Swiss cantons

All names of cantons are masculine, and the definite article is normally used :

Ticino

= le Tessin

Valais

= le Valais

Graubünden

= les Grisons

So :

I like Ticino

= j’aime le Tessin

the Valais is beautiful

= le Valais est beau

do you know Graubünden?

= connaissez-vous les Grisons?

Many cantons have names which are also names of towns. If you are not sure of the name in French, le canton de X is usually safe, and in some cases this is the only form available, as, for instance, le canton de Vaud (because le Vaud sounds like le veau = the calf). Similarly it is usual to say le canton de Lucerne, le canton de Berne, le canton de Fribourg to distinguish them from the towns bearing those names).

In, to and from somewhere

For in and to, use dans le or dans les, and for from use du or des :

to live in the Valais

= vivre dans le Valais

to go to the Valais

= aller dans le Valais

to come from the Valais

= venir du Valais

to live in Graubünden

= vivre dans les Grisons

to go to Graubünden

= aller dans les Grisons

to come from Graubünden

= venir des Grisons

to live in the Vaud

= vivre dans le canton de Vaud

to go to the Vaud

= aller dans le canton de Vaud

to come from the Vaud

= venir du canton de Vaud

Uses with other nouns

There are a number of words used as adjectives and as nouns referring to the people of the canton, e.g. : bernois, valaisan, vaudois. When nouns, these start with a capital letter.

However, it is always safe to make a phrase with du, de l’ or des :

a Valais accent

= un accent du Valais

the Graubünden area

= la région des Grisons

the Vaud countryside

= les paysages du canton de Vaud

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.