Local spatial planning practices in four French Mediterranean coastal territories under pressure

Limiting land consumption is an undisputed priority today. In France, numerous laws, regulations and space protection measures (under the town planning and environment codes) govern territorial development to protect land resources and the environment. Yet urbanization at the expense of natural and agricultural areas remains critical, particularly in coastal areas. This article proposes an analysis of spatial planning practices at local level in the French Mediterranean, considering the implementation of spatial planning over time as a marker of the will to manage urban development. After examining features specific to coastal planning legislation and regulations in France, it identifies past and present trajectories of urban planning practices and the development of environmental protection. Four French Mediterranean areas are assessed: the Marseille coast, the Gulf of Aigues-Mortes and the Corsican sites of Balagne and Biguglia.