Les projets urbains en zones inondables communiquent-ils sur les risques ? : Regard sur les politiques publiques conduites à Saint-Étienne, Orléans et Nantes

International audienceThe paper draws the links between flood management and risk communication concerning planning policies and especially urban projects. We investigate three French sites along the Loire valley: Saint-Étienne, Orléans and Nantes. For this purpose, spatial multiscalar analysis gives an overview on the potential contradictions and loss of information between risk communication, spatial planning and urban projects. We demonstrate that regardless of demographic and economic trends, the city is spreading and taking over flooding areas. The principle of living with risk is a reality that the urban actors seem to accept. However, the integration of the risk in the urban policies is incomplete and heterogeneous. In this context, the paper will try to highlight these important discrepancies which appear in communication policies. If intermunicipal structures are developing new communication tools about flood risk, much remains to be done to alert the residents to this situation. In fact, flood risk seems to be ignored in urban construction at local scale.Cet article interroge les relations entre la gestion et la communication sur le risque inondation dans les politiques d'aménagement de trois agglomérations du bassin de la Loire : Saint-Étienne, Orléans et Nantes. Dans cette perspective, l'analyse multiscalaire réalisée génère de nombreux enseignements sur la manière de communiquer sur le risque, de le traduire en termes de planification et de le mettre en oeuvre au niveau des aménagements urbains : les résultats sont parfois contradictoires. Quelles que soient les dynamiques démographiques et économiques des trois villes, le principe de « vivre avec le risque » fait consensus. Toutefois, sa retranscription dans les politiques urbaines reste lacunaire. Si des efforts de communication sont présents à l'échelle d'une agglomération, ceux-ci se diluent mal au fur et à mesure que les échelles d'intervention se rapprochent de l'individu. Le risque d'inondation apparaît alors comme le principal oublié des aménagements entrepris à l'échelle du quartier. Abstract The paper draws the links between flood management and risk communication concerning planning policies and especially urban projects. We study three French case studies, along the Loire valley : Saint-Étienne, Orléans and Nantes. For this purpose, spatial multiscalar analysis gives an overview on the potential contradictions and loss of information between risk communication, spatial planning and urban project. We demonstrate that whatever demographic and economic trends are observed, the city is growing closer and closer to flooding areas. Can we really live with the risk ? The paper will try to answer on the communication level. On one hand, the consensus seems to be strong to go on urban growth spread near the water. On the other hand, very few are done on public information. Some innovative practices have to be highlighted concerning legal rules for communication at municipal scale. However, risk communication is fading step by step at neighborhood scale