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Marie de France

(Encyclopedia)Marie de France də fräNs [key], fl. 1155–90, poet. Born in France, she spent her adult life in England in aristocratic circles and wrote in Anglo-Norman. She is best known for some dozen lais; sev...

Marne, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Marne märn [key], department (1990 pop. 559,600), NE France, in Champagne. Châlons-en-Champagne is the capital. ...

Marne, river, France

(Encyclopedia)Marne, river, c.325 mi (520 km) long, rising in the Langres plateau, NE France, and flowing in an arc generally NW to the Seine River near Paris. It passes through Chaumont and Châlons-en-Champagne. ...

Lens, city, France

(Encyclopedia)Lens läNs [key], city (1990 pop. 35,278), Pas-de-Calais dept., N France. During the 19th and 20th cent. it was one of the most important coal centers in N France, but its mines are now closed. Much o...

Loire, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Loire, department (1990 pop. 747,100), E central France, in part of Beaujolais and Lyonnais. Saint-Étienne is the capital. ...

Loire, river, France

(Encyclopedia)Loire, longest river of France, c.630 mi (1,010 km) long, rising in the Cévennes Mts., SE France, and flowing in an arc through central and W France to the Atlantic Ocean at Saint-Nazaire. The upper ...

Laval, town, France

(Encyclopedia)Laval, town (1990 pop. 53,478), capital of Mayenne dept., NW France, in Maine. It has been noted for its linen products since the 14th cent. Among its other industrial products are textiles, shoes, fu...

Lot, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Lot lôt [key], department (1990 pop. 156,100), S central France, in Quercy. Cahors is the capital. ...

Lot, river, France

(Encyclopedia)Lot, river, c.300 mi (483 km) long, rising in the Cévennes Mts., SE France, and flowing W past Mende and Cahors to join the Garonne River. The limestone plateaus through which the Lot winds are inter...

Ardennes, department, France

(Encyclopedia)Ardennes ärdĕnˈ [key], department, NE France, in Champage, Grand Est region. The capital is Charleville-Mézières. Ardennes is also the name of a section of the easter...