The Architecture of Resistance: Understanding French Environmental Organizing

French environmental grassroots movements have developed distinctive organizational forms that reflect the nation's political culture, social structures, and philosophical traditions. Unlike the professionalized NGO model dominant in Anglo-Saxon countries, French environmental organizing has maintained strong connections to local communities, direct democracy principles, and broader social movements.

This chapter explores how grassroots environmental activism has evolved from the 1970s to the present, examining the diverse tactics, organizational structures, and coalitions that have shaped French environmentalism. We pay particular attention to movements often marginalized in mainstream accounts, including those led by immigrant communities, working-class neighborhoods, and overseas territories.