AlenÃ§on AlenÃ§on is a town in Normandy, France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Orne dÃ©partement. ... Orne is a dÃ©partement in the northwest of France named after the Orne River. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: ) is a town in northern France, located at 50Â°57N 1Â°52E. It is in the dÃ©partement of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a... Pas-de-Calais is a département in northern France named after the strait which it borders. ... Clermont-Ferrand is a city of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of approximately 140,000. ... Building of the Conseil GÃ©nÃ©ral of the Puy-de-DÃ´me dÃ©partement, in Clermont-Ferrand Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Puy-de-DÃ´me Puy-de-DÃ´me is a dÃ©partement. ... PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques (Gascon: PirenÃ¨us-Atlantics; Basque: Pirinio-Atlantiarrak or Pirinio-Atlantikoak) is a dÃ©partement in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. ... Location within France Tarbes is a French town and commune, in the dÃ©partement of Hautes-PyrÃ©nÃ©es, of which it is the prÃ©fecture. ... Hautes-PyrÃ©nÃ©es is a dÃ©partement in southwestern France. ... Perpignan (French: Perpignan; Catalan PerpinyÃ ) is a commune and the prÃ©fecture (administrative capital city) of the PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Orientales dÃ©partement in southern France. ... PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Orientales (Eastern Pyrenees, Catalan: Pirineus Orientals) is a dÃ©partement of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion Alsace DÃ©partement Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller (UMP) (since 2001) City Statistics Land areaÂ¹ 78. ... History The département was created on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution. ... Location within France coat of arms of Colmar Colmar is a town and commune in the Haut-Rhin dÃ©partement of Alsace, France. ... Haut-Rhin is a French département, named after the Rhine river. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: (Arpitan: Forward, forward, Lyon the best) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion RhÃ´ne-Alpes DÃ©partement RhÃ´ne (69) Subdivisions 9 arrondissements Intercommunality Urban Community of Lyon Mayor GÃ©rard Collomb (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... RhÃ´ne is a French dÃ©partement located in the central Eastern rÃ©gion of RhÃ´ne-Alpes. ... Vesoul is a French city and commune located in the Haute-Saône département. ... Haute-SaÃ´ne is a French dÃ©partement, named after the SaÃ´ne River. ... MÃ¢con is a commune of France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the SaÃ´ne-et-Loire dÃ©partement, in the Bourgogne rÃ©gion. ... SaÃ´ne-et-Loire is a French dÃ©partement, named after the SaÃ´ne and the Loire rivers between which it lies. ... Le Mans is a city in France, located at the Sarthe River. ... Sarthe is a French dÃ©partement, named after the Sarthe River. ... The city and arrondissement of ChambÃ©ry in Savoie, France, has been the historical capital of Savoy since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made it his seat. ... Savoie is a French dÃ©partement located in the Alps. ... Pont des Amours Ã Annecy - Bridge of Love in Annecy The old jail La rue Carnot Annecy is a town in the Haute-Savoie region of eastern France, on the shores of Lake Annecy, 22 miles south of Geneva. ... Haute-Savoie is a French département, named after the Alps mountain range. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion ÃŽle-de-France DÃ©partement Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand DelanoÃ« (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion ÃŽle-de-France DÃ©partement Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand DelanoÃ« (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... Rouen Cathedral The entrance to Rouen Cathedral Abbey church of Saint-Ouen, (chevet) in Rouen Rouen, medieval house Rouen (pronounced in French, sometimes also ) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on the River Seine, and presently the capital of the Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy) rÃ©gion. ... Seine-Maritime is a French département in Normandy. ... Melun is a French city and commune on the river Seine, about 50 km south-southeast of Paris. ... Seine-et-Marne is a French dÃ©partement, named after the Seine and the Marne rivers, and located in the ÃŽle-de-France rÃ©gion. ... Versailles (pronounced , in French), formerly the de facto capital of the kingdom of France, is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and is still an important administrative and judicial center. ... Yvelines is a French dÃ©partement in the rÃ©gion of ÃŽle-de-France. ... Niort is a commune of western France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Deux-SÃ¨vres dÃ©partement. ... Deux-SÃ¨vres is a French dÃ©partement. ... The cathedral in Amiens Location within France Amiens is a city and commune in the north of France, 120 km north of Paris. ... Somme is a French dÃ©partement, named after the Somme River, located in the north of France. ... Location within France Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Albi Albi is a town and commune in southern France. ... For other uses, see Tarn (disambiguation). ... Montauban (Montalban in Occitan) is a town and commune of southwestern France, préfecture (capital) of the Tarn-et-Garonne département, 31 miles north of Toulouse. ... Tarn-et-Garonne is a French dÃ©partement in the southwest of France. ... Location within France Coat of Arms of Toulon Toulon (Tolon in Provençal) is a city in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. ... Var is a dÃ©partement of southeastern France. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France RÃ©gion Provence-Alpes-CÃ´te dAzur DÃ©partement Vaucluse (prÃ©fecture) Arrondissement Avignon Canton Chief town of 4 cantons Intercommunality CommunautÃ© dagglomÃ©ration du Grand Avignon Mayor Marie-JosÃ©e Roig... The Vaucluse is a dÃ©partement in the southeast of France. ... La Roche-sur-Yon is a town and commune in western France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the VendÃ©e dÃ©partement. ... VendÃ©e is a dÃ©partement in west central France, on the Atlantics Bay of Biscay. ... Location within France Poitiers (population 85,000) is a small city located in west central France. ... This article is about the French dÃ©partement. ... Location within France Limoges (LimÃ²tges in Occitan) is a city and commune in France, the prÃ©fecture of the Haute-Vienne dÃ©partement, and the administrative capital of the Limousin rÃ©gion. ... Haute-Vienne is a French dÃ©partement named after the Vienne River. ... Ã‰pinal is a commune of northeastern France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Vosges dÃ©partement. ... Vosges is a French dÃ©partement, named after the Vosges mountain range. ... Auxerre is a commune in the Bourgogne rÃ©gion of France, between Paris and Dijon. ... Yonne is a French dÃ©partement named after the Yonne River. ... Belfort is a town and commune of northeastern France, prÃ©fecture (capital) of the Territoire de Belfort dÃ©partement in the Franche-ComtÃ© rÃ©gion. ... The Territoire de Belfort is a département in the Franche-Comté région of eastern France. ... Ã‰vry is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. ... The French dÃ©partement of Essonne is part of the rÃ©gion of ÃŽle-de-France. ... Nanterre is a French city, a suburb of Paris, and the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine dÃ©partement. ... Hauts-de-Seine is a département in France. ... Bobigny is a town and commune of France, in the suburbs is of Paris, chief town of the arrondissement of the Seine-Saint-Denis. ... Seine-Saint-Denis is a French dÃ©partement located in the ÃŽle-de-France rÃ©gion. ... CrÃ©teil is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. ... Val-de-Marne is a French dÃ©partement, named after the Marne River, located in the ÃŽle-de-France rÃ©gion. ... Cergy is a suburban commune of the Val-dOise département, in suburban Paris in France. ... Val-dOise is a French dÃ©partement named after the Oise River, located in the ÃŽle-de-France rÃ©gion. ... Under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic, the French colonies of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the Caribbean and RÃ©union in the Indian Ocean became dÃ©partements doutre-mer (Overseas departments) or DOMs. ... Cayenne is the capital of the French overseas rÃ©gion of French Guiana. ... Basse-Terre Island (top) from space, September 1994 Basse-Terre is the name of the western of the two largest islands of Guadeloupe. ... Fort-de-France is the capital of Frances Caribbean département doutre-mer of Martinique. ... Saint-Denis de la RÃ©union, (or just Saint-Denis or St-Denis for short) is the prÃ©fecture (administrative capital) of the French overseas dÃ©partement RÃ©union. ...

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