When issuing formal announcements—such as closing a beach or warning about environmental hazards—French relies on specific prepositions to state objective causes.
Stating Objective Causes with "en raison de"
To say "due to" or "because of" in a formal, objective context, use en raison de followed by a noun. It states the direct, factual cause of an event.
| Access to the coastline is closed due to the storm. | L'accès au littoral est fermé en raison de l'orage. |
| Bathing is forbidden due to this violent wind. | La baignade est interdite en raison de ce vent violent. |
| Due to the proliferation of algae, the place is dangerous. | En raison de la prolifération des algues, l'endroit est dangereux. |
Taking Circumstances into Account with "compte tenu de"
Use compte tenu de ("given" or "considering") when an action is taken based on specific conditions.
| Given the weather, the municipality forbids bathing. | Compte tenu de la météo, la municipalité interdit la baignade. |
| Considering the storm, the coastline is evacuated. | Compte tenu de la tempête, le littoral est évacué. |
Mandatory Contractions
Because both expressions end in the preposition de, standard contraction rules apply: de + les becomes des (and de + le becomes du).
| Given the jellyfish that are arriving, stay cautious. | Compte tenu des méduses qui arrivent, restez prudents. |
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