- Home
- Guides to France
- Property Rights
- Water
- Shoreline Properties
Property Rights
French Property Rights
- 1. Land Registration
- 2. Boundaries
- 3. Boundary Walls
- 4. Noise Nuisance
- 5. Rights of Way
- 6. Water Usage
- 7. Trees and Shrubs
Guides to France
Property in France
- Buying property in France
- Buying off-plan in France
- French property auctions
- SCI Ownership
- French property rights
- Renting property in France
- Selling property in France
Building & Renovation
- Building a house in France
- French planning system
- Property renovation in France
- French property rights
- French Mobile Homes
Work & Business
Money & Taxation
- Banking in France
- French mortgages
- Currency Exchange
- Taxes in France
- French inheritance
- French home insurance
Living in France
Useful Links
AdvertiseNetwork Sites
Helpful Links
News
Services
- French Health Insurance
- French Home Insurance
- Inheritance Tax & Law Consultancy
- French Planning
- Transfer Money to France
- Metric Unit Conversion
If you require advice and assistance with the purchase of French property and moving to France, then take a look at the France Insider Property Clinic.
Property Rights in France - Water
- Dispersal of Rainwater
- Spring Water
- Drainage Servitudes
- Rivers and Streams
- Towpath Usage
- Fishing Rights
- Shoreline Properties
7. Shoreline Properties in France
If you own a shoreline or beachside property then there are rights of way over the property that may be granted to members of the public.
Broadly speaking, a right of way of 3 metres is granted in certain cases to enable members of the public to gain access to the shore or beach and to be able to walk along it.
This right of way is called le chemin des douaniers and, out of nearly 5,000 kilometres of coastline in France, the servitude operates along about 20% of this coastline.
It only operates where the property is contiguous with a public area but does not apply where there is alternative public access to the shoreline. It also operates only to the benefit of pedestrians and not vehicles of any kind.
The 3-metre strip can be either parallel with the shoreline or perpendicular to it. So it could run alongside a property or to the front of it.
There are various exemptions to this rule, notably for properties built before 1976 with a boundary wall.
Next: Index - Water Rights in France
Back: Fishing Rights
The Guides to France are published for general information only.
Please visit our Disclaimer for full details.
-
Charming Loire Valley Manor, 20 Acres, Pool | Great Location North of Tours, Indre-Et-Loire7Indre-et-Loire (37)
€1,350,000
-
Tempted by the French Art De Vivre, in a Property of Excellence and Absolute Charm Near Lyon?5Rhône (69)
€1,295,000
-
1940's Alpine House in the French Alps, Unique Situation, Spectacular Views, no Neighbors, 160sq/M 3900 Sq/M Land5Haute-Savoie (74)
€850,000