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Rethel

(Encyclopedia)Rethel rətĕlˈ [key], town (1993 est. pop. 8,639), Ardennes dept., N France, on the Aisne River. It is a farm trade center with textile industries and plants making farm machinery. It was (13th cent...

Forez

(Encyclopedia)Forez fôrāˈ [key], hilly agricultural region, E central France, in the Massif Central, mostly in Loire dept. and partially in Puy-de-Dôme dept. Roanne is the chief town. The region was known as Pa...

Toul

(Encyclopedia)Toul to͞ol [key], town (1990 pop. 17,702), Meurthe-et-Moselle dept., NE France, on the Moselle River. It is largely an agricultural center but has clothing and glass industries. A Gallo-Roman city, i...

Rochelle, La

(Encyclopedia)Rochelle, La lä rôshĕlˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 73,744), capital of Charente-Maritime dept., W France, on the Bay of Biscay. Industries include naval, aircraft, and automobile construction. La Roch...

Viollet-le-Duc, Eugène Emmanuel

(Encyclopedia)Viollet-le-Duc, Eugène Emmanuel özhĕnˈ ĕmänüĕlˈ vyôlāˈ-lə-dük [key], 1814–79, French architect and writer. He was the most prominent exponent of the Gothic revival in France, and was i...

Mzab

(Encyclopedia)Mzab əmzäbˈ [key], stony, barren valley, Algeria, in the N Sahara. It was settled c.1000 by members of an austere Muslim sect, the Kharijites. The inhabitants, called Mozabites, dug wells, created ...

Saint-Mihiel

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Mihiel săN-mēyēlˈ [key], town (1993 est. pop. 5,435), Meuse dept., NE France, in Lorraine, on the Meuse River. Its chief manufactures are eyeglasses, plywood, and copper products. Saint-Mihi...

Perche

(Encyclopedia)Perche pĕrsh [key], region and former county, NW France, in portions of Orne, Eure-et-Loir, and Eure depts. Alençon, an important town of the region, is world famous for its lace. Horse breeding is ...

Carnac

(Encyclopedia)Carnac kärnäkˈ [key], town (1993 est. pop. 4,322), Morbihan dept., NW France, in Brittany, at the foot of the Quiberon peninsula. It is the site of remarkable megalithic monuments, particularly the...

flagellants

(Encyclopedia)flagellants flăjˈələnts, fləjĕlˈənts [key], term applied to the groups of Christians who practiced public flagellation as a penance. The practice supposedly grew out of the floggings administe...