Urban planning at the border: a podcast on urban development in three Cross-Border Regions (Luxembourg, Geneva, Lille)
April 2026
A documentary series focusing on urban planning in three French cross-border regions – around Luxembourg, Geneva and Lille – has just been released. Produced by a group of academic researchers (geographers, urban planners and sociologists) from institutions including Gustave Eiffel University and Lab’Urba, this podcast offers an in-depth look at the day-to-day realities of these areas.
Over the course of three episodes, it explores the daily experiences of residents in border contexts – work, housing, the environment and quality of life – and compares them with the planning and cross-border cooperation challenges specific to each of these areas.
ANR research project: ‘Cross-border management and regulation of urban sprawl’ (GERTRUD)
This work forms part of the ANR research project ‘The Gestion et régulation transfrontalières de l’urbanisation diffuse’ (GERTRUD), coordinated by Joël Idt and funded by the French National Research Agency. This programme analyses urbanisation dynamics on the outskirts of conurbations, particularly in cross-border urban regions, in order to better understand the challenges of planning and governance at this scale. It highlights contemporary issues relating to land use efficiency, access to housing and the coordination of public policy. The Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière (MOT) was a partner in this project.
