In written French, or to sound more elegant in formal speech, you might notice a change in word order inside relative clauses (phrases introduced by words like que or où). This is called stylistic inversion.
Inversion with "que"
Instead of following the standard subject-verb order, you can place the verb before the subject immediately after the relative pronoun. This inversion is only used when the subject is a noun, never a pronoun (like il or nous).
| We are visiting the botanical garden that the visitors prefer. | Nous visitons le jardin botanique que préfèrent les visiteurs. |
| The foliage that these ferns produce is too big to fit here. | Le feuillage que produisent ces fougères est trop grand pour entrer ici. |
Inversion with "où"
This elegant word order is also very common after the relative pronoun où (where). Placing the verb first can dramatically improve the rhythm of the sentence, especially when the verb is short and the noun subject is long.
| It is the tropical greenhouse where the orchids grow. | C'est la serre tropicale où poussent les orchidées. |
Stylistic inversion can happen at the end of a sentence, or right in the middle of it:
| The pond where the water lilies float is magnificent thanks to the light. | Le bassin où flottent les nénuphars est magnifique grâce à la lumière. |
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