Suppose you wish to say "I am going to the Far East". The temptation is to say "Je vais à l'Orient". Grammatically, this is perfectly sound. However, there is a practical problem that has nothing to do with grammar. In France is a city called Laurient. Thus, if you were to say "Je vais à l'Orient" French speakers might think you are saying you are going to visit the French city of Laurient rather than the Far East, which, admittedly, is only a few thousand kilometres away.
To avoid confusion, French speakers break the rules and say "Je vais en Orient" when they mean they are going to the Far East.
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