Country France Time zone CET (UTC+1) Arrondissements 6 Prefecture Bordeaux Capital Bordeaux | Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine Department number 33 Area 10,000 km² Population 1.506 million (2013) | |
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Subprefectures Arcachon
Blaye
Langon
Lesparre-Médoc
Libourne Colleges and Universities University of Bordeaux Points of interest Bordeaux Cathedral, Dune of Pilat, Place de la Bourse, Pont de pierre, Musée d'Aquitaine Destinations Bordeaux, Arcachon, Saint‑Émilion, Lacanau, Lège‑Cap‑Ferret | ||
Gironde ([ʒiʁɔ̃d]; in Occitan Gironda) is a department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwest France. It is named for the Gironde estuary, a major waterway. The Bordeaux wine region is in the Gironde.
Contents
Map of Gironde, France
History
Gironde is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Guyenne and Gascony.
From 1793 to 1795, the department's name was changed to Bec-d'Ambès to avoid the association with the revolutionary party, the Girondists.
Geography
Gironde is part of the current region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and is surrounded by the departments of Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Dordogne and Charente-Maritime and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. With an area of 10,000 km², Gironde is the largest department in metropolitan France. If overseas departments are included, however, Gironde's land area is dwarfed by the 83,846 km² of Guyane.
Gironde is well known for the Côte d'Argent beach which is Europe's longest, attracting many surfers to Lacanau each year. It is also the birthplace of Jacques-Yves Cousteau who studied the sea and all forms of life in water.
The Great Dune of Pyla in Arcachon Bay near Bordeaux is the tallest sand dune in Europe.
Politics
The President of the General Council is Jean-Luc Gleyze of the Socialist Party.