The PSMV of Versailles : a practical guide
- Antoine de Gironde
- May 26
- 3 min read
Updated: May 28
In Versailles, every intervention on an existing building starts with the same question: is your property subject to the Plan de Sauvegarde et de Mise en Valeur (PSMV)? This regulatory document, specific to Sites Patrimoniaux Remarquables (SPR), sets out what you can do, what you must preserve, and what the authorities will or will not approve. Understanding its logic saves valuable time and helps you avoid costly surprises during the approval process. Our Expertise page explains how we incorporate these constraints from the very start of each commission.
What is the PSMV?
The Plan de Sauvegarde et de Mise en Valeur is the SPRs' equivalent of the PLU (Local Urban Plan). It was created by the Malraux law of 1962 and, within its area of application, replaces the municipal PLU.
In Versailles the PSMV covers the historic core of the city: the Notre‑Dame district, much of the Saint‑Louis district, and the immediate surroundings of the palace. It lays down very specific rules on building form, permitted materials, façade colours, joinery, roofs and decorative architectural elements.
It is a binding document: it applies to every applicant, whether a private owner, a co‑ownership or a developer.
What is the difference with the ABF perimeter?
The protection perimeter around Monuments Historiques (the 500‑metre “abords”) covers a much larger area than the SPR. Within that perimeter the Architecte des Bâtiments de France (ABF) issues an opinion on building permit and works applications. We explain their role in our article “Working in an ABF area: what it actually changes.
Inside the SPR governed by the PSMV the ABF also intervenes, but their opinion is binding (conforme) rather than merely consultative, which means it is mandatory for the deciding authority. In practice the two regimes overlap and reinforce each other in the most sensitive parts of Versailles.
What the PSMV regulates concretely
The PSMV of Versailles sets, building by building or block by block, prescriptions on:
Facades: restoration must be done in lime render in prescribed shades; decorative features (cornices, string courses, window surrounds) must be preserved; cement renders are prohibited.
Joinery: windows must respect original proportions and profiles. Double glazing is possible under conditions, but any change of design requires authorization.
Roofs: materials, slopes, dormers and roof openings are regulated. Natural slate is the reference material for pitched roofs.
Ground-floor shops: shopfronts, signs and awnings are subject to specific rules compatible with the building’s architecture.
How to know if your property is affected?
The perimeter of Versailles’s SPR can be viewed on the atlas des patrimoines, a website of the Ministry of Culture. If in doubt, the Urban Planning Department of the City of Versailles can tell you whether your parcel is included in the PSMV. You can also contact us directly for an initial reading of your regulatory situation.
For projects within the protected area, the Atelier produces historical studies and diagnostic reports which the Maison de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine of Versailles reviews before any official file is submitted. This preliminary opinion helps refine intervention choices and ensures their consistency with the PSMV’s prescriptions.
What authorisations must be obtained?
In the SPR, almost any work affecting a building’s exterior requires prior authorisation: façade renovation (a déclaration préalable de travaux, with the ABF’s opinion), replacement of joinery, or roof alterations. Processing times are longer: allow two to four months for a déclaration préalable.
What an architect brings in this context
The project architect/master-builder knows the PSMV, its prescriptions and where there is flexibility. They know how to assemble a file that meets the ABF’s expectations while serving the client’s interests. Our projects in the protected area concretely illustrate this approach.
To go further
→ Ministry of Culture — atlas des patrimoines
Antoine de Gironde
Architecte DESA — Registered with the Order of Architects n°084305
Atelier d'Architecture Antoine de Gironde
10 rue de Fontenay, 78000 Versailles
