French civic exam: the geography of France to remember

The Atlantic Ocean

• Which ocean borders the west coast of France?

  In French: Quel océan borde la côte ouest française ?

  The Atlantic Ocean

  Multi-year cardofficial question

Remember: It borders the west coast.

Trap: The Channel is in the north, the Mediterranean in the south.

The English Channel

• Which sea lies between France and England?

  In French: Quelle mer se situe entre la France et l'Angleterre ?

  The English Channel (la Manche)

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: The sea between France and England, in the north.

Trap: It is not the Mediterranean, the Baltic or the Black Sea.

The Mediterranean Sea

• Which sea lies to the south of mainland France?

  In French: Quelle est la mer au sud de la France métropolitaine ?

  The Mediterranean Sea

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• Which sea or ocean borders metropolitan France?

  In French: Quelle mer ou océan borde la France métropolitaine ?

  The Mediterranean Sea

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: The sea in the south. Corsica and Nice are on the Mediterranean.

Trap: “Which sea or ocean borders metropolitan France?”: the answer is the Mediterranean.

The Seine

• Which river flows through France?

  In French: Quel fleuve coule en France ?

  The Seine

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• Which river flows through Paris?

  In French: Quel fleuve traverse Paris ?

  The Seine

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: The river that flows through Paris.

Trap: Not the Loire, the Rhône or the Garonne.

The Alps

• Which mountain range lies between France and Italy?

  In French: Quelle chaîne de montagnes est située entre la France et l'Italie ?

  The Alps

  Multi-year card · Naturalisationofficial question

• What is the highest mountain in France?

  In French: Quelle est la plus haute montagne de France ?

  Mont Blanc

  Naturalisationofficial question

• Which French region is known for its ski resorts?

  In French: Quelle région française est réputée pour ses stations de ski ?

  Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Between France and Italy. Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in France. Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the region known for its ski resorts.

Trap: The Pyrenees are the border with Spain.

The Pyrenees

• Which mountain range lies between France and Spain?

  In French: Quelle chaîne de montagnes est située entre la France et l’Espagne ?

  The Pyrenees

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Between France and Spain.

Trap: The Alps are the border with Italy. The Vosges, the Jura and the Massif central are wrong options.

Europe

• On which continent is mainland France located?

  In French: Sur quel continent se situe la France métropolitaine ?

  Europe

  Multi-year cardofficial question

Remember: Metropolitan France is in Europe.

Belgium

• Which country shares a land border with metropolitan France?

  In French: Quel pays a une frontière terrestre avec la France métropolitaine ?

  Belgium

  Resident cardofficial question

Remember: Shares a land border with France.

Trap: Not Portugal or Austria.

Germany

• Which country borders metropolitan France to the north-east?

  In French: Quel pays a une frontière avec la France métropolitaine au nord-est ?

  Germany

  Resident cardofficial question

Remember: Border in the north-east.

Trap: Not Spain or Andorra.

Italy

• Which of these countries shares land borders with France?

  In French: Lequel de ces pays partage des frontières terrestres avec la France ?

  Italy

  Resident cardofficial question

Remember: Shares a land border. The Alps are between the two.

Paris

• What is Paris?

  In French: Qu'est-ce que Paris ?

  The capital of France

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• What is the capital of France?

  In French: Quelle est la capitale de la France ?

  Paris

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• What is the Louvre?

  In French: Qu'est-ce que le Louvre ?

  A major museum in Paris

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• In which city is the Eiffel Tower?

  In French: Dans quelle ville se trouve la tour Eiffel ?

  In Paris

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• Which of these French departments attracts the most tourists?

  In French: Lequel de ces départements de France est le plus touristique ?

  Paris

  Resident cardofficial question

• Which museum is in Paris?

  In French: Quel musée est situé à Paris ?

  The Louvre Museum

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

• Which region has the largest population?

  In French: Quelle région est la plus peuplée ?

  Île-de-France

  Resident cardofficial question

Remember: The capital of France. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. The most visited département. Île-de-France is the most populated region.

Lyon

• Which city is French?

  In French: Quelle ville est française ?

  Lyon

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• What is the capital (chef-lieu) of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region?

  In French: Quel est le chef-lieu de la région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes ?

  Lyon

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: A French city. Capital of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Trap: Not Grenoble or Clermont-Ferrand.

Marseille

• Which city is a major seaport?

  In French: Quelle ville est un grand port maritime ?

  Marseille

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• Which French city is a seaport?

  In French: Quelle ville française est un port maritime ?

  Marseille

  Resident cardofficial question

• What is France’s main seaport?

  In French: Quel est le principal port maritime de France ?

  Marseille

  Naturalisationofficial question

• What is the capital (chef-lieu) of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region?

  In French: Quel est le chef-lieu de la région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ?

  Marseille

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Two answers: the main sea port of France, and the capital of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

Trap: For the PACA region, Nice is a wrong option.

Nice

• Which city is on the Mediterranean coast?

  In French: Quelle ville est située au bord de la mer Méditerranée ?

  Nice

  Multi-year cardofficial question

Remember: The Mediterranean city in the questions.

Trap: It is not the capital of PACA.

Bordeaux

• Which French city is one of the country’s 10 largest metropolitan areas?

  In French: Quelle ville française fait partie des 10 plus grandes métropoles du pays ?

  Bordeaux

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: One of the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the country.

Nantes

• What was the main French port involved in the Atlantic slave trade in the 18th century?

  In French: Quel était le principal port français impliqué dans la traite négrière au XVIIIe siècle ?

  Nantes

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: The main slave-trade port in the 18th century.

Trap: Not Marseille.

Rennes

• What is the capital (chef-lieu) of the Brittany (Bretagne) region?

  In French: Quel est le chef-lieu de la région Bretagne ?

  Rennes

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Capital of Brittany (Bretagne).

Trap: Not Brest, Quimper or Nantes.

Corsica

• Where is Corsica?

  In French: Où se situe la Corse ?

  In the Mediterranean Sea

  Multi-year cardofficial question

• Which island is French?

  In French: Quelle île est française ?

  Corsica

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: A French island, in the Mediterranean.

Trap: Corsica is not overseas.

Overseas France

• What is overseas France (la France d’outre-mer)?

  In French: Qu'est ce que la France d'outre-mer ?

  The territories of the Republic located far from Europe, in the oceans

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: The territories of the Republic located far from Europe, in the oceans.

Guadeloupe

• Which island is a French overseas department?

  In French: Quelle île est un département d'outre-mer français ?

  Guadeloupe

  Multi-year card · Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: An island, an overseas département.

Martinique

• Which island is part of the French Antilles?

  In French: Quelle île fait partie des Antilles françaises ?

  Martinique

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: An island of the French Antilles.

Trap: Réunion is not in the Antilles.

French Guiana

• Which French department shares a border with Brazil?

  In French: Quel département français a une frontière avec le Brésil ?

  French Guiana (la Guyane)

  Naturalisationofficial question

• From which French town does the Ariane rocket take off?

  In French: De quelle ville française décolle la fusée Ariane ?

  Kourou

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Borders Brazil. The Ariane rocket launches from Kourou.

Trap: Kourou, not Cayenne or Toulouse.

Mayotte

• Which has been France’s 101st department since 2011?

  In French: Quel est le 101ème département français depuis 2011 ?

  Mayotte

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: The 101st département, since 2011.

Réunion

• Which French island is in the Indian Ocean?

  In French: Quelle île française se trouve dans l'océan Indien ?

  Réunion

  Resident cardofficial question

• Which French island is in the Indian Ocean?

  In French: Quelle île française est située dans l'océan indien ?

  Réunion

  Naturalisationofficial question

• Which French island lies to the south-east of the African continent?

  In French: Quelle île française se trouve au sud-est du continent africain ?

  Réunion

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: An island in the Indian Ocean, south-east of Africa. The answer to 3 questions.

Trap: Not Martinique or Guadeloupe.

The numbers

• How many departments are there in France?

  In French: Combien y a-t-il de départements en France ?

  101

  Multi-year card · Naturalisationofficial question

• How many regions are there in mainland France?

  In French: Combien y a-t-il de régions en France métropolitaine ?

  13

  Multi-year card · Naturalisationofficial question

• How many regions are there in France?

  In French: Combien y a-t-il de régions en France ?

  18

  Resident cardofficial question

• How is France organised administratively?

  In French: Quelle est l'organisation administrative de la France ?

  Into municipalities (communes), departments and regions

  Resident cardofficial question

• How is France divided administratively?

  In French: Comment est organisé le découpage administratif de la France ?

  Into municipalities, departments and regions

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: 13 regions in metropolitan France, 18 in total, 101 départements. France is organised into communes, départements and regions.

Trap: 13 regions in metropolitan France, but 18 including overseas.

Normandy

• In which region are some of the landing beaches that began the liberation of France?

  In French: Dans quelle région est située une partie des plages du débarquement ayant permis d'engager la libération de la France ?

  Normandy

  Naturalisationofficial question

• Which historic monument stands on an island in Normandy?

  In French: Quel monument historique se trouve sur une île en Normandie ?

  Mont-Saint-Michel

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Some of the D-Day landing beaches. Mont-Saint-Michel, on an island.

Trap: Not Brittany.

Reims

• In which city were the kings of France crowned?

  In French: Dans quelle ville les rois de France étaient-ils couronnés ?

  Reims

  Naturalisationofficial question

Remember: Where the kings of France were crowned.

Trap: Not Versailles.

The population

• What is the approximate population of France in 2025?

  In French: Quelle est la population approximative de la France en 2025 ?

  About 69 million inhabitants

  Resident card · Naturalisationofficial question

• Where do most French people live?

  In French: Où habite la majorité des Français ?

  In a town or city, or an urban area

  Resident cardofficial question

• Where are the main economic activities in France located?

  In French: Où se trouvent les principales activités économiques en France ?

  Mainly in large cities and their urban areas

  Resident cardofficial question

Remember: About 69 million inhabitants. Most live in towns and cities, where most economic activity is.