This work is aimed at French and foreign readers who want to get an overview of spatial planning in France. Based on procedures, content and examples, it describes the various planning documents used in France, from the broadest scale – Europe – to the smallest – the commune. It is neither a manual nor a guide, still less a legal guide. It simply sets out to describe the current situation, which, generally-speaking, has stabilised since 2002 but which is constantly changing in terms of details. It reveals fresh impetus in spatial planning in France, based on three principles: the role of planning in sustainable development and spatial planning, the primacy of spatial planning over procedure and the involvement of local inhabitants in the development of the environment in which they live.