Nord translates as "North" in the French language. Nord, France is located in the Northernmost point of France, flanked by the English Channel and Belgium.

Location

Nord, France is one of 26 different regions of France. Nord is located in the Northern department of the country of France, and resides in the Western European continent. It's bordered by Belgium to the Northeast, and the region of Pas de Calais to the South.

Population

Nord is not considered a city, but more a region of France. Within Nord, it's estimated that more than 4 million people reside, according to the 2007 census, making Nord the 4th most populated region in all of France.

Language

The official language of France is French, but due to the proximity of Nord to Belgium, and once consider the lower Netherlands, there are a couple of other dialects in this region that are not officially recognized. The first minority dialect spoken in the area is a Flemish dialect of Dutch, called French Flemish. The French Flemish dialect is not commonly used throughout Nord, but you will find a significant number of Dunkirk residents occasionally use it in conversation. The second minority dialect spoken in Nord is from the Picards, who spoke the Picard Language. Again, the Picard language is not commonly used, but you mind find your ear picking up on a different dialect while visiting the area from time to time.

Time Zone

Nord falls into the Central European Time Zone (CET) or 1 hour plus of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +1). France observes daylight savings time, so in the summer the CET becomes the Central European Savings Time (CEST) or 2 hours plus Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +2).

Currency

The official currency of France up until 2002 was the Franc. In 2002, France switched to the European Euro. More than 16 countries within the European Union now use the Euro as their official currency. The Euro is broken up into 100 cents. The most frequently used Euro coins are the 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 50c, 1 Euro coin and 2 Euro coin. The most frequently used Euro banknotes are the 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Euro note. Credit cards are widely accepted throughout France, but it is always advisable to carry a small amount of cash on you. The easiest way to exchange currency is at any Bureau de Change. ATMs and Cashpoints usually offer the best exchange rate (up to the minute exchange rates), and they also charge less in fees. Make sure to check with your local bank before leaving home to see if your bank cards will work internationally.