BD TOPO®

The BD TOPO® dataset offers a 3D vector description of the French territory and its infrastructures, characterized by metric precision and suitability for scales ranging from 1:2,000 to 1:50,000. This comprehensive dataset covers all geographical and administrative entities across France, enabling detailed visualization, precise positioning, and realistic simulations for spatial analysis and operational territory management. The 3D object descriptions facilitate advanced spatial analyses crucial for decision-making in various studies.

BD TOPO® objects are systematically grouped into themes aligned with the INSPIRE modeling framework. These themes include Administrative (boundaries, units), Built (constructions), Hydrography (water-related elements), Named Places (toponyms, natural/inhabited areas), Land Use (vegetation, foreshore, hedges), Services and Activities (public services, energy, industrial sites), Transport (road, rail, air networks, routes), and Regulated Zones (specific zonings). This structured organization enhances data usability and interoperability.

Since 2019, a new edition of BD TOPO® has been published quarterly. For users requiring high-frequency topographic data, the BD TOPO® Express product offers weekly updates (available from May 2025). Additionally, the Différentiel BD TOPO® product provides geometric and semantic differences between successive quarterly editions, highlighting changes over a three-month period. Download links for departmental Shapefiles (e.g., September 2025 edition) are directly accessible on the platform.