Quarries and subsoil of Paris’s 13th arrondissement
High risk Paris 75013
The 13th arrondissement contains a distinct network, known as « le 13 » or « treizième », of around 172 hectares and 25 km of galleries. The current headquarters of the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) are also located in the 13th (86 rue Regnault). The collapse of the playground of the Auguste-Perret school in February 2003, linked to work on the Météor line, was memorable. The Tolbiac, Bercy, Butte-aux-Cailles and Place d’Italie areas are particularly affected by the risk of underground cavities.
What the public data say about the 13th
| Underground network | Network « the 13th » (thirteenth) |
|---|---|
| Mined rock | Lutetian coarse limestone |
| Undermined area | 172 hectares undermined. |
| Galleries | ~25 km of galleries. |
| Selected risk level | High |
| Confidence in the classification | high |
| Nature of the ground | Limestone plateau (« le 13 » network) + Austerlitz riverbanks |
| Foundation issue | Load-bearing limestone ground on the plateau outside cavity areas; loose alluvial deposits to be checked near the banks. A G1/G2 geotechnical study is recommended before any project. |
Sensitive areas of the 13th
- Tolbiac, Bercy, Butte-aux-Cailles, Place d’Italie areas
- Current headquarters of the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) (86 rue Regnault)
Documented events in the 13th
14–15 February 2003
Auguste-Perret school collapse
Auguste-Perret school courtyard (13th)
At night, the school courtyard collapses. The cause is the failure of the vault of the Météor line tunnel (line 14), then under construction. RATP acknowledges shortcomings in the subsurface studies.
Source: Le Nouvel Obs / Rue89 — The holes in Parisian Swiss cheese
2020
New headquarters of the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate)
86 rue Regnault (13th)
The IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) moves to 86 rue Regnault in the 13th arrondissement. 24/7 emergency number: 01 40 47 58 00.
Source: Wikipedia — the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) · City of Paris — the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) location
2020 (reference)
Online request service to the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) (10 €)
86 rue Regnault (13th)
The IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) offers a request for information on the subsoil condition of a plot via a digital service, for 10 €, with an average turnaround of less than 8 days. This is the official reference procedure for knowing precisely whether quarries are present beneath an address.
Source: City of Paris — Everything you need to know about the subsurfaces · City of Paris — the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) location
Ground, fill and clay shrink-swell
The 13th arrondissement lies on the limestone plateau of the « le 13 » network (see quarry section), with alluvial banks towards Austerlitz and quai de la Gare, on the edge of the Seine.
Load-bearing limestone ground on the plateau outside cavity areas; loose alluvial deposits to be checked near the banks. A G1/G2 geotechnical study is recommended before any project.
Unlike almost all French municipalities, inner Paris has no official mapping of the clay shrink-swell hazard (RGA). The BRGM explains this explicitly: the Paris subsoil is largely made up of reworked and artificial materials (backfill, infilled former quarries), which does not correspond to the standard methodology for this mapping — centred on detached houses, which are in the minority in Paris. This does not mean that there is no risk of differential settlement, but that no official area-by-area study exists for the capital: a ground investigation remains the only reliable way to assess a specific plot before purchase or construction.
Steps to take in the 13th before a purchase or works
High cavity risk: consultation with the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) and a G1 geotechnical study are strongly recommended before a purchase or works.
- IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) information sheet — the authoritative source on the condition of the parcel’s subsoil: €10, issued within 8 days, via the City of Paris online service.
- Statutory risk statement (ERP) — mandatory for sale and letting, generated from Errial; note, it does not return cavity data in Paris.
- geotechnical survey — G1 mission before purchasing a building plot, G2 AVP before a construction or underpinning project.
- Referral to the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) for planning — prefectoral orders require it to be consulted for any planning permission in a quarry-risk area.
Frequently asked questions
Are there underground quarries beneath Paris’s 13th arrondissement?
Yes. The 13th arrondissement is recorded in public data from the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) as an area affected by the « Network « the 13th » (thirteenth) » network, in Lutetian coarse limestone. The risk level selected is « High », with high confidence in the sector classification. Network distinct from the GRS. Current headquarters of the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) (86 rue Regnault). Collapse of the courtyard at the Auguste-Perret school in 2003 (linked to the Météor works).
How can I find out whether my exact address in the 13th is in an undermined area?
Quarry zoning must be read at plot level rather than arrondissement level. There are two options: the official information sheet from the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate), at €10 and issued within 8 days, which is the legally binding source; and Sous-sol Paris’s instant pre-assessment, at €15, which matches your address against public data and immediately provides you with a readable report, including the steps to take. This pre-assessment is for information only and does not replace the IGC information sheet, the statutory risk statement (ERP), or a geotechnical study.
Why do cavity data for the 13th not appear on Géorisques?
Because for départements 75, 78, 91, 92, 93, 94 and 95, cavity data are not published on the Géorisques portal: they can be consulted with the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) for Paris and the inner suburbs, or with the relevant interdepartmental service. This is why a standard statutory risk statement (ERP) remains silent on Paris quarries and gypsum.
Is the 13th’s quarry risk covered by insurance?
Disorders linked to former quarries do not fall under the « natural disaster » scheme. In the event of collapse, infill works, estimated at 40 000 to 200 000 €, remain the responsibility of the owners. This is what makes checking before purchase essential.
Other arrondissements
- Subsoil of the 12th arrondissement
- Subsoil of the 14th arrondissement
- Subsoil of the 11th arrondissement
- Subsoil of the 15th arrondissement
- Subsurface of the 5th arrondissement
- Subsoil of the 6th arrondissement
- Subsoil of the 7th arrondissement
- See the 20 arrondissements
Sources
- City of Paris — Everything you need to know about the subsurfaces
- Institut Paris Région — Underground risk study (quarries)
- Le Nouvel Obs / Rue89 — The holes in Parisian Swiss cheese
- Wikipedia — the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate)
- Wikipedia — Paris, Geology section
- BRGM — Why is there no map of the clay shrink-swell hazard for Paris?
- Géorisques — Clay shrink-swell, 2026 version (data)
- City of Paris — the IGC (Paris quarry inspectorate) location
- Géorisques — Underground cavities (data)
- City of Paris — Known areas of former quarries (IGC)
Page updated on 11 September 2026.