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Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Région, France)

Last modified: 2003-01-18 by ivan sache
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[PACA]by Pierre Gay

See also:

Administrative data

Departments: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse
Bordering Regions: Languedoc-Roussillon, Rhône-Alpes
Bordering countries: Italy, Monaco
Traditional provinces: Provence, Dauphiné, Comté de Nice, Comtat Venaissin

Area: 31,400 km2
Population (1995): 4,428,200 inhabitants
Regional prefecture: Marseille

Current flag of the Region

On 12 January1999, Michel Vauzelle, President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur presented the Region's new flag. It combines the traditional gold and red vertical stripes of Provence, the dolphin of Dauphiné and the eagle of the County of Nice.

Philippe-Pierre Darras, 16 January 1999

And Comtat Venaissin and Avignon, the former papal possessions, annexed in1794 to create the departement of Vaucluse, are missing in the new flag! But the Provence flag is hoisted in most localities in this area, including in the city hall of Avignon.

Ivan Sache, 18 January 1999

The adoption of a new flag by the Region may be considered as a political decision against the right-wing party Front National. This party, which is very strong in that region (and administers there 4 cities - Toulon, Orange, Marignane, Vitrolles) tries to annexate the Provencal regional identity and uses the blue flag (with fleur-de-lys and red label) of the Anjou family of the counts of Provence.
The choice of the yellow and red flag (of the Catalan dynasty of the counts of Provence) by the present Regional Council has been criticised by Minute, a right-wing extremist weekly.

Jean-François Blanc, 21 January 1999

Former flag of the Region

[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]by Philippe-Pierre Darras

The map on the flag is the map of the region, and the departments are represented in different colours:

The three blue wavy lines represent the Mediterranean Sea.

Ivan Sache, 7 April 2000