[The WHO age-friendly cities program raises the issue of strategic planning, coordination and local political...

In 2005 the World Health Organization initiated the «global age-friendly cities project» which encourages cities to be more inclusive of older people and to develop seniors' involvement by setting up a continuous cycle of assessment and improvement of urban living. The conclusions of the first french audit, which was made in Lyon in 2011, raise the issue of the capacity of cities to implement projects in all the areas fostering active aging. The question of strategic planning and of the level of intervention is relevant for the topics selected, and especially that of health. Is the present organization between the different actors satisfactory, or should large cities have more power? Co-ordination is necessary, and the creation of «gerontopoles» could bring an answer.