Primary activities in the Paris Basin

• Primary Activities


  • Agriculture
  • Forestry
  • Energy production
• Agriculture in the Beauce area


  • Large scale mechanized cereal production of wheat and barley
  • Sugar beet is grown as a rotational crop
• Beauce area

  • Ideal for crop production due to long growing season, well-dispersed rainfall and long hours of sunshine for crop ripening
  • Highest cereal yields in the EU
  • Known as the "Granary of France"
• Agriculture in Brie

  • Dairy farming is dominant due to damper climate and clay soils that encourage pasture growth
  • Dairy products are sold to the large urban market near the city of Paris
  • Brie is famous for its cheese and butter
• Market gardening


  Fruit, vegetables crops and flowers are grown on agricultural land near the city
• Agriculture in Normandy


  • Farmers concentrate on dairy production
  • Milk from this area is processed into the famous Camembert cheese
  • Major apple industry producing the successful Golden Delicious variety
• Vine growing


  Takes place near the east-facing slopes of Reims, the famous champagne producing area
• Farms in France


  • Farm size is large at 400 hectares
  • Land prices are high due to competition from other land users
  • Intensive farming takes place on fertile alluvium soils
  • Farmers tend to be young and educated
• Forestry


  Most common on the steep and hilly topography where infertile sands and gravels dominate
• France is the 3rd largest consumer of oil in Europe and imports 95% of it