Geography: Rivers, Flora and Fauna
A Country Nourished by Water
France's important rivers include the Loire, the Seine, the Rhone, the Garonne,
the Rhine, the Somme, the Saone,
and the Marne. The Loire is the longest river entirely within France: 632.5 miles (1,018 km) long.
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Glorious chateaux ("SHAH-TOE"), or castles, adorn its banks.
Throughout French history, rivers have brought fertility to the land and have nourished flourishing centers of
population. These rivers, with their lesser tributaries and a vast system of linking canals, have enabled the
French to cross their country by boat and barge for hundreds of years.
The Seine connects Paris with the Atlantic Ocean. Rouen, the capital of Normandy and a busy industrial center,
is also on the Seine. Bordeaux, the great wine center and seaport, lies on the Garonne. Its location makes it an
ideal home for merchants and shipbuilders.
Lyon lies at the point where the Rhone and Saone rivers meet, and its heart is a peninsula between the two rivers.
Since the Rhone-Saone Valley receives relatively little rainfall, the Rhone provides both hydroelectric power and
irrigation to farms and vineyards in that region. The Rhine brings hydroelectric power to the Alsace-Lorraine region.
A complex system of canals eases the flow of goods between the smaller cities and towns. Some examples are the
Nantes-Brest Canal in Brittany, the Canal du Nivernais in Burgundy, and the Canal du Midi, running from Toulouse
to the Languedoc coast.
France Weather
France's climate is generally moderate, combining Atlantic, Mediterranean, and continental influences. The western
part of the country receives winds off the Atlantic Ocean that bring rain and cool winters (44°F, 7°C average)
with moderate summers (around 60°F, 16°C). The Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean tempers the climate and makes it
warmer and more moderate than at comparable longitudes in North America. A light misty rain is common through most
of the year.
In land, there is a more pronounced seasonal difference, with hotter summers and colder winters, and
clearly defined wet and dry periods. In the Paris Basin, temperatures are between 32°F (0°C) and 75°F (24 C).
Eastern France and the mountain areas experience more severe winters and stormy summers. The Vosges Mountains
affect the region of Alsace, causing its sharp, cold winters and Warm to hot summers. Often peaks remain snow covered,
with glaciers appearing in the Alps. The mountains also receive more rain. reaching more than 55 inches (140 cm)
annually. Rainfall along the Mediterranean coast is only 25 inches (64 cm).
The Riviera, with its dry.
warm climate, is w-el1 protected }y the Alps. Summers are dry 'mid hot. with temperatures soaring into the
90s (over 90°F, 32°C). Still, cold north winds known as mistrals ("mis-TRAHL") sometimes blow through southeastern
France at a brutal 65 miles (105 km) per hour enough force to threaten the crops.
Flora And Fauna
The trees and plants of France vary with the climate from one part of the country to another. In the northern and central regions, forests of oak and beech trees are common. In the low lying marshes, willows, poplar, pine,
and birch trees may be found.
On the western border, carefully planted pine forests thrive where swamps have been drained. The Brittany
landscape, so commonly a bleak expanse of moors with scrubby brush and stunted trees, contrasts greatly with
the Provencal landscape of ancient olive trees and verdant grapevines and fruit trees. In other parts of France,
cypress, Spanish chestnut, and ash trees form thick groves and forests. Evergreens such as cushion pine, dwarf pine,
and juniper flourish in parts of the Alps.
More than one-third of the country is planted for agriculture. Wheat, barley, and corn are among the chief crops.
Lavender, thyme, other herbs, hidden truffles, and mushrooms in rich variety scent the fields and flavor the tables
of France.
The Atlantic and the Mediterranean coasts offer a colorful palette of shellfish and other sea creatures. The oysters
and lobsters of the Normandy and Brittany coasts, and trout and salmon of the Pyrenees waters please diners throughout
the country.
Flamingos, herons, and storks ripple the lake waters of nature preserves in the province of Lorraine. Wild animals
include the brown bear, wild boar, polecat, wildcat, and deer. The wild horses and bulls in the nature reserves of
the marshy Camargue region of Provence are a particularly dramatic sight. Among the smaller mammals commonly seen in
the French countryside are badgers, bats, beavers, foxes, hares, hedgehogs, moles, rabbits, squirrels, and weasels.
Farmers depend on more common animals for a living: cattle, chickens, hogs, and sheep.
Extract from “Cultures Of The World France”, Written by Etbel Caro Gofen. Times Editions Pte Ltd,
Singapore: 1999.
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