French departments

The names of French departments usually have the definite article, except when used after the preposition en.

In, to and from somewhere

For in and to, use dans le or dans les for masculine and plural names of departments :

to live in the Loiret

= vivre dans le Loiret

to go to the Loiret

= aller dans le Loiret

to live in the Landes

= vivre dans les Landes

to go to the Landes

= aller dans les Landes

to live in the Loir-et-Cher

= vivre dans le Loir-et-Cher

to go to the Loir-et-Cher

= aller dans le Loir-et-Cher

For in and to, use en for feminine names of departments :

to live in Savoy

= vivre en Savoie

to go to Savoy

= aller en Savoie

to live in Seine-et-Marne

= vivre en Seine-et-Marne

to go to Seine-et-Marne

= aller en Seine-et-Marne

For from, use du (or de l’ before a vowel) for masculine and des for plural names of departments :

to come from the Loiret

= venir du Loiret

to come from the Landes

= venir des Landes

to come from the Loir-et-Cher

= venir du Loir-et-Cher

For from, use de without the definite article for feminine names of departments :

to come from Savoy

= venir de Savoie

to come from Seine-et-Marne

= venir de Seine-et-Marne

Uses with nouns

Use de with the definite article in most cases :

a Cantal accent

= un accent du Cantal

the Var area

= la région du Var

the Creuse countryside

= les paysages de la Creuse

Loiret people

= les gens du Loiret

Yonne representatives

= les représentants de l’Yonne

Landes restaurants

= les restaurants des Landes

the Calvados team

= l’équipe du Calvados

Ardennes towns

= les villes des Ardennes

but use de without the definite article with feminine names that include et :

Seine-et-Marne hotels

= les hôtels de Seine-et-Marne

Some cases are undecided :

Savoy roads

= les routes de Savoie or de la Savoie

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.