French property owners and tenants: the rules for obligatory overgrowth clearance

Those selling property in France must now inform potential new owners of their obligation to clear garden undergrowth as part of new rules to limit forest fires. 

The information must be included in the property listing as soon as it is publicised with failure to add relevant links meaning the owners risk a €100 fine per day, up to a maximum of

€5,000.

It is part of a government strategy to reduce forest fires. The vast majority of fires which lead to a fatality or destruction of a property happen in areas where undergrowth had not been

adequately cleared.

In five regions of France – nearly all located in the south – mandatory garden undergrowth clearance rules (obligation legal de débroussaillement) require homeowners or tenants to maintain

gardens, roads, and areas of land close to buildings, to prevent flammable plant material being present in the summer months. 

Those who fail to adequately clear undergrowth which leads to a fire which destroys a property or causes injury, risk a year’s imprisonment and a €15,000 fine.

Read more: Checks, fines, help: rules for clearing undergrowth around French home

Read more: Explained: French garden rules on cleaning, bonfires, planting and more

In practice the rule change simply requires all property advertisements to contain a note saying the following:

‘Les informations sur les risques auxquels ce bien est exposé sont disponibles sur le site Géorisques’ (Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the

Géorisques website).

Many property listings already carry a link to this website.

The website shows garden undergrowth rules in the area where the property is located – if they exist. This allows potential purchasers and renters to be informed before visiting a property

or signing any contracts.

The site will also include a national map showing the risk of fires. This is due no later than January 2027 - as of January 2025 it is not yet included. 

Previously the new homeowners or tenants only had to be informed of the rules when signing the sales deed or rental lease - the information must still be included in these contracts.