Southern France
Le Midi ( de la France ), German South of France, the country of France, which lies south of an imaginary line Southern Alps Rhône Loire estuary of the Garonne, in the narrow sense of what lies in France south of the 45th parallel.
Midi (debate mi'di, stressed on the second syllable, literally, lunch 'or transferred, south ' ), the French-speaking specialists and general geographical term; the term has also held in the German geographical professionals and everyday language collection.
Location, landscape and geographic differentiation
South of France at least, the Rhône- Alpes, Provence -Alpes- Côte d' Azur, Languedoc -Roussillon, Midi -Pyrenees, Aquitaine, and also north of the wider region of Auvergne and the Limousin, and also the island of Corsica. After Spain and Andorra southern France that is divided by the natural border of the Pyrenees, east to Italy through the Southern Alps, the northern border is not clearly defined. The Bay of Biscay and the Gulf of Lion form the aquatic boundaries.
The major cities and cultural centers of the Midi, the port city Marseille, Provence - cities of Nice, Cannes, Avignon, Aix -en- Provence and Toulon, Nimes, Montpellier, Toulouse ( the former capital of the historic province of Languedoc ), the historic Carcassonne, Perpignan and Bordeaux - in a more generous definition also Angoulême and Limoges.
The Midi is language - and culture- geographic region, whose ancient name is also Occitan region. Partly still Occitan ( langue d' oc) is spoken here, at least the French, however, is colored Occitan - unlike the rest of France with, where historically the Langues d' oïl were widespread. On the south Pyrenean there are also Catalan and Basque language areas that do not belong to the historical Occitanie's.
In addition, can be found in the literature, the indication in relation to the 45th parallel. In French one says " c'est à Valence que le Midi commence " ( " Valence begins, south ' " ), the city of Valence, " la porte du Midi " on the Rhône, is approximately 45 ° north latitude, from where the Mediterranean influence is noticeable.
Geographically Le Midi is further differentiated:
- Le Midi Atlantique, the Atlantic south of France ', that is, the southern French Atlantic coast, parts of the Charente and Charente -Maritime, the Périgord, Gascony, the Dordogne and the political Midi-Pyrénées region and continue to the south-western parts of the Massif Central.
- Le Midi méditerranéen, the Mediterranean South of France ', that is, the regions of France that form their Mediterranean, so the Maritime Alps, Provence and Riviera and Provencal Alps, on the lower Rhone Valley to the Rhône delta, the Languedoc and the Roussillon.
In this sense, also from Les Midis (français), the (French ) noon ', ie different parts of southern France, speaking, if you allow all southern regions of France says.
The east is dominated by the Mediterranean climate, the West has Atlantic character. In biogeographical context, the Méditerranéen is deferred atlantique after the oil tree line from the rest of France, and from the Midi. Under Midi especially the relatively small areas of southern France is understood in a variety of sub-Mediterranean -Atlantic and Mediterranean Regionalklimata. Common link in the climatically differentiated landscape was up to the phylloxera crisis of viticulture.
Le Midi in history, linguistics and culture
Early History
In prehistoric point of the area is divided into various regions, some of very own forms of megalithic testimonies left ( Dolmen of Fado ). The most likely belong to the Chassey- Lagozza - Cortaillod culture. There are two regions with Statuenmenhiren (Languedoc, Rouergates ) and eight Dolmengebiete (Aquitaine, Ardèche, Grands Causses, Languedoc, Minervois, Pays Basque, Quercy and Roussillon ). Also, some menhirs and cromlechs which (eg Lacam de Peyrarines ) are of considerable size.
Middle Ages
Occitania was in the Middle Ages the land of the Cathars.
History
Midi as a concept in the culture
Because, Le Midi ' is often associated with pleasant Mediterranean climate, relaxed lifestyle of Southern French and Mediterranean gastronomy, viticulture, as well as holiday mood, wear in many countries in southern France restaurants that name.
There are also French press organs that bear the name of Midi in their title, for example, Midi Libre and La Dépêche du Midi.