Buying a property in France – check for flooding areas!

Buying a dream property in France near a river or a canal can be tempting but is can also be risky in case of floods!

How to check if a property in France is in a flooding area?

It is advisable to check with the local mairie to see if the property is in a flooding area. You can also ask in the neighbourhood if they have had floods in the last 10 years.

Here is how you would ask in French:

Est-ce que cette maison est située dans une zone innondable ?

When we bought our property in Brittany being not far from the river and a lake, it was our main concern. Before buying our property, we checked with the local mairie and asked the neighbours about floods. One neighbour is 75 years old and had lived in the area all her life. She confirmed she had never seen any flood in our hamlet.

It was reassuring! Of course it can happen but at least it is not a yearly problem!

Having had a whole week (day and night) of rain, Dinan area is suffering from floods at the moment. The river Rance has broken its banks and created chaos! A few villages are under water (St André des Eaux, Jugon les Lacs) and many roads are closed.

See photo taken today!