Poll: Help in trying to explain something

Where is Biarritz?

  • The South of France

  • Southern France

  • Stop being so bloody pedantic, the first two options are the same thing.

Results are only viewable after voting.

Jean-F

Jean-F

Jean-F

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Watching an old “Who Wants To be A Millionaire” Saturday evening, a guy was asked, “In which country is Biarritz?”
Options were, Spain, France, Austria (I think), and maybe Russia, I honestly can’t recall.
I said to my wife, “It’s in France, on the Bay of Biscay I think.”
She said, “Sure it’s not Spain?”
Anyway, the guy took the money, about £8000 I think, and as I said, it is in France.
Then it started;
My wife, “So it’s in the South of France?”
Me, “No, the South of France is recognised as the part that borders the Med, the French Riviera, Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez etc., Biarritz is on the Atlantic Coast, in South West France, just above Spain.”
Wife, “So it IS in the south of France?”
Me, (knowing that I really should have just given up), “Technically, it’s south of U.K., and south of Calais, Normandy, or Paris, BUT it’s not in the part of France that is referred to when people say the South of France.”
She started to go through a cupboard, looking for a map of Europe, so I surrendered, “Okay, Red, you’re right.”
Any advice on how I can explain to her that Biarritz is NOT in what most people know as the South of France?
 
Considering it’s about 25km from the Spanish border, I’d call it the south of France.

Technically it’s in Southwestern France, but it’s still in the south of France. Bordeaux is in the south of France, and it’s south of Bordeaux.

-edit: here’s a visual reference. It’s very much in the south of France.

770-D7-D61-46-AC-4757-A52-B-83-A05086-DD86.jpg
 
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Just because people may consider the south of france to just be the med and riviera doesn’t mean Biarritz isn’t in the south of france. The give away being that by your own admission you say it’s in the south west. The word south should possibly alert you to that :p

I think trying to play the pedant with your better half and insisting that it’s the south west my well have you wishing you were there and your good lady was as for north from you as possible. Just suck it up that you’re wrong and she’s right, even if you don’t believe yourself to be wrong. You’ve been around long enough to know that where woman are concerned, even if you were technically right, you’re still going to be wrong!
 
On Holiday said:
Biarritz is definitely in the South of France.
Click to expand...

Jesus H. Christ, you’re in league with my wife!
Yes, GEOGRAPHICALLY it’s in the southern part of France, but St Tropez, (in what is universally accepted as the part of the country known as the South of France), is some 800 km from Biarritz, on the Atlantic Coast, on the Bay of Biscay, in the Basque region.
 
When is the south of France not the south of France? When it is the south of France, apparently. But not that south of France.
 
It depends on whether "South of France" is a recognised area name rather than simply a description. Maybe Biarritz is in the south of France but not in the South of France. Like, for example, how almost all of the city of London is not in the City of London. If so, then it has both meanings depending on context so both are correct.
 
On Holiday said:
But Biarritz is actually in the South of France.
Click to expand...

It's in the south of France (geographical description of location), but that doesn't necessarily mean it's in the South of France (name of a region). Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, I don't know.

I'll elaborate on the more local example I gave:

The population of the City of London is under 8000 (according to its website). 8 thousand, not 8 million. In terms of population, it's a village.
The population of the city of London is 9 million. Or 11 million. Or 14 million. Depending on where you arbitrarily draw the borders. But a lot more than 8 thousand.

Which is correct? Both of them, depending on context.
 
Jean-F said:
Watching an old “Who Wants To be A Millionaire” Saturday evening, a guy was asked, “In which country is Biarritz?”
Options were, Spain, France, Austria (I think), and maybe Russia, I honestly can’t recall.
I said to my wife, “It’s in France, on the Bay of Biscay I think.”
She said, “Sure it’s not Spain?”
Anyway, the guy took the money, about £8000 I think, and as I said, it is in France.
Then it started;
My wife, “So it’s in the South of France?”
Me, “No, the South of France is recognised as the part that borders the Med, the French Riviera, Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez etc., Biarritz is on the Atlantic Coast, in South West France, just above Spain.”
Wife, “So it IS in the south of France?”
Me, (knowing that I really should have just given up), “Technically, it’s south of U.K., and south of Calais, Normandy, or Paris, BUT it’s not in the part of France that is referred to when people say the South of France.”
She started to go through a cupboard, looking for a map of Europe, so I surrendered, “Okay, Red, you’re right.”
Any advice on how I can explain to her that Biarritz is NOT in what most people know as the South of France?
Click to expand...

I think you're right.

If someone was saying they are going to south of france on holiday, 99% of people in this thread would think southern med coast, not western atlantic coast.
 
Angilion said:
It's in the south of France (geographical description of location), but that doesn't necessarily mean it's in the South of France (name of a region). Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, I don't know.
Click to expand...
Let me stop you right there, amigo. You seem unfamiliar with popular forums poster On Holiday who has confirmed, using science and wordology, that it is indeed in the far off France, south part.
 
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