Europe in 1300
France
Whereas the political geography of the British Isles is relatively straightforward, that of France is complex. In theory, the King of France ruled over most of what is modern France. The big areas outside royal claim were southeastern France, which had never been under French control, and the southwestern area variously known as Guyenne or Aquitaine or Gascony. This region had long been under English control. The southeastern area was theoretically under the Emperor, but imperial control here was all but non-existent. To anticipate events a bit, one of these areas was Provence and that's where Avignon is located, which is where the popes resided for most of the 14th century.
But that is only the boundaries of theoretical claims. In practical terms, the French crown ruled mainly in north-central France and not much more. Brittany was essentially independent, as were a number of duchies and counties in the area of southern France known as Languedoc. The people there spoke a version of French that was unintelligible to northerners. Their agricultural system was Mediterranean. Their law codes were different. It was the home of the Cathar heresy. In short, it was a different country, and they obeyed Paris only when it suited them.
Other areas were more or less under royal control depending on who was king at the time. So, for example, Champagne or Auvergne sometimes behaved as if they were quite independent. This got worse rather than better during most of our course. Finally, it should be mentioned that the French were constantly trying to get their hands on Flanders. This was a contest that extended well beyond the end of our course.