Tiles of hundreds of megabytes
Data downloads come as tiles covering square kilometres: for a 2,000 m² parcel, downloading and processing a whole tile is disproportionate.
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LiDAR HD France: download the data your project needs
The IGN LiDAR HD program maps France with a classified point cloud. GeoAlt exploits it and delivers the exact extraction of your area.
LiDAR HD is the IGN program that maps the French territory with airborne laser scanning: every point carries a 3D position and a classification (ground, buildings, vegetation, water). The data is public; exploiting it — clipping, decompression, classification, projection — remains specialist work. GeoAlt automates it.
What usually gets in the way
Compressed formats that are hard to read
LAZ files require specialised libraries (laz-perf, LASlib): merely reading the cloud is already a technical project.
Projection systems to handle
Tiles come in Lambert 93 (mainland France) with territory-specific vertical datums: a wrong reference shifts the whole survey.
What GeoAlt makes of it
- Extraction over your exact area
- You pick the parcel or draw the area: only the points covering it are extracted, decompressed and delivered.
- Filtering by classification
- Ground only, ground + buildings, everything but vegetation: ASPRS class filtering is set before extraction.
- Open output formats
- LAS for maximum compatibility, E57 for scanning software, XYZ for spreadsheets and scripts, LAZ for compact archiving.
- Reference systems handled for you
- Projection and vertical datum follow the survey’s territory (Lambert 93 / IGN 69 in mainland France; Corsican, Belgian, Dutch reference systems handled the same way).
See a real extraction
The public demo extracts the LiDAR cloud of a real parcel and shows class filtering.
Open the demoAvailable formats
- LAS / LAZ (standard ASPRS format)
- E57 (cross-software scan exchange)
- XYZ (plain text, x y z class)
- DXF 3D and OBJ for CAD / 3D
Stated technical limits
- LiDAR HD density is typically around 10 points/m² in covered areas; it varies between acquisition campaigns.
- Coverage is progressive: some areas are not yet scanned and remain served by RGE ALTI.
- IGN data is reusable under its open licence; GeoAlt states the source and date on every deliverable.
Frequently asked questions
What is the LiDAR HD resolution?
The program targets an average density of about 10 points per square metre, with vertical accuracy of a few centimetres on the ground. Actual density varies between campaigns.
Which point classes are available?
The ASPRS classification distinguishes ground, vegetation (low and high), buildings, water points and noise. GeoAlt lets you filter by class before extraction.
Do I have to download a whole tile?
No: GeoAlt queries the tiles remotely and keeps only the points of your area. You download your extraction, not the tile.
What about outside France?
GeoAlt also exploits the open Belgian (Flanders, Wallonia) and Dutch (AHN) datasets, with their own reference systems. More territories will follow as data opens up.
Extract your LiDAR cloud
Enter a cadastral reference: the LiDAR HD extraction of your area is ready in minutes.
Open the application