Accueil Géoportail > FAQ > Summary
> What are the configuration requirements for using Géoportail?
> How can I go straight to my commune?
> What are the white areas on aerial photos?
> What do the “No entry” signs mean?
> How can I get from one place to another?
> How do I zoom in?
> Why does the map change when I zoom in and out?
> How can I display my house’s geographical coordinates?
> How can I display aerial photos of my commune?
> How do I display maps of my commune?
> How can I display the roads in my commune?
> How can I display land relief in 2D ?
> What do the colours in the “Relief” layer mean (2D tab)?
What are the configuration requirements for using Géoportail?
See "Help" section
How can I go straight to my commune?
From the "Home" page
- Method 1: enter its exact name in the "Go to" window, located in the top left of your screen. If your commune’s name is unique on French territory (e.g.: Avoriaz), it will be displayed straightaway. When several communes have the same name (e.g.: Saint-Denis), you can choose your commune from a list according to the department in which it is situated.
Example: Saint-Denis (11 - Aude) (Insee Code 11 339) or (30 - Gard) (Insee Code 30 247) or (93 - Seine-Saint-Denis) (Insee Code 93 066) etc.
- Method 2: enter your commune’s Insee Code. Do not use the post code.
The Insee Code is established by the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Surveys (INSEE), which includes the name of every commune in France. The INSEE is a national body responsible for producing, analysing and cross-referencing various statistical data related to individuals, communes and businesses.
You can obtain the list of INSEE commune codes
What are the white areas on aerial photos?
The authorities allow the IGN to take aerial photos of certain sites that are listed as "sensitive", but publishing photos of such areas is prohibited.
These zones do not therefore appear on aerial photos that are published on or accessible via the internet. However, this ruling is likely to change soon, allowing such areas to be viewed but with lower definition.
The required processing will be applied gradually to images already published and as aerial photos are updated.
What do the “No entry” signs mean?
A "No entry" sign instead of pictures or maps means that no data are available for the places in question.
How can I get from one place to another?
From the "Home" page
Click the yellow dot on the Géoportail home page planisphere corresponding to the place you want to view.
From the viewing page (View), 2D or 3D tab
On the viewing screen, the menu at the bottom of the "Tools" window lets you change territory without returning to the "Home" page.
You can select an area of metropolitan France or an overseas départements (DOM).
How do I zoom in?
From the viewing page (View), 2D or 3D tab
There are several tools to help you enlarge what you are looking at ("zoom in") on the viewing screen: the magnifying glass, the scale cursor and the mouse zoom.
These tools can all be accessed via the "Tools" window.
- Use the magnifying glass to choose a section of the picture and magnify it.
- Use the scale cursor to vary the scale of the image displayed by moving the cursor up or down the scale (from "Country" to "House").
- Using the mouse zoom:
- left click or scroll up to zoom in
- right click or scroll down to zoom out.
To find out more, go to the "Help" section:
Why does the map change when I zoom in and out?
Géoportail’s zoom tool does not just enlarge a single map, it displays the most suitable maps for the viewing scale you have chosen.
So when you zoom in, you move to new, more detailed maps.
How can I display my house’s geographical coordinates?
Find your house by repeatedly zooming in on aerial photographs. These photos have 50 cm maximum definition (i.e. 50 cm per pixel), so you will still be able to see your house.
Position your cursor on your house and note the latitude and longitude displayed.
To find out more, go to the FAQs section:
> What can be seen at 50 cm per pixel?
How can I display aerial photos of my commune?
From the "Home" page
- Enter the name of your commune in the search field under the planisphere.
- If the search brings up several results, choose your commune from the list.
- You access the viewing page.
- The aerial photographs are displayed automatically, so you see them immediately.
To find out more, go to the "Help" section:
> Go to
> Select what information you want to display
How do I display maps of my commune?
From the "Home" page
- Enter the name of your commune in the search field under the planisphere.
- If you get several results, choose your commune from the list.
- You access the viewing page.
- From the layers catalogue, choose the "Maps" theme and tick "IGN maps".
- The map is displayed with pre-defined 30% transparency.
- You can choose the transparency of this layer in the "My view" area.
- If you only want to see the map itself, set the opaqueness level for the IGN map layer to 100%.
From the viewing page (View), 2D or 3D tab
- Enter the name of your commune in the search field at the top of the page ("Go to" area).
- If you get several results, choose your commune from the list.
- Open the "Maps" section, tick "IGN maps" in the layers catalogue.
- The map is displayed with pre-defined 30% transparency.
- You can choose the transparency of this layer in the "My view" area..
- If you only want to see the map itself, set the opaqueness level for the IGN map layer to 100%.
To find out more, see the "Help" section:
> Choose what information you want to display
How can I display the roads in my commune?
From the viewing page (View), 2D tab
- Enter the name of your commune in the search field at the top of the page ("Go to" area).
- If you get several results, choose your commune from the list.
- In the "Layers" catalogue, open the "Transport Networks" section and tick "Roads".
- You can set the transparency of this layer in the "My view" area.
To find out more, see the "Help" section:
> Choosing which information to display
How can I display land relief in 2D ?
From the viewing page (View), 2D tab
- In the "Layers" catalogue, open the "Altitude" section and tick "Altitude" to display land relief.
- You can set the transparency of this layer in the "My view" area.
To find out more, see the "Help" section:
> Choosing which information to display
What do the colours in the “Relief” layer mean (2D tab)?
Land relief is shown as a layer of data that you can add to your view, varying the transparency to suit your needs.
In brief, plains are coloured green, mountains are brown, becoming increasingly dark as altitude increases.
Altitudes are expressed in metres.