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Bart, Jean

(Encyclopedia)Bart, Jean zhäN bär [key], 1650–1702, French naval hero, b. Dunkirk. Of a seafaring family, he enlisted in the Dutch navy but entered French service as a privateer at the outbreak of the Dutch War...

Vosges, mountain range, France

(Encyclopedia)Vosges vōzh [key], mountain range, E France, between the Alsatian plain in the east and the plateau of S Lorraine in the west. It extends generally north and parallel to the Rhine River for c.120 mi ...

Valois, historic region, France

(Encyclopedia)Valois, historic region, now comprised in Aisne and Oise depts., N France. Crépy-en-Valois was its historic capital. It is a rich agricultural area. A county and later a duchy, Valois was the appanag...

Berry, former province, France

(Encyclopedia)Berry bĕrēˈ [key], former province, central France. Bourges, the capital, and Châteauroux are the chief towns. Cattle are raised on the Champagne Berrichonne, a semiarid plateau that covers most o...

Saint-Denis, city, France

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Denis săN-dənēˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 90,806), Seine–Saint-Denis dept., N central France. It is an industrial suburb N of Paris. Metals, chemicals, machinery, electronics, and food produc...

Pierrelatte

(Encyclopedia)Pierrelatte pyĕrlätˈ [key], town, Drôme dept., SE France. The center of France's nuclear industry, Pierrelatte has a large uranium-producing complex. Other industries include jute weaving and the ...

Ferney-Voltaire

(Encyclopedia)Ferney-Voltaire fĕrnāˈ-vôltĕrˈ [key], town, Ain dept., E France, on the French-Swiss frontier near Geneva. The town grew after Voltaire bought the seigniory of Ferney in 1758 to escape harassmen...

Évry

(Encyclopedia)Évry āvrēˈ [key], town, capital of Essonne dept., N central France. The major industry is...

Blois

(Encyclopedia)Blois blwä [key], town, capital of Loir-et-Cher dept., central France, in Orléanais, on the...

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