Abstract
Municipalities of the Languedoc-Roussillon region (South-eastern France) arehighly vulnerable to climate-change-induced sea-level rise (SLR) due to theirlow altitude and the great attractiveness of the region for tourism. Thisattractiveness has resulted in a very significant development of second homes,which represent half of the housing stock and three quarters of the total capacityfor tourism hospitality. In the context of climate change adaptation measuresrelated to SLR, it is imperative to consider the perceptions of second-homeowners and their place in local governance arrangements. Scientists advocate theimplementation of managed retreat policies to reduce vulnerability by reducingthe exposure of buildings, but both the social acceptability and the economicfeasibility of these policies are very low. We assume that second-home ownershave different perceptions of the risk of inundation and are less involved in thegovernance mechanisms. It is very difficult to mobilise a large number of ownersof small flats who are less concerned with, and less likely to contribute to, policydevelopment, due to their less frequent presence. We studied these issuesthrough a survey in three municipalities, based on a sample of 318 residents and163 second-home owners faced with inundation risk. We observed a lowersensitivity to risk and a stronger attachment to homes on the part of secondhomeowners (compared to residents). We also discuss, in terms of equity andefficiency, the impact of their low level of engagement in governance mechanisms.