4. Getting Free Advice

Before you proceed to appoint an architect, you might want to consider approaching one or more of a number of publicly available free sources of planning, architectural and construction advice.

4.1. County Planning Advisory Service

The Conseil d’Architecture ‘d’Urbanisme et de l’Environnement (CAUE) offers a useful and FREE planning and architectural advice service and there is one based in every département (county) of the country.

The CAUE is a federated body established by the government to provide advice to local councils, public officials and private applicants in matters of planning and architecture.

Some CAUE have full time architects but others use those from the private sector in a part-time capacity. Their fees are paid by the regional council and the CAUE is funded by a tax on planning consents!

The CAUE cannot be used to prepare and submit a planning application, but they can be a most useful source of preliminary advice for those contemplating a building project.

You can find the contact details of the CAUE in you département by visiting CAUE

4.2. Planning Department

Your local Mairie (if they offer a planning service) or the local office of the Direction Départementale d’équipment (county planning and highways department) also offer free planning and architectural advice through their architectural advisor called a conseil architecte.

This is a person appointed in each planning authority to provide technical advice to planning applicants. In some areas this function is actually carried out by the CAUE discussed above.

The conseil architecte may also have the names of local architects who are competent to deal with your application, although they are unlikely to be willing to make a recommendation.

Contact your local Mairie in the first instance to ask how you can meet with them.

4.3. ANIL (Housing Advisory Agency)

ANIL (L’Agence Nationale pour information sur Logement)is the government housing information and advise agency.

There are local offices of ANIL in all départements, staffed by civil servants whose responsibility it is to provide guidance and assistance to those seeking to buy, rent, refurbish or construct a property.

ANIL is also a useful source of advice in the event of a dispute with your architect or builder.

You can find out the location of your nearest ANIL office by visiting ANIL

4.4. Maisons Paysannes de France

This is a charitable organisation which promotes the preservation of the character of older buildings and the use of traditional techniques of property restoration.

If you have purchased an older property for restoration they are often a most useful source of advice and assistance.

The organisation has representatives in most parts of the country whom you can contact by visiting Maison Paysannes de France

Next: Appointing an Architect