4. Regulatory zoning

4.1 French legal framework

The French government has adopted a number of legislative instruments to deal with the problem of natural hazards, notably in the form of planning regulations. The first regulations concerned flooding, with the introduction of Plans des Surfaces Submersibles (Submersible Surface Plans) under the decree of January 13, 1935 by the Ministry of Equipment (the first PSS was drawn up for the commune of Lunéville in 1947).

It wasn't until 1955 that the first decree was issued to take account of the gravity-related risks we're concerned with here. It was subsequently amended in 1961 and 1977. These texts led to article R. 111-3 of the French town planning code (repealed at –, not to be confused with the new article R. 111-3). The first plans...