Forêts

Forêts was a département of the French First Republic, and later the First French Empire, in present Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Its name, literally meaning 'forests', comes from the Ardennes forests. It was formed on 24 October 1795,^[1] after the Southern Netherlands had been annexed into France on 1 October.^[2] Before the occupation, the territory was part of the Duchy of Luxembourg and the Duchy of Bouillon.

Its capital was Luxembourg City. After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, most of the département became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The part on the east side of the rivers Our and Sauer became part of Prussia (now Germany). Its territory is presently divided between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Belgian province of Luxembourg, and the German Land of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The Forêts département was divided into the following arrondissements and cantons (situation in 1812):

• Luxembourg, cantons: Luxembourg, Arlon, Bettembourg, Betzdorf, Grevenmacher, Mersch, Messancy and Remich (Arlon and Messancy now in Belgium, the other cantons now in Luxembourg).

• Bitburg, cantons: Bitburg, Arzfeld, Dudeldorf, Echternach and Neuerburg (Echternach now in Luxembourg, the other cantons now in Germany).

• Diekirch, cantons: Diekirch, Clervaux, Ospern, Vianden and Wiltz (all in Luxembourg).

• Neufchâteau, cantons: Neufchâteau, Bastogne, Étalle, Fauvillers, Florenville, Houffalize, Paliseul, Sibret and Virton (all in Belgium).

Footnotes

References

• (French) Kreins, Jean-Marie (2003). Histoire du Luxembourg, 3rd edition, Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. ISBN 978-21-3053-852-3. 

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