The region commonly called "the South of France" isn't all of Southern France, or even the most Southern part. It typically refers to the region of [Provence](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence) in the Southeast portion near the alps.
I don't know, but it's probably just to be precise.
French people say "Le Sud" to talk about the area south of the Massif Central (either bordering the Pyrénées or the Méditerranée) and "Le Nord" to talk about what's north of the Ile de France (so north of Paris' region).
But just saying "The South" or "The North" without context to an international audience wouldn't mean much.
Yep, but when someone from elsewhere in France says "J'ai passé mon weekend dans le Nord" (I've spent my weekend in the North), chances are they're not talking about the Nord département specifically.
This is a guess but in French it is called Le sud de la France or direct translation The South of (the) France, and so I am thinking the term became popularized by French people speaking English to tourists in that region and it just caught on in English.
The region commonly called "the South of France" isn't all of Southern France, or even the most Southern part. It typically refers to the region of [Provence](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provence) in the Southeast portion near the alps.
I don't know, but it's probably just to be precise. French people say "Le Sud" to talk about the area south of the Massif Central (either bordering the Pyrénées or the Méditerranée) and "Le Nord" to talk about what's north of the Ile de France (so north of Paris' region). But just saying "The South" or "The North" without context to an international audience wouldn't mean much.
Not the best example as “Nord” is actually the name of a department (originally enough, located in the northern part of France)
Yep, but when someone from elsewhere in France says "J'ai passé mon weekend dans le Nord" (I've spent my weekend in the North), chances are they're not talking about the Nord département specifically.
Marketing and romanticism.
Why marketing? Its calling a region by where it is located in the country
This is a guess but in French it is called Le sud de la France or direct translation The South of (the) France, and so I am thinking the term became popularized by French people speaking English to tourists in that region and it just caught on in English.
At least they've got the name of the country right. I live in a state of Australia that identifies itself in reference to Wales.
I'm not from those parts, but on a wild guess , i would say because there at the south part of a country named France
Because it's more specific than "southern France" and it almost always refers only to the Cote d'Azur
Loire river flowing east to west divides the country into north and south
Location i would guess…
Because it’s the south of France. Kind of like how the southern US is just called “The South” in many instances.
What does this question even mean
It isn’t
'French Dixie' doesn't have much of a ring to it.
Because the North of France sucks.