If dividing Europe into North and South Where does France fit?

[JohnSmith]

Because of it's Communist past. Italy was never under Communist rule though.

You are correct, I do not disagree with that. Regions on the peripheral are always going to struggle as history has shown us. West Virginia is isolated in the USA and has the same type of issues. Southern Italy has a history of organized crime and a large underground economy which probably does not factor well into statistics, but it has struggled for years no doubt.
I really am not sure how the people feel there if they feel poor or are happy. That type of feedback can be useful in determining living standards also.

Peripheral areas of the USA, Italy, UK, Greece, and Spain,, the whole country of Portugal always will struggle. East Germany will develop it will take some time as the Communist regimes in Europe were very good at killing the souls and dream of their people. Even in elections today East Germany votes way more left than their western counter parts.

[Ilma]

France overall is a NW Euro country. Though if you think about it in term of ethnicity / culture, you can already cut France in half : Northern part and Southern part. The Northern part being obviously NW Euro and the Southern part considered closer to Southern Europe.

The thing is anyway it has been a crossroads country since ages between NW europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe. Truly unique situation. You can't consider it Northern or Southern only. Things are more complicated. Specially since the territory is big and gather very different ethnicities with different languages and cultures.

[Aldaris]

France overall is a NW Euro country. Though if you think about it in term of ethnicity / culture, you can already cut France in half : Northern part and Southern part. The Northern part being obviously NW Euro and the Southern part considered closer to Southern Europe.

The thing is anyway it has been a crossroads country since ages between NW europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe. Truly unique situation. You can't consider it Northern or Southern only. Things are more complicated. Specially since the territory is big and gather very different ethnicities with different languages and cultures.

Yes, this was basically the point I've made in the post on the previous page. I agree, that France can be considered more northern than southern, all things taken into account, therefore, if these categories would be discrete and binary, France wouldn't be the case for a contradiction. But where would you put Czechia for example? I don't think, anyone can sufficiently justify putting it in either category.

[JohnSmith]

France overall is a NW Euro country. Though if you think about it in term of ethnicity / culture, you can already cut France in half : Northern part and Southern part. The Northern part being obviously NW Euro and the Southern part considered closer to Southern Europe.

The thing is anyway it has been a crossroads country since ages between NW europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe. Truly unique situation. You can't consider it Northern or Southern only. Things are more complicated. Specially since the territory is big and gather very different ethnicities with different languages and cultures.

You are correct. For example it is is very much Northern European in the culture like standard of living and economic prestige,, and at the same time is southern like in regard to Latin influence and love of wine.

[Magnolia]

South of course. French people are temperamental. French is a Romance language, their culture is mainly Roman too. Nothing "cold" about France.

[Ilma]

You are correct. For example it is is very much Northern European in the culture like standard of living and economic prestige,, and at the same time is southern like in regard to Latin influence and love of wine.

You just summurized my point very well

Yes, this was basically the point I've made in the post on the previous page. I agree, that France can be considered more northern than southern, all things taken into account, therefore, if these categories would be discrete and binary, France wouldn't be the case for a contradiction. But where would you put Czechia for example? I don't think, anyone can sufficiently justify putting it in either category.

The complicated thing is that economically / politically, in term of developpment etc... Paris runs the thing totally and this brings the country entirely to benefit from a NW euro policy and productivity while CULTURALLY Southern France is quite different than Northern France though, their mindset and culture is closer to Italy and Spain IMO. This is kind of contradiction yes.

If Southern France was a part and alone I bet things would be very different there, they would be totally similar to their neighboors from Southern Europe more than Northern.

Czechia is basically the heart of Europe, totally CENTRAL EURO country IMO. I do believe Central Europe should be thought as legit and that we should get rid of the classical division West / East. Czechia is neither Northern, neither Southern, very similar to the rest of Central euro countries Czechia is Central Euro, both considering N/S and W/E.

South of course. French people are temperamental. French is a Romance language, their culture is mainly Roman too. Nothing "cold" about France.

You don't know well the differences there then I agree for that concerning half South France but not for the Northern part at all.

[Balmung]

France belongs to the Latin bloc, "South", "North", "East" are just children's talk to hide that Europe is divided by Ethnicity and Culture. Germanic/Nordics are the North, Latins are the South and the East is Slavs. Europe has never existed as a unitary thing.

I've heard similar sentiments from French people. All but on here of course.

[brennus dux gallorum]

The funniest thing in some posts is associating celts with germanics, meanwhile even linguistically celts were related to italics

South of course. French people are temperamental. French is a Romance language, their culture is mainly Roman too. Nothing "cold" about France.

I agree, and that's reality, but as you can see most of French (I don't know if it's only among nationalists or French people in general) prefer to be associated with northern Europeans

Anyway, some parts of the country (such as Normandy) have historical ties with the north meanwhile France as a whole was built in stealing colonial wealth, which is also a northern, but mostly British like thing

From other aspects, like those you referred they look closer to South

[Marmara]

I've always seen France and French people southern, not northern.

[JohnSmith]

I've always seen France and French people southern, not northern.

What is northern in your opinion, to be honest I do not even really consider Britain 100% Northern either in my opinion. Real Northern is like Scandinavia I suppose.

Switzerland is kind of both also along with Southern Germany. They are both Catholics, and Palm tree grow in Switzerland but they also grow in Ireland. It is complicated.