Communauté urbaine

This article is part
of the series:
Subdivisions of France
Regional level
Régions
(incl. Overseas régions)
Departmental level
Départements
(incl. Overseas départements)
Arrondissement level
Arrondissements
Cantonal level
Cantons
Intercommunal level
Communautés urbaines
Communautés d'agglomération
Communautés de communes
Syndicats d'agglomération nouvelle
Communal level
Communes
Municipal arrondissements
Others
Collectivités d'outre-mer
Collectivité sui generis
Pays d'outre-mer
Territoire d'outre-mer
Scattered Islands
Clipperton Island

A communauté urbaine (urban community in English) is the higher degree of intercommunal cooperation in France.

Passed into law in a few cities (Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon and Strasbourg) on December 31, 1966, the purpose was to eliminate the gap between existing metropolitan governments and surrounding suburban areas. This step often follows a failed attempt to merge the communes.

Unlike in the communautés d'agglomération and communautés de communes, a commune can not leave freely a communauté urbaine.

There were in 2004 14 communautés urbaines, with 6 millions inhabitants.


Communautés urbaines include

fr:Communauté urbaine