cheflieu

Chef-lieu, or chef-lieu, is a term used in French administrative geography to denote the administrative center or capital of a territorial division. Literally meaning “head place,” it identifies the town or city where the principal government offices for that division are located.

In France, the concept appears at several levels. The chef-lieu of a department is typically the location of the prefecture, the central hub for state administration in the department. The chef-lieu of an arrondissement is where the sous-préfecture sits. Cantons and other divisions can also have a designated chef-lieu, indicating the main town within the subdivision. While the department’s capital is usually the most populous city, the rule is not absolute, and historical reasons can lead to exceptions.

Outside France, the term is used in other Francophone contexts to refer to the seat of a province, district, or similar division. In some cases, the same town may serve as chef-lieu for multiple administrative layers.

Etymology and usage: chef-lieu derives from chef (head) and lieu (place). It is a neutral, descriptive label found in official documents and geographic references. In official practice, the corresponding administrative offices are identified as the prefecture (for departments) or the sub-prefecture (for arrondissements), with the chef-lieu designating the town where these institutions are located.