Is it possible to find French cadastral plans online?

Reader Question: I am curious about the progression of my second-home through time. Is it possible to look at old cadastral plans to see what has changed?

A database of old cadastral plans can be found on the France Archives website here.

You can search at a departmental level and in some cases via commune (although this is usually only available for larger cities). 

Some of these plans go as far back as the Napoleonic era, around 1812. 

Note that not all of the links work, but you can usually find the corresponding website via an online search for ‘archives + department name’. 

Read more: Can I build on shared wall between neighbour’s and my French property?

Ask for plans locally

If these plans do not contain what you are looking for, your following options are to contact your local mairie, tax office, or use the ministry of finance’s online search tool to find your plan cadastral. 

The online tool is also available in English.

You may be able to see older versions of the cadastral plan from the time you are looking for.

You can make your request in person, or by writing to the mairie.

There is usually no cost when requesting this information, and you can also obtain a print of the plan on A3 or A4 sized paper for free (you need to pay for sizes larger than this). 

The information may be requested by anyone, but full information on a property is only given to the owner. 

It is important to note the cadastral plan is only for tax purposes and it cannot be used to delineate property boundaries. 

For this, you must have a boundary drawn up by an expert surveyor (géomètre expert).