50 original indicators, based on national statistics and collected data on territories provide information on metropolitan dynamics, the quality of life and social cohesion, attractiveness and the influence of the fifteen French metropolises by associating analyses, maps, data-visualisation and zooms of specific areas. Far from trying to establish categories Métroscope is a tool which public representatives and local and national key-players can use to converse and clarify the future challenges they have to address, to create effective public policies and to reinforce their cooperation.
The Federation of Urbanism Agencies (FNAU), France Urbaine and the Assembly of French Communes (AdCF), associated with the General Commission for the Equality of Territories (CGET) wanted to instigate a process to increase awareness and knowledge about the networks of French metropolises and for monitoring them. This document, baptised Métroscope, is founded on the expert assessment of territorial observation made using public and parapublic engineering which has involved a collectivity of specialists from urbanism agencies (including Apur), metropolises, associations of representatives of public authorities and members of the CGET and is backed by the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion and the Deposits and Consignments Fund - Caisse des Dépôts-.