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Seismic zones map – France

What are the French seismic zones according to Eurocode 8 (NF EN 1998-1/NA) ?

In France, the division is specified in the law (not in the national annex). The French metropolitan area is divided into four seismic zones identified from 1 to 4 (The map below was created from this data).

Zone1234
SeismicityVery lowLowModerateMedium
Seismicityagr0.4 m/s20.7 m/s21.1 m/s21.6 m/s2
Seismic zoning of France (2015-2024)

The French overseas departments, overseas territories and overseas collectivities each have a specific seismicity.

ZoneFrench GuianaReunion IslandMayotte IslandMartinique IslandGuadeloupe Island
SeismicityVery lowLowModerateStrongStrong
Reference peak ground acceleration on rock >agr0.4 m/s20.7 m/s21.1 m/s23.0 m/s23.0 m/s2
Seismicity of overseas departments
ZoneSaint Pierre and MiquelonNew CaledoniaWallis and FutunaSaint MartinSaint Barths
SeismicityVery lowModerateStrongStrongStrong
Reference peak ground acceleration on rock >agr0.4m/s21.1m/s23.0m/s23.0m/s23.0m/s2
Seismicity of overseas territories and overseas collectivities

Is my new building concerned ?

You can check if your building is concerned on the french regulations on LEGIFRANCE.
Here is the summary:

Zone/Importance classNormal riskSpecial risk
IIIIIIIV
Zone 1NoYes
Zone 2NoYes
Zone 3NoYes
Zone 4NoYes
Zone 5NoYes

Example of results given by the software Eurocodes Zoning

B1 – Localization

  • Coordinates in World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) 3.5332°, 45.7153°
  • Coordinates in French Geodetic System 1993 (Lambert 93) 741482m, 6512993m

Address D 304A, 63120 Sauviat, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes


B2 – Altitudes

Distances / DirectionAt the place of construction500m1000m
North436 m 360m407m
Northeast 405m465m
East456m473m
Southeast 419m446m
South449m476m
Southwest 432m411m
West360m468m
Northwest 403m452m

B3 – Building

  • Type of building: monumental building
  • Design working life category: 100 years
  • Max height: 15.0 m
  • Orientation from North: 80°

B4 – Terrain categories

Sectors1234
CategoriesIIIaIVIVIV
Radius R of the angular sector 593m

C1 – Snow

NF EN 1991-1-3/NA (may 2007) + A1 (july 2011)

  • Zone : A2(sk,0 = 0.45 kN/m²)
  • Criteria for zoning : PUY-DE-DOME (63)
  • Characteristic value of snow on the ground at the relevant site : sk,436 = 0.686 kN/m²
  • Ground snow load with a return period of 100 years : s100 ans = 0.774 kN/m²
  • Design value of exceptional snow load on the ground : sad = 1.0 kN/m²

C2 – Vent

NF EN 1991-1-4/NA (march 2008) + A1 (july 2011) + A2 (september 2012) + A3 (april 2019)

  • Zone : 2(vb,0 = 24.0 m/s)
  • Criteria for zoning : PUY-DE-DOME (63)
  • Zone cdir : 1
Sectors1234
Sector definition from  35 °  to  125 ° from  125 °  to  215 ° from  215 °  to  305 ° from  305 °  to  35 °
Fundamental value of the basic wind velocity  vb,0 24.0m/s
Shape parameter  K 0.2
Exponent n0.5
Annual probability of exceedence p0.01
Probability factor  cprob 1.038
Directional factor  cdir 0.71.01.01.0
Basic wind velocity  vb 17.4m/s24.9m/s24.9m/s24.9m/s
Reference roughness length  z0,II 0.05m
Roughness length  z0 0.2m1.0m1.0m1.0m
Terrain factor  kr 0.2090.2340.2340.234
Height above ground z15.0m
Minimum height  zmin 5.0m15.0m15.0m15.0m
Roughness factor  cr(z) 0.9040.6350.6350.635
Orography factor  * co(z) 1.01.01.01.0
Mean wind velocity  vm(z) 15.8m/s15.8m/s15.8m/s15.8m/s
Turbulence factor  kl 0.970.8540.8540.854
Standard deviation of the turbulence  σv 3.544m/s4.989m/s4.989m/s4.989m/s
Turbulence intensity  Iv(z) 0.2250.3150.3150.315
Air density  ρ 1.225kg/m3
Exposure factor  ce(z) 2.1021.2921.2921.292
Peak velocity pressure qp(z) 392.0N/m2491.5N/m2491.5N/m2491.5N/m2
Peak wind velocity for Serviceability Limit States  vp(z),SLS 91.1km/h102.0km/h102.0km/h102.0km/h
Peak wind velocity for Ultimate Limit States  vp(z),ULS 111.5km/h124.9km/h124.9km/h124.9km/h

Here, the orography factor is calculated according to Procedure 1, for an orography consisting of obstacles of various heights and shapes. This type of orography is the most frequently encountered.However, if the building is in a case of orography consisting of well individualized obstacle (isolated hills and ridges or cliffs and escarpments) the orography factor must be calculated according to the procedure 2. According to EN 1991-1-4 §4.3.3(1), the calculated orography factor (1.018) is not taken into account because it does not increase wind velocities by more than 5%%.


C3 – Seism

Code of the Environment – Article D563-8-1 (09/01/2015)

JORF n°0248 du 24/10/2010 texte N°5

  • Zone : 3(1.1 m/s²)
  • Criteria for zoning : Sauviat, Puy-de-Dome (63)
  • A seismic analysis may be required for this building.