Chapter I: Nature sports

Nature sports are practised in areas or on sites and itineraries that may include public or private roads, land and underground passages belonging to public authorities or private owners, as well as public or private watercourses.

The custodian of the natural area in which a nature sport is practised is not liable for damage caused to a participant, on the basis of the first paragraph of article 1242 of the Civil Code, when this damage is the result of a normal and reasonably foreseeable risk inherent in the sport in question.

The delegated sports federations or, failing that, the approved sports federations can define, each for their own discipline, the technical classification, safety and equipment standards for areas, sites and itineraries relating to nature sports.

The département promotes the controlled development of nature sports. To this end, it draws up a departmental plan for spaces, sites and itineraries relating to nature sports. This plan includes the departmental plan for walking and hiking routes provided for in Article L. 361-1 of the French Environment Code. It is implemented under the conditions set out in articles L. 113-6 et L. 113-7 du code de l’urbanisme.

The department shall draw up a departmental plan of motorised hiking routes under the conditions provided for in Article L. 361-2 of the French Environment Code.

The French National Olympic and Sports Committee concludes agreements with bodies managing natural areas, subject to compliance with the regulations specific to each area, with the aim of setting the conditions and procedures for access to these sites for outdoor sporting activities that are compatible with the collective service plans for natural and rural areas and for sport.

When works are likely to affect, due to their location or nature, the areas, sites and itineraries included in the plan mentioned in article L. 311-3 as well as the practice of nature sports that are likely to take place there, the administrative authority responsible for authorising the works shall prescribe, if necessary, the necessary compensatory or corrective measures. The conditions for application of this article are set by decree…

The Rhône department and the Lyon metropolitan area jointly draw up a departmental-metropolitan plan for spaces, sites and itineraries for nature sports under the conditions set out in article L. 311-3.