General Information » France Overview » Geography

Due to its roughly six-sided shape, France has been dubbed ‘L’Hexagone’ by its inhabitants. Paris sits in the north of the hexagon, along the Seine River, which runs north-west out of the city to the English Channel. While bordered by six other western European nations, mainland France also enjoys over 3,400 kilometres of coastline: the North Sea and English Channel to the north; the Mediterranean Sea on its southern border; and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.

Mainland France is notable for its geographical diversity. It shares two mountain ranges with several neighbours: the Alps, along its eastern borders with Italy and Switzerland; and the Pyrenees, which separate it from Spain to the southwest. The Massif Central mountain region rests within France’s borders in the centre of the country.

As popular as its peaks are with skiers, France’s Loire Valley is world famous for its wine and castles. The Loire River runs from the mountains of the Massif Central, north to Orleans, then veers westward to the Atlantic. The Rhone River snakes between the Alps to its east and the Massif Central to the west, reaching the Mediterranean at the port city of Marseilles. East of Marseilles, France’s famed Côte d’Azur stretches along the Mediterranean.

Rich in fertile farmland, France ranks second internationally behind the United States as an exporter of agricultural products. In addition, France is rich in forestland. The forest of Fontainebleau, for example, covers 280 sq km to the south of Paris.