Regional disparities in FranceThe core

The periphery

Industrialisation in France

Compare the core to the periphery

The French core is part of the European Hot Banana

Success of regional policy: growth and development in the periphery

Recent regional policy has seen a growth of industry and services in the periphery

French regional policy

•decentralisation of industry and services•reduce the dominance of Paris•since 1980’s, decentralisation of state functions•1995, law for regional development -

•improve infrastructure•sustainable development•improve environmentPAT - incentives to regional developmenttax exemptionsinfrastructure developmentindustrial relocation costs

Main aims - reduce importance of Paris decentralise industrial development to periphery

develop the periphery using growth poles redevelop and improve the old industrial Nord

The gulf of fos An new industrial growth pole near Marseilles

Fos, a deep water port, refinery complex, petrochemicals, steelworks, car plant

AN INDUSTRIAL GROWTH POLE

Deep water port and industrial complex, refinery, steel, car manufactureTo aid the spread effect and counter-balance the dominance of Paris

A FRENCH FLORIDA

New resorts to take advantage of theNatural advantages of Languedoc, hot summer, long sandy beaches and the Mediterranean sea.Infrastructure improvement to increase tourismMultiplier effectSpread effect

From a vine monocultureTo a diversified, intensified, irrigated, modernised farm system

A FRENCH CALIFORNIA

Industrial decline of a core regionClosure in coal and steelUnemploymentDepopulationDerelictionPoor, old housingCongestion of infrastructurePoor environment

Industrial reconversion

Input of investmentImprovements in infrastructureReplacement industriesHousing and environmental programmes

. Located at the heart of an area with 100 million people living within a 300 km radius. A fluid motorway network: at the intersection of the Paris-Brussels (A2) Valenciennes-Lille-Dunkirk (A23-A25) and Calais-Dijon (A26) motorways,. Access to the northern seaports (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Dunkirk) . Airport equipped with ILS (freight and business aviation),. A wide range solutions : 26 business parks covering a total of 1,700 hectares,. Eligible for the maximum rate of grant allowed by the European Commission for business locations,. 400,000 sq. m. warehousing facilities, 100,000 sq. m. of which have been created in the last five years.