Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Southeastern French region with Marseille and the French Riviera.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur—often called PACA or, since December 2017, Région Sud—is one of France’s eighteen administrative regions. It sits at the mainland’s far southeastern corner. Its capital and biggest city is Marseille, which is France’s second-largest city proper and, together with Aix-en-Provence, forms the country’s second-largest urban area, home to over 1.9 million people.
The region roughly matches the old French province of Provence, plus a few extra pieces: the former papal territory of Avignon (the Comtat Venaissin); the former Sardinian-Piedmontese County of Nice, annexed in 1860, whose coast is known in English as the French Riviera and in French as the Côte d’Azur; and the southeastern part of the old province of Dauphiné, in the French Alps.
It covers six départements in southeastern France: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hautes-Alpes, Var, and Vaucluse. To the east lies the Italy–France border; to the south, the Mediterranean Sea and the Principality of Monaco; to the north, the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes; and to the west, Occitanie, with the Rhône River marking the westernmost boundary. The region spans 31,400 square kilometers (12,100 square miles). Its landscapes range from the Alps to plains, lakes like Gignoux Lake, and coastal areas such as Nice and Marseille, where most of the population lives. According to the 2015 census, 5,007,977 people lived there; by 2020, the population had reached 5,098,666.
The region’s economy is the third-largest in France, behind only Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Its logotype, created in the 1990s, combines the coats of arms of the old provinces that make up the region.
Marseille and its metropolitan area are the most populous in the region: the city proper has 870,321 residents, the urban area 1,618,479, and the metropolitan area 1,879,601. Marseille is France’s second-largest city and has the third-largest metropolitan population, after Paris and Lyon. Nice is the second-largest population center in the region, with a city population of 344,875 and an urban population of 1,005,230, making it France’s fifth-most-populous city. Other cities with over 100,000 residents (at the 1999 census) include Toulon and Aix-en-Provence. Toulon is a major military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, home to a French naval base and capital of the Var department. Aix-en-Prov
- type
- Administrative region of France
- capital
- Marseille
- area
- 31,400 km²
- population_2020
- 5,098,666
- departments
- 6 (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse)
- economy_rank
- Third largest in France
- known_for
- Côte d'Azur (French Riviera), Cannes Film Festival, Van Gogh's Arles
Lore & Background
The region encompasses six départements: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hautes-Alpes, Var and Vaucluse. It is bounded to the east by the France–Italy border, to the south by the Mediterranean Sea and Monaco, to the north by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and to the west by Occitanie, with the Rhône marking its westernmost border. The region's logotype displays a coat of arms created in the 1990s combining the arms of the old provinces. The regional economy is the third largest in France, behind Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The region has a wide variety of landscapes, from the Alps to plains, lakes, and coastal areas like Nice and Marseille. The Rhône, Durance, Var and Arc rivers run through the region. The Côte d'Azur spans coastal cities including Nice, Antibes, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez; Avignon is surrounded by medieval stone walls.
Reader's Guide
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is significant as a major administrative and cultural region of France, containing Marseille, the country's second-largest city, and the internationally renowned French Riviera. Its population of over 5 million makes it a key demographic and economic hub, with the third-largest regional economy in France. The region is a major immigration center, with nearly 40% of newborns in 2007 having at least one immigrant parent, reflecting Mediterranean immigration from Italy, Spain, Portugal, and the Maghreb. Politically, the region has shifted rightward, with The Republicans controlling the regional executive since 2015 and the far-right National Rally gaining strong support, winning a majority in three departments in the 2022 presidential election. Culturally, the region is famous for the Cannes Film Festival, the paintings of Vincent van Gogh in Arles, and the naval base at Toulon. Its linguistic diversity includes Provençal, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, and Corsican as mother tongues. The region's legacy lies in its blend of Mediterranean and Alpine geography, its role as a gateway to southern Europe, and its enduring appeal as a tourist and cultural destination.
Did You Know?
- The region adopted the commercial name Région Sud in December 2017.
- Marseille is France's second largest city proper and has the third largest metropolitan population, behind Paris and Lyon.
- Nearly 40% of newborns in the region in 2007 had at least one parent of immigrant background.
- The region's economy is the third largest in France, after Île-de-France and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
More in French Regions 1-21
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