HAUTE-NORMANDIE - Geography and history
Upper Normandy is formed by two départements: Eure and Seine-Maritime.
Its area of 12 317 km2 makes it one of France's smallest regions in terms of size.
Located downstream from the Seine, the Upper Normandy is the natural outlet of the Paris Basin to reach the sea. Upper Normandy is the seaboard of the Paris Basin. Formed from sedimentary beds dating back to the Mesozoic and Tertiary periods, the countryside is characterised by a succession of plateaux and valleys. The plateaux rise to slightly different heights, from around 130-135 m by the sea to over 200 m around the elevation of the Pays de Bray. 67% of the territory is agricultural land, and 18% is forest.
They are intersected by a large number of rivers and streams, and most human and economic activity in the area is concentrated in the Seine valley, which includes the two largest built-up areas in the region, Le Havre and Rouen.
The climate is no more uniform than the topography. Upper Normandy lies in the path of the Atlantic depressions, and enjoys an oceanic climate with fairly abundant rainfall, temperate summers and mild winters.
Situated between Paris and the English Channel, the busiest shipping lane in the world, Upper Normandy has an extensive seaboard and is bisected by the Seine, which is navigable. The Seine valley is not just a geographical line bisecting the region, but is also the main access route between the Paris region and the sea. These features are all prime geographical assets
This geographical situation has attracted large national and international concerns to the area. The presence of water and a navigable river has given rise to a large number of industrial and commercial activities which have been able to adapt to changing conditions, providing the region with an extensive, diversified and modern industrial fabric.
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