Whether in town or in the countryside, leaving your land open is a luxury that many owners do not allow themselves.
In addition to the risks of burglaries and bickering with the neighbors, it is enough for a balloon gone too far or a dog a little too curious for an accident to occur. Therefore, closing your garden is almost essential.
Stakes in the nails
In matters of private property, it is article 647 of the Civil Code, unchanged since 1804, which granted all citizens the right to fence off their land. In urban areas, this freedom can also become an obligation known as “forced closure” since your neighborhood can obtain from a judge that he forces you to close your plot, in particular to contain a dog.
Not everything is allowed. It is first forbidden to close bare ground. A home must therefore necessarily be already present or called to be built within a specified period. Likewise, unless your neighbor agrees to a party wall, this fence must be erected on your only property and respect a certain distance from those of adjacent properties. The law also provides that, in the absence of local regulations, this separation must reach at least 2.60 meters in height in municipalities with less than 50,000 inhabitants and 3.20 meters in larger cities.
Information in town hall
Although no planning permission is generally required, a prior declaration of work is required in protected areas (historic monument, classified natural site or monument, etc.), but also in certain municipalities for which the municipal council has decided to submit fences to this procedure.
Before starting work, it is imperative to inquire with the town hall. It is all the more important that the local urban plan can impose the use of such or such materials for your fence and prohibit others, just like the subdivision by-law.
When security rhymes with cachet
Subject to all these provisions, different techniques can be used to girdle a plot. Low cost but unattractive, the wire mesh roll on stretched wire or rigid panels is a classic. In order to gain intimacy and charm, it is quite simple to hide it behind canisses or other breezes, or to plant a dense hedge.
Solid and rather easy to melt in a wooded landscape, gabions can also seduce owners. These large cages filled with pebbles or stones have the advantage of having a fairly contemporary appearance, while offering a refuge for small fauna. However, a level floor is essential. An advantageous alternative, wooden panels have character and come in a multitude of shapes, colors and essences. King in the matter, the chestnut is the most robust but also the most expensive. On the maintenance side, a coat of paint or stain every two to five years is enough. As for the good old wall, of concrete blocks or stones, it obviously remains the material with the longest lifespan, but represents a very high cost.
Plants to the rescue
Whatever your choice, the use of plants in addition to your fence can transform the whole into a decorative element of your garden. To this end, avoid the traditional plant barriers made up of thuja, chamaecyparis or cupressus, which require enormous maintenance and quickly become a chore over time. Conversely, the mixed hedges will be of the most beautiful effect thanks to a plume of colors and shapes.
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- town planning
- Rights
- Legislation