Have you ever wondered, where do the "mystery youth" of France -- those unidentified scamps who nightly torch cars and buses, ambush police, and periodically put the whole of France to flame -- just where do they come from? Where do they disappear to? Do they fall from the sky? Do they melt with the light of day? No. They reside in special urban areas called Zones Urbaines Sensibles, ("ZUS").

In theory, a ZUS is targeted for special attention and aid by its city. In practice ZUSs are more often abandoned to the local criminal element. These ZUSs are beyond the protections and bother of legitimate law and, as such, are known as Zones De Non Droit ("ZND"). Not surprisingly, being lawless these zones provide the "mystery youth" of France thorough training in career lawlessness.

The French government has designated 752* areas Zones Urbaines Sensibles. The French government conveniently provides an Atlas Des Zones Urbaines Sensibles, wherein the areas are listed by département number, commune, and quartier.

Not to worry, there're still bits of France where the law makes a daring appearance.

[Hat tip: ¡No Pasarán!]

AN ASIDE 11.26.06: Wordreference.com in addition to its excellent dictionary services also runs forums for its various languages offering help from native speakers with translations and cultural meanings. We noticed there was an entry in the French forum for "une zone de non droit". Of the five expositive responses, all from native speakers, three give Guantanamo Bay -- where the United States incarcerates terrorists -- as illustrative of a ZND. Not one response explains this French term in the context of France.

* By our meticulous count. The French government appears to drop a stitch in its own tally of 751.

PFFT (What is this?): Convenience 4½ | Tout va très bien 3 | Rayonnement français 0