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Coastlines of France

France's 5,500 km of coastline — the Atlantic, Channel, and Mediterranean shores that define the nation's maritime character.

Coastlines of France

France is bordered by three bodies of water — the English Channel (north), the Atlantic Ocean (west), and the Mediterranean Sea (south) — giving it 5,500 km of mainland coastline and an extraordinary variety of coastal landscapes. Add Corsica and the overseas territories, and France's total coastline exceeds 18,000 km.

  • Camargue: The Rhône delta marshlands — flamingos, wild horses, salt pans, vast horizontality
  • Provence: Rocky between Marseille and Cassis — limestone cliffs plunging into turquoise water
  • Côte d'Azur: From Saint-Tropez to Menton, the French Riviera is the world's most glamorous coastline — azure water, palm-lined promenades, medieval perched villages

Coastal Protection

The has protected over 200,000 hectares of coastline since 1975 — preventing development and preserving natural landscapes. France's (1986) restricts construction within specified zones of the shore.

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