REGIONAL GEOGRAPHYEUROPEAN Socio-Economic Regions-Core case study: Paris Basin France

Characteristics of a core pg.274/275

Highly urbanised,high population density. Accessible lowland areas. Natural resources/factors that attract

industry:energy sources,skilled educated workers,efficient transport,large affluent markets.

Centres of decision making,government. Climate ,relief that supports intensive

agriculture. High inward migration.

The paris basin –a Core Region in Central Europe•Largest region in france-25% of the country•Population of over 21 million.(france 65m)•11 million in Paris city/region

Physical characteristics-relief,soils,drainage and climate.pg 274 Relief and soils: Lowlying and undulating. The paris basin is a syncline.(downfold) It consists of a series of sedimentary rocks one laid down on top

of the other over 400 million years ago.(like stacked saucers) The rock layers have been folded so that in the east of the region

the edges appear as ridges or scarps. The biggest scarp is Falaise de France. Each type of rock has produced different soils. In the centre of the basin very fertile limon/loess soil is found.

(windblown dust deposited after the last ice age by glaciers) This area is called,Ile de France.

The area is drained by the River Seine and its tributaries-Marne and Oise.

Climate-Transitional Along the western coastline there is a

Maritime climate.Low pressure systems blowing in from the Atlantic bring depressions,resulting in rain throughout the year. Mild winters(5c) are due to the influence of the sea.

Further inland(near Paris) has a continental climate.Warmer summers 20c and colder winters 0-3c.

Economic activities-primary Most productive agricultural area in

Western Europe

Agriculture is intensive,commercial,profitable,and highly mechanised.

Farms are large -400 hectares,farmers are educated,belong to co-operatives and have a scientific approach

Primary activities -Agriculture The variety of soils,climate and bedrock mean

that different farming regions have developed these areas are called Pays:

Ile de France and Beauce:covered in fertile limon soil,large farms,highly mechanised(400 hectares),high yields,wheat is the main crop,area is called the Granary of France.

Brie and valois: clay soils here so dairy farming is popular,area is famous for milk,butter and cheese supplying the large urban market of Paris.

Agriculture cont. The champagne region wet and dry:clay covered

valleys between chalk ridges(scarps). The chalk ridges of the dry champagne are

infertile and well drained,they face south so they are suitable for vine production(viticulture).Near the town of Reims the famous champagne wine is produced.These are the most northerly vineyards in Europe.Areas less suited to vines are used to rear sheep.

The clay covered wet champagne pays are suited to dairying and beef cattle.

Normandy-damper climate,dairy production-Danone is located here,Camembert cheese, Golden delicious apples

Intensive market gardening-Paris,Fruit,vegetables,flowers

Pays /types of farming.

Agriculture in Paris Basin Farming types in pays.

Secondary economic activities What factors affect the location of

industry? Raw materials,transport,labour

force,energy,market. What advantages does Paris Basin have

for industry? What types of industry ? Light,heavy,food processing,luxury

products,modern

Tertiary economic activities-tourism and transport

Tertiary economic activities-Tourism Tourism-76 million tourists visit France each

year. 45 million of these visit the Paris Basin 30 million visit the city of Paris(12m-

Disneyland,5m-louvre,6m-Eiffel tower) Tourism accounts for 25% of employment in

the city region Half the visitors are foreign-

Britain,U.S.A,Germany,Italy,Japan

Natural and manmade attractions

History Culture Scenery Fashion

One of the 5 new towns created by schema directeur,to decentralise Paris.

Eurodisney, located in Marne –la- Vallee

Metro

Transport-key words Excellent transport infrastructure Helped by flat low lying topography and

River Seine and tributaries. Network radiates out from Paris Paris is highly accessible and a route focus. Paris is the central hub of the national

intercity rail network Most important system-Metro ,400

stations/214 km of rail

Two major airports-Orly,Charles de Gaulle-one of busiest in world and the hub of the national airline Airfrance,Beauvais(70km outside Paris)

Paris is the Focus of french motorway network surrounded by three motorways-The Peripherique

Bike sharing system –Velib-20,000 public bicycles in1,450 parking stations

Traffic congestion a problem despite bus lanes Parisians like to use their own cars.

2010 Honours LC-Regional

Human processes-population Paris city=12 million,paris basin=21 million. Highest population density in France over 400 km² . Birth rate is slightly higher than death creating natural

increase. Attractive place for economically active age group-30%

of region population. Paris is a sprawling urban area 100 km in diameter. It is a core region in France with high inward migration

from poorer areas in France and other European countries and North Africa.

France was a colonial power,colonies included Algeria,Morocco and Tunisia.

Human cont. Many migrants(40% of all migrants live in Paris)

coming to France live in ghetto like communities. Melting pot:Chinese,Eastern Europe,former colonies Many were invited as “guest workers” in the 1960s

and 1970s,they did the poorly paid jobs to help with the economic development of the country.

Since 1981 the right to French citizenship is no longer automatically granted to people born there.

France gives very few rights or recognition to migrants or minority groups.

Human cont. Religious and racial conflict very strong

in France. French government have banned the

wearing of Islamic veils in French schools.

2010-expulsion of Romanians. 2005-rioting in town of Clichy-Sous-

Bois(see handout)

URBAN PROBLEMS/ PLANNINGSchema Directeur pg.284/285

A policy to control the growth of Paris

Problems: Overcrowding Traffic congestion Air,water,noise,visual pollution Inner-city decay Suburban sprawl Primacy of Paris

Solutions:A plan called the Schema Directeur,1965-revised several times.

The plan looked at problems at city,regional and national level.

Two key elements of the plan were decentralisation and expansion.

At city level they encouraged the growth of suburban nodes and new towns.

Suburb nodes-8 of them,the aim here was to improve services and create jobs in the city eg.La Defense.

La defense-suburban node A redeveloped old industrial

site. Now high rise apartments

and offices. 2,500 residents 80,000 workers Ranked one of the most

successful urban renewal project in the world.

“The Grande Arch”-modern day Arc De Triomphe.

Cont. New towns:5 new towns, north and south

of the seine eg.Marne- la- Vallee(Eurodisney)

Most successful new town=St.Quentin-en-Yvelines,30 km southwest of Paris,40,000 new jobs created.

At regional and national level other cities were picked as centres of employment,services and culture to offset the primacy/dominance of Paris.

Lille in the north,Bordeaux in the southwest,marseille in the south.

One of the 5 new towns created by schema directeur,to decentralise Paris.

Eurodisney, located in Marne –la- Vallee