Departments of France

Map of the 101 departments of France.

The departments of France (French: départements) are one of the main territorial entities into which France is administratively divided. The department, the head (le chef-lieu) and the prefect (la sous-préfecture) would be equivalent to the province, the provincial capital and the Subdelegate of the French Government, respectively, or to the state, capital and governor in certain federal republics.

Departments are also constituencies. Administratively they lie between the regions and the arrondissements (arrondissements). France is divided into 101 departments, five of which are overseas.

Departments are identified by a number, usually assigned in alphabetical order; A separate case is that of the Île-de-France, formed from the former departments of Seine and Seine and Oise, and ordered last, due to their relatively recent creation. In most cases that number also corresponds to the postal code. The names of the departments are not based on historical criteria, because they do not recall the division into provinces of the Old Regime, but mainly based on geographical criteria. Most are names of rivers, mountains or islands. This same criterion was used in the territorial division of Spain during the Napoleonic occupation.

The departments were created by decree of December 22, 1789, adopted by the Constituent Assembly, to replace the provinces of France, considered contrary to the homogeneity of the nation. Its exact number (83) and its limits were established on February 26, 1790, and its existence became effective on March 4, 1790. Subsequently, they have undergone various changes until reaching the current 101. The island of Mayotte was the last to become an overseas department as of March 2011.

On January 1, 2019, the department and the city of Paris, which were previously separate communities, merge into one community of special status.

On January 1, 2021, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin merge and become the European Community of Alsace. The two administrative districts of the State are maintained.

Overseas Department:

* The code 975 corresponds to Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a former overseas department that became a collectivity in 1985.

Notes to the table

• 04: The department was called, until April 13, 1970, Basses-Alpes (“Alps”).
• 05: The capital of the department of Altos Alpes was initially Chorges, although already in 1790 it passed to Gap.
• 06: There was another department of the Maritime Alps, created on February 4th, 1793 and disappeared in 1814 when it was given to the republic of Genoa and the kingdom of Piedmont-Cerdeña.
• 07: At first, Ardèche had five rotating capitals: Annonay, Aubenas, Bourg-Saint-Andéol, Privas and Tournon. On 9 September 1790 Privas was established as the only capital.
• 08: The first capital of Ardenas was Mézières. In 1800 he moved for a brief period to Charleville. On 1 October 1966 the municipality of Charleville-Mézières was established by merger of both.
• 09: Ariège initially had three alternative capitals: Foix, Pamiers and Saint-Girons. In 1794, Foix became the only capital of the department.
• 13: Aix-en-Provence was the capital of Bocas del Ródano until it was replaced by Marseilles on 17 February 1800.
• 15: Cantal had its prefecture initially in Saint-Flour and Aurillac. In 1794, Saint-Flour was named the single capital. However, since 1795 the capital is Aurillac.
• 17: At the time of its constitution, the department of Charente Marítimo had three alternative capitals: La Rochela, Saintes and Saint-Jean-d'Angély. But in 1790 the capital was set in La Rochela. Until 4 September 1941 the department was named Charente-Inférieure.
• 20, 2A and 2B: In the 1790 division, the island of Corsica formed a single department with capital in Bastia. From 11 July 1793 to 19 April 1811, the island was divided into departments of Liamone and Golocorresponding to the current South Corsica and Upper Corsica. From 1811 to 1975 the island re-formed a single department, with the number 20.
• 22: Before February 27, 1990, Côtes d'Armor was called Côtes-du-Nord (“North coasts”).
• 23: Initially the capitality of Creuse was shared by Guéret and Aubusson. By 1790, Guéret would be the only capital.
• 24: The capitality of Dordogne was initially shared by Périgueux, Bergerac and Sarlat. By 1790, Périgueux would be the only capital.
• 26: Drôme's first capital was Chabeuil, but in 1790 he moved to Valence.
• 27: In 1793, Bernay was for some time the capital of Eure.
• 30: The capitality of Gard was initially shared by Nimes, Alais and Uzès. In 1794, Nimes would be the only capital.
• 33: the department took the name of Bec-d'Ambès from 1793 to 14 April 1795.
• 34: Initially the capitality of Hérault was shared by Montpellier, Béziers, Lodève and Saint-Pons. By 1790, Montpellier would be the only capital.
• 38: The first capital of Isère was Moirans, but in 1790 he moved to Grenoble.
• 39: Initially the capitality of Jura was revolvingly shared by Lons-le-Saunier, Dole, Salins and Poligny. In 1790, Lons would remain the only capital.
• 42: Created by the partition of the old department Rhone and Loire. As the Loire department was established in 1793, the capital was established in Feurs. In 1795 he moved to Montbrison. In 1855 he passed to Saint-Étienne. Between 18 October 1969 and 1 January 1970 Saint-Étienne was called Saint-Étienne-sur-Loire.
• 43: Until March 18, 1988, Le Puy-en-Velay was simply called Le Puy.
• 44: Until March 9, 1957 it was called Loire-Inférieure.
• 48: Initially the capitality of Lozère shared it alternatively Mende and Marvejols. In 1790, Mende would remain the only capital.
• 49: Initially capitality was shared alternatively by Angers and Saumur. In 1790, Angers would be the only capital. Until December 12, 1791 the department was called Mayenne-et-Loire.
• 50: The capitality of Mancha was initially in Coutances, until in 1796 it moved to Saint-Lô. In 1944, with Saint-Lô destroyed in more than 95%, Coutances again exercised temporarily as prefecture.
• 52: Initially capitality was shared alternatively by Chaumont and Langres. In 1790, Chaumont would remain the only capital.
• 54: Formed with the parts of the old departments Meurthe and Moselle that were not annexed by Germany after the Franco-Prussian War.
• 55: Initially capitality was shared alternatively by Bar-le-Duc and Saint-Mihiel. In 1790, Bar-le-Duc would be the only capital.
• 57: For the most part it was annexed by Germany after the Franco-Prussian War, with what disappeared, because the French side passed to Meurthe and Mosela. In 1919, after the First World War, it was reconstituted, although it did not recover the territories that were part of Meurthe and Mosela.
• 59: The first capital of the Northern department was Douai. On July 22, 1803 he moved to Lille.
• 64: Until October 10, 1969 it was called Basses-Pyrénées.
• 67 and 68: From 1871 to 1919 they belonged to Germany. In 2021 they yield their functions to the region of Alsace, retaining only prefecture.
• 69: Created by the partition of the old department Rhone and Loire.
• 70: Initially capitality was shared alternatively by Vesoul and Gray. In 1794, Vesoul would be the only capital.
• 73 and 74: From November 27, 1792 to November 20, 1815 the department of Mont-Blac, approximately in the same territories as the current of Saboya and Alta Saboya. From August 25, 1798 until 1814 the department of Lemanwhich contained what is currently Alta Saboya and other territories (Geneva, canton of Gex...).
• 75: Although formed in 1790 with the name Parisfrom 1795 to be called department of Sena. It understood a territory much more extensive than today, with parts of the current 92, 93 and 94.
• 76: Until 18 January 1955 it was Seine-Inférieure (“Sena Inferior”).
• 78: It was built with part of the old Seine-et-Oise (“Sena and Oise”), of which he kept the number.
• 79: Initially the capital was shared by Niort, Saint-Maixent and Parthenay. On September 16, 1790, Niort would remain the only capital.
• 81: Initially capitality was shared alternatively by Albi and Castres. In 1790, Albi was the only capital. In 1797 capitality passes to Castres. On February 17, 1800, Albi became the prefecture.
• 83: Initially there were nine rotating capitals: Toulon, Grasse, Hyères, Draguignan, Brignoles, Saint-Maximin, Fréjus, Saint-Paul-lès-Vence and Barjols, but already in 1790 they opted for a single capital in Toulon. In 1793 the capitality passed to Grasse (city that would later pass to Maritime Alps). In 1795 the prefecture passes to Brignoles. In 1797 or 1798 he passed to Draguignan. On December 4, 1974 he went to Toulon.
• 85: Initially the capital was Fontenay-le-Comte. On May 25, 1804 he passed to La Roche-sur-Yon. The Roche-sur-Yon was also called, depending on political circumstances, Napoléon-sur-Yon, Bourbon-Vendée and Napoléon-Vendée.
• 90: The Territory of Belfort was established in 1871 with the part of Alto Rin not annexed by Germany. He had no department status until 1922.