The ONF (Office National des Forêts) manages the state forest on behalf of the French State. For certain organised activities, you must request prior authorization before you communicate publicly or prepare logistics.
When is ONF authorization mandatory?
ONF says authorization is required for:
- Non-profit groups over 60 people (total headcount).
- Any one-off commercial / for-profit activity, from the first participant (paid coaching days, guided sessions, company outings, etc.).
- Any filming / photo shoot intended to be published.
- Any marketing / communication operation (brand promo, influencer campaign, ads, etc.).
- Any event that installs equipment or sports material that can create conflicts of use or privatise space, from the first participant.
Authorization is generally not required for:
- Less then 60 people, non-profit, and no equipment likely to create conflict/privatisation.
- Strictly private photos/videos with no publication and no commercial purpose.
Timing: think “2 months minimum”
- ONF asks you to submit your request at least 2 months before the planned date.
- After submission, ONF has up to 2 months to process it. Submitting a request is not approval: you are only authorised once ONF sends the signed agreement. If there is no reply by the end of the instruction period, the request is considered refused.
Extra “group reality” checks (why requests get blocked)
ONF will check compatibility with:
- Forestry work and hunting season (15 Sept – 31 March),
- Ecology (including Natura 2000 areas),
- Conflicts of use / privatisation,
- Protected zones: RBI strictly forbidden, RBD limited to certain paths.
ONF also recommends: apply early, keep impact low, have Plan B dates/locations, and do not publish itineraries or promote the event before ONF validation and the signed authorization.
In spring (ecologically sensitive period), ONF explicitly warns that high-attendance activities (300+ people) and/or off-path activities are not authorised.
Questions / special cases
ONF lists autorisations.idfe@onf.fr for questions and certain special cases (and for recurring commercial activities from 4 dates per year).
