AVRANCHES, an arrondissement in the department of Calvados, in France, the extent of which is 475 square miles, or 304,000 acres. It is divided into nine cantons, and these into 127 communes, containing 106,144 inhabitants. The capital of the arrondissement is of the same name. It stands on a hill, at the foot of which the river Seez flows, which at high tide is navigable from the sea, about three miles distant. It has some trade in corn, cider, and salt. The number of inhabitants is 6144. Long. 1. 25. E. Lat. 48. 41. N.