éclairer, to reconnoitre

116. 20. sous-préfecture, administrative town. France is divided into 87 "départements," which are subdivided into 362 "arrondissements," 2,865 "cantons," and about 36,000 "communes." The "département" is administered by a "préfet" (prefect) and the "arrondissement" by a "sous-préfet," hence frequently the dénominations of "préfecture" and "sous-préfecture."