Shrinking-swelling of clays : an experiment in France with "mixed results" (M. Lefèvre)

"The shrinking-swelling phenomenon of clays (RGA) is one of the most tangible challenges of climate change for many people in France. It is estimated that more than 4 million homes are located in high-risk areas. Furthermore, between 2020 and 2024, it is expected to account for over half of all natural disasters involving buildings", said Mathieu Lefèvre, Minister Delegate for Ecological Transition, on 11/05/2026.

"Since 2025, to deal with this, we have been trialling a prevention fund in 11 departments to enable owners of single-family homes to benefit from a vulnerability diagnosis for preventive work, subject to means testing. The Finance Act for 2026 has allocated €30m to this scheme. The aim is to protect households before cracks appear and anticipate issues rather than repairing them."

He was speaking at a meeting with prefects from 11 departments (Allier, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Dordogne, Gers, Indre, Lot-et-Garonne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Nord, Puy-de-Dôme, Tarn and Tarn-et-Garonne), who are participating in the RGA fund trial. The fund, which is being piloted by the French…