A landscape is what you see in a natural place or in a region. One can speak of a mountain landscape, a rural landscape, a seascape or a desert landscape. Everyday words are used to name the place itself, and then to say whether it is green, dry, flat, rocky or wooded. For a more literary description, one uses picturesque, majestic or wild. The Nature are often the starting point for describing what one observes around oneself.

The mountain is a large elevation of the ground. A hill is lower and gentler. A valley lies between higher reliefs. A plateau is high, but its surface remains fairly flat. A plain is a wide and lightly uneven terrain. We say a deep valley, a high mountain, a vast plateau, an open plain. In the Places, these words help to situate a region and understand its general shape.

CollinePlaineValléePlateauMontagne

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Une grande étendue presque plateUne élévation plus douce et moins haute qu’une montagneUne grande élévation du sol qui domine le paysageUn espace plus bas entre deux hauteursUne zone plate située en hauteur

Vocabulary of relief and heights

Word	Definition
Montagne	A large elevation of the ground that dominates the landscape.
Colline	A gentler elevation and lower than a mountain.
Vallée	A space lower between two heights.
Plateau	A flat area located at height.
Plaine	A large expanse almost flat.

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A river flows toward another body of water, often a great river or a lake. A great river flows into the sea. A lake is a body of water surrounded by land. A waterfall drops from a height, and a torrent is a rapid and abrupt watercourse. One can talk of a calm river, a wide river, a deep lake, a tall waterfall, a violent torrent. These words often come up with the Weather, for example after rain or snowmelt.

TorrentRivièreFleuveLacCascade

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Une étendue d eau entourée de terreUne chute d eau qui tombe d une hauteurUn cours d eau rapide et souvent violentUn grand cours d eau qui se jette dans la merUn cours d eau qui avance dans la campagne

Vocabulary of waters in nature

Word	Definition
Rivière	A body of water that flows through the countryside.
Fleuve	A large body of water that flows into the sea.
Lac	A body of water surrounded by land.
Cascade	A fall of water that drops from a height.
Torrent	A rapidly flowing body of water that is often violent.

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The sea is a large expanse of saltwater. The coast is the part of the land that borders the sea. The beach is the area of sand or pebbles at the edge of the water. A cliff is a very tall rocky wall at the edge of the sea. A bay is an inlet of sea into the land. We speak of a rocky coast, a long beach, a steep cliff, a calm bay. These words are useful with the Travel and Transport when describing a stay by the water.

BaieFalaiseMerPlageCôte

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La partie de la terre qui touche la merUne petite entrée de mer abritée par la terreUne grande masse d eau salée au bord des terresUne bande de sable ou de galets au bord de l eauUne paroi rocheuse très haute et presque verticale

Vocabulary of the coast

Word	Definition
Mer	A large body of salty water along the land.
Côte	The part of the land that touches the sea.
Plage	A band of sand or pebbles at the edge of the water.
Falaise	A rock face very high and almost vertical.
Baie	A small inlet of sea sheltered by land.

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A forest is a large area covered with trees. A wood is smaller than a forest. A meadow is a grassy area, often open and green. A field is cultivated land or a large open parcel. A desert is a very dry region, with little vegetation. We say a dense forest, a clear wood, a blooming meadow, a vast field, an arid desert. These names are often used with the Plants, as they also indicate the type of vegetation present.

ForêtDésertChampBoisPrairie

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Un grand terrain couvert d herbeUne région très sèche et presque vide de végétationUne terre cultivée ouverte et largeUne zone boisée plus petite qu une forêtUn grand espace couvert d arbres

Vocabulary of natural spaces and vegetation

Word	Definition
Forêt	A large space covered with trees.
Bois	A wooded area smaller than a forest.
Prairie	A large area covered with grass.
Champ	Cultivated land open and wide.
Désert	A region very dry and almost devoid of vegetation.

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The summit is the highest point of a mountain or a hill. The slope is the inclined side of a relief. A ravine is a narrow and deep valley. A gorge is a narrow passage between rocky walls. A dune is a small hill of sand formed by the wind. One can say the summit of a mountain, the slope of a hill, a deep ravine, a narrow gorge, a sand dune. These words specify the shape of the terrain when describing Nature in detail.

SommetDuneRavinVersantGorge

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Un passage étroit entre des parois rocheusesLe point le plus haut d une montagneUne petite colline formée par le sableLe côté en pente d une montagneUn creux profond et étroit dans le sol

Precise vocabulary of terrain parts

Word	Definition
Sommet	The point highest on a mountain.
Versant	The side on the slope of a mountain.
Ravin	A hollow deep and narrow in the ground.
Gorge	A passage narrow between rock walls.
Dune	A small hill formed by sand.

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A wild landscape appears little altered by humans. A picturesque place is beautiful and pleasant to look at. A grandiose setting impresses by its size or power. A peaceful place is calm and restful. A steep terrain rises or falls sharply. We often add words about light and sky, such as sunny, foggy, cloudy, clear or dark. One can say a misty morning, a soft light, a clear sky, a peaceful valley, a steep mountain.

Ways to describe the ambiance of a landscape

Usage	Explanation
Natural beauty highlighted	We use pittoresque to talk about a place pretty and full of charm.
Impressive grandeur	We use grandiose for a landscape that impresses by its vastness.
Calm and gentleness	We use paisible for a place calm and relaxing.
Natural ruggedness	We use sauvage for a place barely developed and very natural.
Steep terrain	We use escarpé for a relief very steep and hard to climb.
Evening light	We use doré for a light soft and warm on the landscape.

A landscape is the whole of what one sees in a place. A view is what one perceives from a specific point. The horizon is the very distant line where the sky seems to meet the land or the sea. A setting is the visible frame of a place, natural or urban. A panorama is a very wide view. We say a beautiful landscape, a clear view, a distant horizon, an urban setting, a panorama over the sea. Setting is also used for a city, a street or a monument, not only for nature.

VueDécorPanoramaHorizonPaysage

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Une vue large et complète sur un espaceLa ligne où le ciel semble toucher la terreCe que l on aperçoit depuis un point précisL ensemble qui sert de cadre à une scèneL ensemble de ce que l on voit dans la nature

Vocabulary for what we look at

Word	Definition
Paysage	The entirety of what is seen in nature.
Vue	What is seen from a specific point.
Horizon	The line where the sky seems to touch the earth.
Décor	The entirety that serves as the backdrop to a scene.
Panorama	A view broad and complete of a space.

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