Geography of France

The geography of France has mostly flat areas or gentle rolling hills in the north and west. In the south, there are mountains such as the Massif Central and the Pyrenees, and in the east, the Alps have the highest points in France.

Metropolitan France is 551,695 km² (213,011 mi²), making it the third-largest country in Europe after Russia and Ukraine. It is the largest country in Western Europe, with many different landscapes that affect its weather, animals, and daily life.

Physical geography of Metropolitan France

Climate

Main article: Climate of France

France has many climates because it is a big country. In the west, near the Gulf of Lion, summers are hot and dry, and winters are cool. Along the coast, the climate is milder with warm summers and cool, wet winters. In the mountains, it is colder with short, cool summers and long, snowy winters. Some high mountain areas are very cold all year.

Elevation extremes

• Lowest point: Étang de Lavalduc, Bouches-du-Rhône -10 m

• Highest point: Mont Blanc 4,808 m

  See also: Evolution of highest point of France

Land use

• Arable land: 33.40%
• Permanent crops: 1.83%
• Other: 64.77% (2007)

Irrigated land: 26,420 km² (2007)

Total renewable water resources: 211 km³ (2011)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 31.62 km³/yr (19%/71%/10%) (512.1 m³/yr per capita) (2009)

Natural resources

Coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, fish, gold, clay, petroleum, silver

Natural hazards

Flooding, Hailstorms, avalanches, midwinter windstorms, drought, forest fires in the south near the Mediterranean

Environment

Long ago, during the Ice Age, France was covered in open grasslands. As the ice melted, forests grew back. Over time, people cut down many forests for farming and building. Today, France still has some forests, especially in areas like Gascony and the Ardennes.

In the past, France was home to large animals like wolves and bears. Now, bears only live in the Pyrenees Mountains, where they are protected. Smaller animals like martens, wild pigs, foxes, and birds are still found across the country.

The center of France has fertile soil, good for farming. The coast of Normandy has tall chalk cliffs, while the coast of Brittany has many deep valleys. The coast near Biscay has flat, sandy beaches.

Political geography

Internal divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of France

France has different ways to divide its land into smaller parts. The main parts of France in Europe are called regions. There are also special areas outside of Europe that belong to France.

Metropolitan France, the part in Europe, has 12 regions and one special area called Corsica. These regions are split into smaller parts.

There are also five special regions outside of Europe: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion.

There are also four special collectivities: Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, and Wallis and Futuna. Another special area is French Polynesia. There is also New Caledonia. The French Southern and Antarctic Lands include several distant islands. There is also a tiny island called Clipperton in the Pacific Ocean.

Boundaries

France has many land borders with other countries. In Europe, it borders Andorra, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland. In South America, French Guiana borders Brazil and Suriname. Saint Martin borders Sint Maarten.

France has a long coastline, especially when you count all the overseas areas.

Extreme points

This section lists the farthest points in France — the places that are the most north, south, east, or west compared to any other location in the country.

France (mainland Europe)

• Northernmost point — Bray-Dunes, Nord
• Southernmost point — Puig de Comanegra, Lamanère, Pyrénées-Orientales
• Westernmost point — Pointe de Corsen, Plouarzel, Finistère
• Easternmost point — Lauterbourg, Bas Rhin

France (metropolitan)

• Northernmost point — Bray-Dunes, Nord
• Southernmost point — Îles Lavezzi (off Corsica), Bonifacio, Corse-du-Sud
• Westernmost point — Isle of Ushant (off Brittany), Finistère
• Easternmost point — San-Giuliano (near Cervione), Haute-Corse

France (including départements d'outre mer)

• Northernmost point — Bray-Dunes, Nord
• Southernmost point — Saint-Joseph, Réunion
• Westernmost point — Pointe-Noire, Guadeloupe
• Easternmost point — Sainte-Rose, Réunion

France (all territory of the French Republic)

• Northernmost point : Bray-Dunes, Nord
• Southernmost point : îles de Boynes, Kerguelen Islands, French Southern and Antarctic Lands
• Westernmost point : Toloke, Futuna, Wallis and Futuna
• Easternmost point : Hunter Island, New Caledonia

Temperature extremes

These are the extreme temperatures in France.

France has very cold winters and warm summers. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -43.9°C in 1956. The warmest temperature ever recorded was 44.1°C in 2019.