{"id":118634,"date":"2017-09-28T17:24:48","date_gmt":"2017-09-28T21:24:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/southern-french-accent\/"},"modified":"2025-06-23T19:43:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T23:43:59","slug":"southern-french-accent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/southern-french-accent\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to the Southern French Accent"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Southern French accent, or accent du Midi,<\/em>\u00a0brings a charming and melodic twist to the French language. Spoken in the sunny regions of southern France, this accent is influenced by languages like Proven\u00e7al, Occitan and Catalan.<\/p>\n

Today, we’ll explore this unique accent and learn how to sound like a native of southern France.<\/p>\n

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What Does the Southern French Accent Sound Like?<\/h2>\n

The Southern French accent is known for its open vowels and rhythmic flow<\/strong>, giving it a unique sound that sets it apart from the Parisian accent (also known as the standard French accent).<\/p>\n

It’s often called l’accent chantant<\/em>, or “the singing accent”<\/strong> because people of the South generally speak in a warm, loose and friendly manner that sounds like they’re singing.<\/p>\n

This differs from the standard French accent, which tends to sound harder or tougher. Here’s a comparison of the two accents:<\/p>\n

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Where is the Southern Accent Typically Heard?<\/h2>\n

While it’s most often associated with Marseille, there are at least six regions where a Southern French accent can be heard. Within those six regions are main cities and small countryside towns where accents and dialects are often thicker and more exaggerated.<\/p>\n

Here’s a list of all the regions and main cities where a Southern French accent can be heard:<\/p>\n