法國地理學有自己的特色，法國的曆史地理學亦複如此，很強調曆史，法國史地關係密切，大學曆史學系的學生，必須先修地理課程，地理學系的學生，也必須先修曆史課程，這是法國曆史地理學一個很重要的特徵。法國的區域研究充滿了聚落、作物、農業方法與結構、排水及鄉村工業的曆史地理。本文主要討論以下五方面：曆史地理與地理曆史、曆史地理學與年鑑學派、法國地理學中的曆史觀點、《法國曆史地理及地理學史委員會會刊》及法國地理學者研究法國曆史地理的成果。德普朗奧的《法國曆史地理》，代表20世紀末法國曆史地理研究的成果及法國曆史地理研究成熟的水準。
French historical geography possesses unique characteristics. In France, geography contains a strong emphasis in using the historical perspective. The disciplines of history and geography have a close relationship. In institutions of higher learning, students majoring in history must take geography courses, and vice versa. This is a distinguishing feature of French historical geography. Regional studies are replete with the historical geographies of settlement, crops, agricultural methods and structures, drainage, and rural industries. This paper identifies five aspects of French historical geography: (1) historical geography and geographical history, (2) historical geography and the Annales school, (3) the historical dimension of French geography, (4) the Bulletin du Commite Francais de Geographic Historique et d’Histoire de la Geographic, and (5) accomplishments of French geographers in studies of French historical geography. Xavier de Planhol’s publication, An Historical Geography of France, reports that French historical geography came of age in the 20th century.
