Land Policy in France: Tensions Between National Policies and Local Practice

Abstract The case of Bouleurs, a suburban municipality in the Paris region, provides insights into the institutional context of land policies in France. It highlights the tensions between national and local authorities when applying urban development instruments, especially within the context of no-net-land take goals. Through this case, the interaction between national land policy goals and the range of instruments used at the local level are examined. The implementation of these policies in a small municipality underscores the importance of the local context, while also revealing broader challenges in planning and managing land development. Tensions arise between the relatively high degree of flexibility afforded to local authorities in applying land policy instruments and the overarching national land policy goals as well as between the diverging interests of public actors and private landowners.