Floodplain restoration projects are part of sustainable
flood management model. However, in practice,
they are rarely implemented. We analyze the failure of a
floodplain restoration project that was supposed to be
implemented on the River Rho^ne (France). Based on the
analysis of floodplain restoration projects implementation
literature, we identified several constraints on the implementation
of the project. In accordance with the literature,
institutional factors were found to have played a critical
role in the failure of the project. Other factors such as
opposing representations between inhabitants and river
managers were also important. Moreover, the strong
involvement of the State alongside river managers proved
to be a major constraint on implementation.