Nièvre

The Nièvre is a department in central France, located in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. 

It is named after the Nièvre River, a tributary of the Loire. 

Capital (préfecture): Nevers (on the Loire). 

Characteristics: Rural and green, with many forests, rivers, and lakes. 

The eastern part is part of the Morvan Regional Nature Park (hilly nature reserve). 

The Loire River flows in the west. 

Known for its tranquility, authentic villages, and vineyards (especially Pouilly-Fumé white wine). Tourism: Nevers with its cathedral and historic center, the Nivernais Canal, the Morvan for hiking/cycling, castles, and the banks of the Loire. 

A quiet, green department with abundant nature and little mass tourism – ideal for those seeking authenticity and tranquility in Burgundy.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Nord (Nord Pas de Calais)

The Nord department (also called "le Nord") is the northernmost department of France and is located in the Hauts-de-France region. 

Capital/préfecture: Lille (largest city and center of the metropolitan region, fourth-largest urban area in France after Paris, Lyon, and Marseille). 

Other major cities: Dunkirk, Valenciennes, Douai, Cambrai, Maubeuge. 

History & culture: Strong Flemish character (formerly part of the County of Flanders), typical brick architecture, beer culture, Dunkirk Carnival, endives (chicory), moules-frites, and typical estaminets. Economy & Landscape: Formerly heavily industrialized (coal mines, textiles – now with many slag heaps as a reminder), today a mix of services (Lille as a business center and Eurostar/TGV hub), the port of Dunkirk, intensive agriculture (potatoes, sugar beets, chicory), and coastal areas (beach resorts such as Bray-Dunes). 

Special Features: The longest department in metropolitan France (184 km from northwest to southeast), highly urbanized (especially around Lille), but also quiet rural areas such as the Monts de Flandre and the Avesnois (more hilly and green). 

In short: a densely populated, dynamic, historically Flemish-oriented area with a mix of a large city (Lille), industrial past, port, coast, and countryside, right on the border with Belgium and well-connected to Great Britain via the Channel Tunnel and Eurostar.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Oise

Oise is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region (formerly Picardy), north of Paris. 

It takes its name from the Oise River and is located only 30-50 km from the capital, making it a popular suburban area. 

Capital (prefecture): Beauvais. 

Major cities: Beauvais, Compiègne, Creil, Senlis, Chantilly. 

The department is known for: Beautiful castles: Chantilly (with a famous museum and horse museum), Pierrefonds, Compiègne. 

Cathedrals: Beauvais (highest vault in the world), Senlis. 

Large forests: Compiègne Forest, Chantilly Forest. 

Beautiful villages such as Gerberoy ("most beautiful villages in France"). 

Proximity to Paris → many commuters, industry around Creil and Compiègne. 

Oise combines nature, royal heritage, and a mix of countryside and urban areas. Ideal for day trips from Paris or weekend getaways!

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Orne

Orne is a department in northwestern France, in the Normandy region. 

It takes its name from the Orne River, which originates there. 

It is the only Normandy department without a coastline. 

Prefecture (capital): Alençon 

Landscape: Predominantly rural with bocage (orchards with hedgerows), forests, rolling hills, meadows, and plateaus. 

Well-known areas include the Suisse Normande (with the Roche d’Oëtre), the Perche, the Alpes Mancelles, and the Normandie-Maine Regional Natural Park. 

Economic and cultural: Strongly agricultural and focused on livestock farming (horses, cattle, dairy). Known for: Horse breeding → National Stud Farm Haras du Pin (the "Versailles of horses"). 

Camembert cheese (originally in the region). 

Alençon lace (UNESCO recognition). 

Historic castles and country houses (including Château d’O, Sassy). 

Tourism: Peaceful countryside, ideal for green holidays, hiking, and horseback riding. 

Beautiful places such as Bagnoles-de-l’Orne (a spa town with Belle Époque architecture), 

Saint-Céneri-le-Géréi (a painter's village), Argentan, and the forests. 

In short: a peaceful, green, and authentic department, perfect for those seeking peace and nature, but less well-known than the coastal departments of Normandy.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Pas-de-Calais

Pas-de-Calais is a department in the far north of France, in the Hauts-de-France region. 

It lies directly on the English Channel (the narrowest point of the Channel/Strait of Dover) and borders Belgium, the Nord region, the Somme region, and the sea. 

Capital: Arras 

Coastal nicknames: Opal Coast (Côte d’Opale) – known for impressive chalk cliffs (Cap Blanc-Nez, Cap Gris-Nez), wide sandy beaches, dunes, and charming seaside resorts such as Le Touquet, Wimereux, Hardelot, and Berck-sur-Mer. 

Inland: Green landscape with valleys, picturesque villages, fortified towns (e.g., Montreuil-sur-Mer), marshland around Saint-Omer, and a wealth of WWI history (Vimy Ridge, Canadian monuments, battlefields). 

Culture & Sights: Louvre-Lens (a branch of the Louvre), belfries (UNESCO), mining history, beer & regional dishes (Maroilles cheese, endive, carbonnade flamande). 

Accessibility: Very close to the Netherlands/Belgium (via Calais, Dunkirk, or the Channel Tunnel), popular for short trips, beach holidays, and cultural weekends. 

In short: a surprisingly diverse department with sea, cliffs, nature, history (especially the First World War), and a delightful French down-to-earth atmosphere – ideal for those looking for "France close to home."

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Puy de Dôme

Puy-de-Dôme is a department in central France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. 

Capital (prefecture): Clermont-Ferrand (the largest city and economic center). 

Name: Named after the iconic Puy de Dôme volcano (1,465 m), a dormant volcano and the department's symbol. 

The landscape is extremely diverse due to its location in the Massif Central: volcanoes (especially the Chaîne des Puys with its 80 volcanoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site), mountains (such as the Monts Dore with the Puy de Sancy, the department's highest peak), plateaus, valleys, forests, and the fertile Limagne plain. 

Key features: Volcanic tourism, hiking, skiing (winter sports in Super Besse, Mont-Dore), thermal baths, and medieval villages. 

Other important cities: Riom, Issoire, Thiers (known for its knives), Ambert. 

In short: a green, volcanic, and mountainous department with a mix of nature, heritage, and a pleasant living environment, located in central France.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a department in southwestern France, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. 

Name: Named after the Pyrenees (mountains in the south) and the Atlantic Ocean (coast in the west). 

Capital/prefecture: Pau (known for its view of the Pyrenees and its historical connection to King Henry IV). 

Two main cultures: 

Northern part: Béarn (Occitan/Gascogian-speaking region, hilly countryside, Pau as its center). 

Southern part: French Basque Country (with the Basque language and a strong identity). 

Main coastal cities: Bayonne (chocolate, ham, fortified town), Biarritz (luxury seaside resort, surfing), Anglet, Saint-Jean-de-Luz. 

Landscape: From beautiful Atlantic beaches and surf spots to soaring Pyrenean peaks (skiing, hiking, the Santiago de Compostela route via Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port). 

Tourism: Strongly focused on beaches, surfing, mountain sports, gastronomy (Espelette pimento, Bayonne ham, beef sausage, Jurançon wine), and Basque culture (pelota, festivals). 

In short: a department with both sea and mountains, a Basque and Béarnese identity, the surfing capital of Biarritz, and a beautiful blend of nature and culture.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Hautes-Pyrénées

Hautes-Pyrénées is a department in southwestern France, in the Occitanie region. 

It borders Spain and encompasses a large part of the central Pyrenees. 

Capital/prefecture: Tarbes (approximately 40,000-50,000 inhabitants). 

Highest point: Vignemale (3,298 m) – the highest mountain in the French Pyrenees. 

Features: Mountains & nature → Pyrénées National Park, Cirque de Gavarnie (UNESCO), Néouvielle Nature Reserve, Pic du Midi de Bigorre (observatory and tourism). 

Famous places: Lourdes (famous pilgrimage site), Cauterets, Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Saint-Lary-Soulan, Argelès-Gazost. 

Winter sports & summer activities: skiing (including Tourmalet and La Mongie), hiking, thermal baths (spa resorts), and climbs from the Tour de France. 

Scenery: high peaks in the south, hilly and rural in the north towards the Adour Valley.

 

In short: a spectacular mountain department with stunning scenery, pilgrimage tourism (Lourdes), skiing, and a wealth of outdoor activities.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Eastern Pyrenees (Pyrénées Orientales)

The Pyrénées-Orientales (Dutch: Pyrénées Orientales) is the southernmost department of mainland France, located in the Occitanie region. 

It borders Spain (Catalonia), Andorra, the Mediterranean Sea, and the departments of Aude and Ariège.

Capital / Préfecture: Perpignan (Perpinyà in Catalan) – a vibrant city with a strong Catalan atmosphere. 

Nickname: Also called Northern Catalonia (Catalunya Nord), because it was historically part of the Principality of Catalonia until the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659). 

Landscape & Climate: A unique mix within easy reach: High Pyrenees with peaks such as the iconic Pic du Canigó (2,784 m) – a symbol of the Catalans. 

Ski and hiking areas (including Cerdagne, Capcir, Font-Romeu). 

Fertile Roussillon plain with vineyards, peach and apricot orchards. 

Mediterranean coast (Côte Vermeille) with rocky coves, beaches, and picturesque coastal towns such as Collioure, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Argelès-sur-Mer, and Cerbère.

Culture & Identity: Strong Catalan character: many people still speak Catalan, street names are bilingual, there are Catalan traditions, dance (sardana), and cuisine (including cargolada (snail festival), crema catalana, anchovies, Banyuls sweet wine). 

Languages: French, Catalan, and to a lesser extent Occitan. 

Economy & Tourism: Main sectors: tourism, wine production (Côtes du Roussillon, Collioure, Maury, Banyuls), fruit growing, and fishing. Very popular with sun worshippers. 

Hikers, skiers, and culture & gastronomy enthusiasts. 

In short: a mini-Catalonia on the French side with sea, mountains, sun, wine, and a unique identity – “la Catalogne française.”

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/

Bas-Rhin

Bas-Rhin is the northern part of the historic Alsace region in northeastern France, part of the Grand Est region. 

Capital/prefecture: Strasbourg (European capital with the European Parliament, a magnificent cathedral, and the iconic La Petite France district). 

Border: Germany to the east via the Rhine, Haut-Rhin to the south, and Moselle and Vosges to the west. Characteristics: Mix of French-German culture, typical Alsatian half-timbered houses, wine route (white wines such as Riesling), picturesque villages (such as Obernai, Rosheim, Saverne), castles (including Haut-Koenigsbourg just across the border but closely associated with it), forests and hills (northern Vosges). 

Tourism: Very popular for Christmas markets, gastronomy (choucroute, baeckeoffe, flammekueche), wine villages, and historic towns. 

In short: Bas-Rhin = Strasbourg + Alsatian romance + Rhine + wine + half-timbered houses + German-French atmosphere.

https://dorpenstedennederland.blogspot.com/

https://fieggentrio.blogspot.com/