Jonathan Fayeton: Governing through exercises? The governance of the Île-de-France metropolitan area through the lens of simulation exercises for a hundred-year flood of the Seine.

A major flood of the Seine is the main so-called ‘natural’ risk in the Île-de-France region. By severely disrupting the networks that underpin the Île-de-France metropolitan area (public transport, road traffic, electricity, telecommunications, water, sewerage, district heating, etc.), such an event would have serious consequences for economic, social and political life. To prepare for this, public authorities and private sector stakeholders organise crisis management exercises during which they jointly simulate a flood and the implementation of their emergency procedures.

During these exercises, the stakes go far beyond simply training crisis teams. Understanding of the risks is enhanced, public awareness is raised, and coordination between the relevant stakeholders is improved. During and alongside the exercise, stakeholders redefine their roles, areas of responsibility and priorities, both in times of crisis and in normal circumstances. The aim of this research is therefore to examine crisis management exercises beyond the simulation phase, in order to understand their full impact across the Île-de-France region.