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Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region is in the south-east of France. It borders Italy and the Mediterranean Sea.
Key points of the sheet
- It is both a coastal and a mountainous region. The mountains are the Southern Alps (Alpes du Sud).
- The region has 6 départements: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hautes-Alpes, Var and Vaucluse.
- Its main cities are Marseille, Nice, Toulon, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Gap. Marseille is the prefecture (préfecture).
- The region has about 5.2 million inhabitants. It is very urban on the coast, and more rural and mountainous in the Alps.
- The region remains attractive, even though its population is getting older.
- The key sectors are tourism, industry (port, chemicals, aeronautics), digital technology and Mediterranean agriculture.
- The unemployment rate is higher than the national average, especially in the big cities. The coast is dynamic, while the inland area has more difficulties.
Words to know
- coast (littoral)
- The region's coast is very urban and dynamic.
- inland area (arrière-pays)
- The region's inland area faces more difficulties, while the coast is dynamic.
- Southern Alps (Alpes du Sud)
- They are the mountains of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
- unemployment rate (taux de chômage)
- In the region, it is higher than the national average, especially in the big cities.
- départements
- The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region has 6 départements.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Which country borders the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel pays borde la région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ?
The region borders Italy and the Mediterranean Sea.
How many départements does the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region have?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien de départements compte la région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ?
The region has 6 départements.
In this region, what is the unemployment rate like?
In French, the language of the exam: Dans cette région, comment est le taux de chômage ?
The unemployment rate is higher than the national average, especially in the big cities.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (The regions of France)
Source
Sheet “Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.