About France's District 1690

Here are some interesting facts, sent to us by District 1690, about the region we will be traveling through. Enjoy!

• District 1690 is located in the south-west of France.


• There are 72 Rotary Clubs in the District, with a total of approximately 2,400 Rotarians.


• District Governor for 2008/2009 is Michel Marquais, from the Angoulême Rotary Club.


• The District covers six French departments (counties) along the Atlantic coast.


• The largest city in the District is Bordeaux.


• The City of Bordeaux is listed among the Unesco World Heritage sites, and its name is associated with the great wines of the region.


• Bordeaux is the 6th-largest French city, with a population of approximately 700,000 (Bordeaux + suburbs).


• The Atlantic Coast is well-known among surfers, because the southern part of the District is home to several international surfing competitions.


• There are several well-known landmarks along the coast, for example:
  the towns of La Rochelle and Royan and the Ile de Ré island, in the north of the District,
  the town of Arcachon, with the Bay of the same name, and the Pyla sand dune (the highest in Europe at 115 meters) in the central section


• The towns of Hossegor, Capbreton, Biarritz… in the south of the District. This “Basque Coast” section is often associated with the typical French beret…


• Naturally, the ports along our coastline cater for pleasure-boating and other ocean activities.


• The Pyrenées Mountains, forming the border between France and Spain, mark the southern boundary of our District.


• Further inland, the District is home to winelands, producing internationally renowned red, white and rosé wines, Cognac and Pineau.


• The south-western part of France is also reputed for its excellent food, to go with the wines!


• The most popular sports in our region are rugby (many of the French national team players hail from our District) and soccer (Bordeaux has a first league team).
  There are three University towns in the District: Bordeaux (4 Universities), La Rochelle and Pau.


• The French National Magistrates School is located in Bordeaux.


• Economic activities include aeronautics and services.


• There is also significant agricultural activity, linked to winemaking.

Meet the Team

Team member bios are now available on District 5030's GSE site.

http://gse.rotary5030.org/FranceTeams.html