Some form of agricultural use, cropland, pastures and permanent crops, covers roughly 60% of the land, while the remaining 35% of land is in forests, other natural environments and water. There is a distinct spatial order with dense metropolises, growing peri-urban zones, and clearly defined villages dotting the predominantly agricultural and natural landscape. While these spatial forms are shaped by their histories, they are also moulded by present practices—the national regulator}' frameworks that guide and structure actions at the regional and local levels, and by economic forces. This introductory chapter describes the institutional frameworks and policies that that shape the spatial planning system and land use practices at the regional and local levels. Complications arise from multiple sources, but one of the largest is the inherent tension within a system of government that involves both, a strong national government that is engaged in virtually all aspects of French society, and a strong tradition of small scale local democracy that has resulted in a plethora of elected local governments, or communes. This leads to situations where national policies impose a series of constraints that can clash with local priorities.