Forêts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Forêts is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Its name (literally: forests) comes from the Ardennes forests. It was formed in 1795 when the Southern Netherlands and the left bank of the Rhine were occupied by the French. Before the occupation, the territory was part of the duchy of Luxembourg and the duchy of Bouillon.

Its capital was Luxembourg. 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 over the Grand-duchy of Luxembourg, the Belgian province Luxembourg and the German land 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).