There was the Xynthia storm, the floods in the South-East, and then Paris. Would Paris be flooded if the Seine floods? From Faute-sur-Mer in Vendée, to Mandelieu or Antibes on the Côte d’Azur, we will return to the places where tragedies occurred. For some residents who lost everything during the disaster, it is hard to get back on their feet, even five years later. And could these tragedies have been avoided? This is the question that victims’ associations, but also geographers, are asking themselves. Could we avoid those to come? In this sense, the State is trying to put in place increasingly strict prevention plans for municipalities exposed to risks. But how can we reconcile the safety of residents with the interests of the municipality and its development? Resist pressure? Land becomes unbuildable, slowing down the development and projects of the municipality and hitting real estate assets and private investments hard. Some resist and thwart state projects. Is the danger still present? Should we adapt to flood-prone areas and build accordingly, or simply admit that Nature is stronger and adapt to its hazards? The inexorable rise in ocean levels and ongoing climate change are changing our analysis grid… Through the cases of several municipalities, the experiences and questions of our characters, we will try to understand the situation of thousands French towns or villages located in areas at risk of flooding…
