In January 2016, the Assemblée Nationale of France adopted 13 new administrative regions, down from the previous 22. The Parliament's aim was to reduce costs and simplify bureaucracy.
We pulled together this infographic to help explain the changes.
Before the 13 new regions came into effect, the country was divided into 22 administrative areas.
Six regions remained the as they were:
Seven new regions were formed:
Seven remained unchanged:
The capitals for the updated regions are:
These administrative regions shouldn't be confused with the traditional historical or cultural areas, which each have their own cuisine, character and traditions.
We felt that the traditional regions are still better known by the British traveller; after all, if you're looking for a holiday in Limousin or Alsace, would you know to search for Nouvelle Aquitaine or Grand-Est?
Rob Fearn
Editor - Alan Rogers Guides
Rob is the General Manager at Alan Rogers Travel Group, he is responsible for the ongoing development of the Alan Rogers website and publication of the Alan Rogers Guides.
He has been involved in the leisure industry since completing a BTEC in Travel & Tourism in 1993. Previous roles have included the promotion of tourism in Yorkshire and running a motorcycle touring company in the Australian Outback.