Undergrowth clearance: Where in France must buyers be informed?
Mandatory vegetation clearing aims to prevent wildfires in at-risk areas.
Good spacing between trees is essential in at-risk areas
ONF
House sale and rental documents across a wide part of France now have to include mention of a legal requirement to prune trees and shrubs, cut grass and clear dead leaves in order to slow the spread of wildfires.
The new rule came into force, in January but property professionals do not believe it will impact property prices. It concerns sales and rental for all buildings situated in or within 200m of woods, moors or scrubby bush in areas officially classified as being at risk from fire.
An interactive map showing which areas are affected can be found at the G茅orisques government website .
Rules were introduced or tightened across the country after the 2022 fires in the Gironde pine forests just to the south and west of Bordeaux, which burned for two weeks before being extinguished.
Read more: French property owners and tenants: what are rules for obligatory undergrowth clearance?
顿茅产谤辞耻蝉蝉补颈濒濒补驳别 (shrub clearing) involves clearing excess vegetation in area at least 50m from buildings, and creating gaps between remaining trees. It does not mean that all vegetation has to be removed (coupe rase) or parts of the area cleared (un d茅frichement).
However, grass, bushes and shrubs have to be cut back and, in some departments, distances between trees have to be respected.
Read more: Garden clearing obligations to be extended in south of France
Notice that the property is in an area where 诲茅产谤辞耻蝉蝉补颈濒濒补驳别 is obligatory must be given during the first visit of any potential buyers or tenants, along with other natural, mining sinkhole or technology-related risks, as well as information about the threat of coastal erosion for seaside properties.
One of the communes close to the 2022 fires is Carcans in Gironde, where 诲茅产谤辞耻蝉蝉补颈濒濒补驳别 details are included in house sale papers from the compromis de vente stage.
鈥淪ometimes people from outside are a bit surprised when they hear of the obligations, but there has certainly not been any negative effect on house prices,鈥� said Maitre Johan Marchasson, a notaire who works in Carcans.
He said sellers now have to swear on their honour that 诲茅产谤辞耻蝉蝉补颈濒濒补驳别 work has been carried out, and there had been no instances where the issue had blocked a sale.
鈥淎fter the big fires of 2022, there was a general awareness of the risks and what can be done to reduce them,鈥� he said.
