# French building heights

> Index of the TerraLab docs for agents: [llms.txt](https://terra-lab.ai/docs/llms.txt). Every docs page is also served as markdown: add .md to its URL.

Height in metres, floors, main use and year built of every building around an address or in a small area in France, from IGN BD TOPO.

| | |
| --- | --- |
| REST | `POST https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/french_building_heights` |
| MCP tool | `french_building_heights` on `https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/mcp` |
| Group | France |

## Request

```bash
curl -X POST https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/french_building_heights \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TERRALAB_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"area":{"place":"10 place Bellecour, Lyon","radius_m":150}}'
```

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/french_building_heights",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['TERRALAB_API_KEY']}"},
    json={
        "area": {
            "place": "10 place Bellecour, Lyon",
            "radius_m": 150,
        },
    },
    timeout=120,
)
response.raise_for_status()
print(response.json()["structuredContent"])
```

```javascript
const response = await fetch('https://mcp.terra-lab.ai/v1/tools/french_building_heights', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.TERRALAB_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "area": {
      "place": "10 place Bellecour, Lyon",
      "radius_m": 150
    }
  }),
});
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data.structuredContent);
```

Other valid request bodies:

```json
{"area":{"bbox":[2.294,48.857,2.299,48.86]},"formats":["shapefile"]}
```

## Parameters

A JSON object in the request body; in an MCP client, the arguments of the tool call.

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `area` | object | Yes | The area: a bbox, or a place (name, address or coordinates) with an optional radius in metres. The place the user asks about, not the user's own location. |
| `area.bbox` | array of number | No | [west, south, east, north] in decimal degrees (WGS 84). Exactly 4 items. |
| `area.place` | string or object | No | A place name or address, or a point. |
| `area.radius_m` | number | No | Radius around the place in metres. From 1 to 100000. |
| `formats` | array of string | No | Download formats. Default `["geojson"]`. |

## Response

`structuredContent` holds the result, `content` the same result as text for a model, and `isError` is `true` when the tool refused the request or failed; then `structuredContent.code`, `message` and `hint` say what to change.

```json
{
  "structuredContent": {
    "sources": [{ "name": "...", "licence": "...", "url": "..." }],
    "downloads": [{ "label": "...", "format": "...", "url": "...", "name": "..." }]
  },
  "content": [{ "type": "text", "text": "..." }],
  "isError": false
}
```

Every result lists its `sources` with their licence. File results come as `downloads`: each link builds its file when opened.

## Errors

A missing key answers `401`, an empty balance `402`, too many calls `429`. A call that fails or finds nothing is not counted. See [Errors and rate limits](https://terra-lab.ai/docs/errors).

## Description for agents

The text the server gives an agent to decide when to call this tool:

> Use this when the user asks how tall the buildings are around an address or in a small area in France: height in metres per building, floors, main use, year built and ground altitude, from IGN BD TOPO. The area is a place with a radius (default 150 m) or a bbox, at most 0.6 km². Shows the buildings on a map with a height summary (count, median, tallest) and GeoJSON, KML, Shapefile zip or CSV downloads. France only (mainland, Corsica and overseas departments). Never use the user's current location unless they type it. Give the place as the user names it (place name, address or coordinates): this tool locates it, so find_places is not needed first. Download links build their file when opened; no file is saved. Never pass these links to open_gis_file: list every format the user needs in formats, in this one call.


Source: https://terra-lab.ai/docs/api/french_building_heights · Updated 2026-10-27