Centre of France?

[Philipfry]

Travelling on the D301, around 15 kilometres north of Montlucon (03), and coming into the village of Nassigny, we found a sign pointing to the "Centre of France", indicating this to be three KM's away.

So we drove down the narrow country road indicated, and came to a metal sign, with a seat in front, which claimed this spot to be the "Centre of France", 1993 was marked on the post.

I'm sure that, as in other countries, the actual spot is open to argument and debate - is this just one of several claims to be the "Centre of France"?

Philip.

[letrangere]

I had a French teacher in Paris whom I've quoted before on here for the simple reason he is one of the most opinionated individuals I have ever met in addition to being a glorious example of a truly arrogant, chauvinistic Frenchman.  He was also an excellent teacher and most of us took much of what he said as being gospel.  Bourges with it's fabulous cathedral was, according to him, the centre of France.  And it's something I've never bothered to verify or dispute until now when, looking at the map, it's pretty clear that it's a smidgen too far north.  Nassigny, a few klicks to the south, could well be correct.  M

[RogerW]

If I remember correctly, there are also at least three villages near to St-Amand Montrond in the Cher that claim to be the exact centre of France. The problem is that the borders have changed several times in the last few hundred years (Flanders, Alsace-Lorraine, Savoy, etc.) and each time the borders change, the geographical centre of the country shifts by a few tens or hundreds of kilometres. Some conveniently ignore Corsica and I'm sure there are others that include Réunion or Martinique in order to just nudge themselves into position!

Roger.

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

Isn't there also a service station on the motorway near Bourges which claims to be the centre of France? There is a bridge over the road so you can take a look. Probably one of the most boring views I've ever seen. A French friend said to me "il n'y a rien au centre de la France". Perhaps she was right. Seems to me to be a place to get through as quickly as possible.

[Alcazar]

A French friend said to me "il n'y a rien au centre de la France".

Sounds like a sort of "civilisation starts at Watford", comment, which can be taken both ways: going north, or going south?

If there's nowt at the centre of France, that would be heaven for some folk! 

The French are very good at the "centre of france sort of thing", I've passed signs on various roads and autoroutes which proclaim things like "you are now exactly half way between the Channel and the Med" (or the med and the Atlantic, etc.)

I find them fascinating, and often get out the map at the next stop with a view to verifying the claim My family are totally bored by it all

One of the reasons I like travelling in France, is that someone once said to me that "travelling down French roads is like having one long conversation", and I agree with them. Perhaps British motorways wouldn't be so boring with a few more information signs. I've lost count of the number of times I've been asked what the stately home is that overlooks the M1 between Nottingham and Chesterfield.

Alcazar

[bryansmith]

Alcazar

If it helps to put your mind at rest the stately home you mention is almost certainly Hardwick Hall

[Val_2]

Thats amazing to know there is a centre of France.How the hell did they measure it equally is what I want to know. I thought only the two poles were celebrated with a candystripe stick and plenty of flags from those who had made the trek there. Perhaps some kind soul will put a picture on the forum for those of us unable to visit the centre to take a look.

[Russethouse]

Something in this thread has reminded me of when my sister lived in Bicester, a town that is well and truly land locked, a good 3 hours from the coast in any direction.

Rather optimistically some people living in the same road as my sister had called their house 'Sea View'

[letrangere]

One of the reasons I like travelling in France, is that someone once said to me that "travelling down French roads is like having one long conversation",

What a lovely image this conjurs up.  Are you referring to the stream of brown signs indicating what there is to see in the local vicinity?  If so, I love those to and always reach for the le Guide Vert to read more.  Not always when I'm driving though...  M

[Creusois]

Some in our village would have it that the very centre of France would have to be on "La meridienne verte", that mystical line that divides France, each part being either side of a line passing through the centre of Paris, which is (yawn, yawn!) the same line that was used to create that "universal" measurement known as the "metre".   Oh, such is the joy of owning a copy of Encarta!

As far as I'm concerned, the very centre of France is my local branch of "Champion"!

[Philipfry]

Val 2

You commented :- "How the hell did they measure it equally is what I want to know."

Not very difficult in theory I reckon, but when it actually comes to doing it, one would have to make some decisions; From where does one measure the edge?

Give one example - England: How far up the Severn Estuary does one measure from? Much easier for France I submit. Measure across from Geneva to La Rochelle, then down from Deauville to the coast just beyond Montpellier. However where the two lines cross is obviously to far to the western side of the country, so I would draw another line in from the north eastern side of the 'hexagon'.

To do this properly, one would need such as a large wall map - which I do not possess. However by eye, the spot I found looks about right - Bourges looks a little too far to the north in my view.

It has the furthur advantage of being right in the depth of the country - most of this country is in any case! The City of Bourges seems not 'right'.

Regarding :- "Perhaps some kind soul will put a picture on the forum for those of us unable to visit the centre to take a look."

It would be no trouble to me at all to re-size, and manipulate a 'photo of the spot for uploading (where to though - in the message section?) But really, it is just a piece of sheet metal cut out in the shape of the country, the middle being emphasized in red. This mounted on a post with a date 1993 incised on it. The whole area around is very rural and flat.

As in many rural routes, the lane past is quite narrow - two cars could pass, but very difficult if anything larger met. The road is marked on the "Michelin", the actual spot being close to the northern edge of the "Bois de Delat", very near to the stream so marked.

Just one other comment: I do agree very much with the mention regarding ""travelling down French roads". In my own case though, I virtually never travel on a Motorway - in England or anywere else if I can help it. No way to enjoy a country by that method.

Philip.

[SaligoBay]

I virtually never travel on a Motorway - in England or anywere else if I can help it. No way to enjoy a country by that method.

And yet sometimes it can be!   We recently drove from La Ciotat along to les Iles d'Hyères.  Looking at the map we thought the coast road would be better, but it wasn't, it was just all so built up, lots of roundabouts, no views.

So we came back on the motorway - brilliant!!   Looked over farmhouses and vineyards, the brown information signs told us what the mountains round about were, and as the motorway is higher up than the other road, there were some lovely views of white cliffs and sparkling water.

The motorway also meant that we could avoid Toulon, which looked pretty grim on the way through! 

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

Yes, I think that's the great thing about French motorways - for the traveller at least. If there is a mountain - go through it, if there is a valley, go over it. In France, you see some fantastic scenery from the motorway. Perhaps not in the centre though, nor through Champagne and the surrounding areas. But get further south and it can be breathtaking. One trip amazed us. We were going down hill in a mountainous area and then entered a tunnel. We seemed to be going down hill and were amazed when we came out the other side on a high bridge overlooking the valley where Nantua is. Very impressive. Mind you, it can be rather an eyesore for the residents. I also hope they don't build that hideous new road near Beynac in the Dordogne. That would really spoil an attractive view.

I also agree that the signs on French motorways, with pictures about the sights and history, are very interesting - although sometimes they are a little premature. It can certainly make you think about visiting a place you hadn't thought of before.

Back on my earlier comment on Bourges, I also remembered another French friend telling me that her husband, who gets moved to different parts of France for his job, refused a job in Bourges because they felt that the region hadn't anything to offer them in terms of education for their children, or culture generally.

[JohnM]

[quote]Val 2 You commented :- "How the hell did they measure it equally is what I want to know."Not very difficult in theory I reckon, but when it actually comes to doing it, one would have to make some deci...[/quote]

How to measure.

Now, see, I wouldn't have done it that way. I'd have drawn a circle that fitted as closely to the extreme points and then found the centre of that. Or perhaps, I could have found the most northerly point and drawn a line to the most southerly, then done the same with east and west, to see where they crossed...

 

[Alcazar]

And just to REALLY start a heated debate, (maybe?), has anyone else heard that the geometric centre of ENGLAND is at Meriden, SE of Birmingham, and home as far as I know, of the Norton motorcycle?

Alcazar

[Ex Forum Admin]

This coming FRANCE Magazine (May 2005 p.64-68) has a great article called 'So which is the Real Centre of France'.