Lès

The word lès (French pronunciation: [lɛ] ^ⓘ, and [lɛz‿] with liaison) is an archaic French preposition meaning "near", "next to".^[1][2] Today it occurs only in place names to distinguish places with the same name.

Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse station

Flines-lès-Mortagne, near Mortagne-du-Nord

The word lès has two variants: lez and les.^[1] The latter should not be confused with the plural definite article les (e.g. les-Bains, "the Baths").

Etymology

The word lès and its variants derive from late Latin latus, "side".^[1][2] The preposition is not used anymore in French, but remains still nowadays in other Langues d'oïl such as the Walloon language with dilé (close to) and adlé (among).

Examples

Lès

• Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, near Avignon
• Beaumont-lès-Valence, near Valence
• Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, near Chevreuse
• Margny-lès-Compiègne, near Compiègne
• Asnières-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Fontaine-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Hauteville-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Neuilly-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Perrigny-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Plombières-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Sennecey-lès-Dijon, near Dijon
• Garges-lès-Gonesse, near Gonesse
• Bonchamp-lès-Laval, near Laval
• Fontaine-lès-Luxeuil, near Luxeuil-les-Bains
• Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, near Lyon
• Montigny-lès-Metz, near Metz
• Saint-Julien-lès-Metz, near Metz
• Flines-lès-Mortagne, near Mortagne-du-Nord
• Essey-lès-Nancy, near Nancy
• Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, near Nancy
• Saulxures-lès-Nancy, near Nancy
• Villers-lès-Nancy, near Nancy
• Déville-lès-Rouen, near Rouen
• Sotteville-lès-Rouen, near Rouen
• Nieul-lès-Saintes, near Saintes
• Chambray-lès-Tours, near Tours
• Joué-lès-Tours, near Tours
• Saint-Martin-lès-Seyne, near Seyne
• Bourg-lès-Valence, near Valence
• Béning-lès-Saint-Avold, near Saint-Avold
• Savigny-lès-Beaune, near Beaune
• …

Lez

• Auchy-lez-Orchies, near Orchies
• Aulnoy-lez-Valenciennes, near Valenciennes
• Bougy-lez-Neuville, near Neuville-aux-Bois
• Bruille-lez-Marchiennes, near Marchiennes
• Flines-lez-Raches, near Râches
• Hallennes-lez-Haubourdin, near Haubourdin
• Houdain-lez-Bavay, near Bavay
• Lambres-lez-Douai, near Douai
• Lys-lez-Lannoy, near Lannoy
• Marquette-lez-Lille, near Lille
• Mézières-lez-Cléry, near Cléry
• Nissan-lez-Enserune, near Enserune
• Poilly-lez-Gien, near Gien
• Sailly-lez-Cambrai, near Cambrai
• Sailly-lez-Lannoy, near Lannoy
• Saint-André-lez-Lille, near Lille
• Saint-Hilaire-lez-Cambrai, near Cambrai
• Tilloy-lez-Cambrai, near Cambrai
• Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes, near Marchiennes
• Villy-lez-Falaise, near Falaise
• …

Les

• Avesnes-les-Aubert, near Aubert
• Châteauneuf-les-Martigues, near Martigues
• Chorey-les-Beaune, near Beaune
• La Queue-les-Yvelines, near (the historical region of) Yvelines
• Villars-les-Dombes, near Dombes