Depending on the level of drought in the department concerned, each restriction corresponds to one of four “alert colours” on a map issued by the minister for Ecology (ministre de l'Écologie).
Departments across the whole country are affected, with the highest level of restriction - ‘crisis’ - largely seen in the west of the Hexagon.
The map can be found in more detail on the minister’s Propluvia website, and the levels of alert and restrictions should also be displayed in the local Mairie (town hall) of the departments affected.
The four levels are:
Vigilance (grey) - professional establishments and heavy users should make efforts to save water.
Alert (yellow) - agricultural businesses should cut the number of water withdrawals and harvests for farming up to 50%, or restrict withdrawals to three times’ per week, whichever uses less water. Topping up your swimming pool or using extra water for water-based fun activities are completely banned. Watering your garden and washing your car are banned for several hours a day.
Strong Alert (orange) - agricultural businesses should cut the number of water withdrawals and harvests made for farming by another 50%. Even stronger limits on washing your car, watering your garden or topping up your swimming pool.
Crisis (red) - All non-priority uses of water are banned, including water used for agriculture. Water usage is only permitted for health issues, civil security, as drinking water, or for necessary personal cleaning.
The full list of departments affected:
Ain (01), Aisne (02), Allier (03) Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04), Hautes Alpes (05), Alpes Maritimes (06), Ardèche (07), Ardennes (08), Ariège (09), Aube (10), Aude (11), Aveyron (12), Bouches du Rhone (13), Calvados (14), Charente (16), Charente-Maritime (17), Cher (18), Corse-du-Sud (2A) Côte-d'Or (21), Côtes-d'Armor (22), Creuse (23), Dordogne (24), Doubs (25), Drôme (26), Eure (27), Eure-et-Loir (28), Finistère (29), Haute-Corse (2B), Gard (30), Haute-Garonne (31), Gers (32), Gironde (33), Hérault (34), Ille-et-Vilaine (35), Indre (36), Indre-et-Loire (37), Isère (38), Jura (39), Landes (40), Loir-et-Cher (41), Loire (42), Loire-Atlantique (44), Loiret (45), Lot (46), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Lozère (48), Maine-et-Loire (49), Marne (51), Haute-Marne (52), Mayenne (53), Meurthe-et-Moselle (54), Meuse (55), Morbihan (56), Moselle (57), Nièvre (58), Nord (59), Oise (60), Orne (61), Pas-de-Calais (62), Puy-de-Dôme (63), Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64), Hautes Pyrénées (65), Pyrénées-Orientales (66), Rhône (69), Haute-Saône (70), Saône-et-Loire (71), Sarthe (72), Savoie (73), Seine-Maritime (76), Seine-et-Marne (77), Deux-Sèvres (79), Somme (80), Tarn (81), Tarn-et-Garonne (82), Var (83), Vaucluse (84), Vendée (85), Vienne (86), Haute-Vienne (87), Vosges (88), Yonne (89), Territoire de Belfort (90), Val de Marne (94), Val-d'Oise (95).
