Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

Could one of our native French speakers please tell me what the convention is on hyphens in French place names. RAF records don't generally use any hyphens but when I check the locations using maps the names are often hyphenated but not always.

ie

Cap Gris Nez or Cap-Gris-Nez (or Cap Gris-Nez)
Biville sur Mer or Biville-sur-Mer
Cap de la Hague or Cap-de-la-Hague
Saint Germain des Vaux or Saint-Germain-des-Vaux

Can anyone tell me what is the correct format.

Cheers

Andy Fletcher

Re: Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

Andy,

I often use the websites

http://www.viamichelin.fr/

and wikipedia.fr

to have the best writing of the villages or aera with hyphen.

HTH

Bertrand

Re: Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

Hi Bertrand,

Thanks for the link.

Is there any standard format for the use of hyphens or are they used on a case by case basis?

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

Re: Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

Google often works in a world where almost every municipality has a website, as well. I tend to assume the inhabitants will know the right spelling!

Re: Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

Hi Nick,

I have been using Google maps quite a lot but I was wondering if there is a standard format but it appears not and hyphens are used on a case by case basis.

For example on place may be called xxxx-de-la-xxxx but another is called yyyy de la yyyy (no hyphens).

Cheers

Andy Fletcher

Re: Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

The usual and even legal (*) standard is with hyphens : Saint-André-de-l'Eure, Sainte-Mère-Église...

(*) Toponyms are strictly ruled by the French law and cannot be altered with a decision of the State Consil.

Chris

Re: Hyphen usage in French place names.
 

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for the explanation, very helpful.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher