The Regional Council of Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine, born on January 1, 2016 from the territorial reform (Notre’s law) that introduced the 13 new large regions in mainland France, has chosen to establish a participatory approach to naming the new set. A reflection committee that brings together citizens, agents of the Region, elected officials and representatives of the economic world, experts and the press proposed three names, Rhin-Champagne, Acalie and Nouvelle-Austrasie, which will be submitted to citizen consultation until 1 April. The Regional Council added a fourth, Grand Est, at the last minute. The name that obtains the greatest support from the public will be presented to the Regional Council in plenary session and then presented to the State Council. The term Rhine-Champagne anchors the inhabitants of Alsace, Lorraine and the Ardennes, territories of the Rhine and Champagne basin. L? Acalie takes over the temporary acronym Acal (Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine). New Austrasia invokes history by taking over Austrasia (Eastern Kingdom), a Frankish kingdom during the Merovingian era. This kingdom covered the northeast of present-day France, the basins of the Meuse and the Moselle, to the middle and lower basins of the Rhine. The Kingdom of Austrasia is considered the birthplace of the Carolingian dynasty. Finally Grand Est, is for many the logical name of this new great community. This name recalls its history, its geographical position, its cross-border aspect and its European dimension. These three names were the most cited among fifteen names resulting from the work of the reflection committee: Grand Est, Grand Est de France, Uniest, Union Grand Est, Estunion, Austrasie, Austrasia, Nouvelle-Austrasie, Acalie, Alcadie, Orest, Estrie, Ile d? Europe, Rhin-Champagne and Marches de l? Its T.
