In France, drowning is a major public health issue, as it accounts for more than 500 deaths each year. Across all age groups, it ranks as the fourth leading cause of accidental death; among children under 15, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death. Even when drowning does not result in death, it can sometimes leave severe long-term consequences. Some drownings could be prevented through a better epidemiological understanding of the demographic characteristics of victims and the circumstances surrounding these accidents. The French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) and the Directorate of Civil Defense and Security of the Ministry of the Interior, Internal Security, and Local Freedoms conducted the NOYADES 2003 survey, an epidemiological study covering all drowning incidents that occurred in France during the summer of 2003: in private and public swimming pools, rivers and lakes, the sea, and other locations (bathtubs, ponds, etc.). Two surveys were conducted in 2001 and 2002, including the NOYADES 2002 survey carried out in all French departments, which included all drowning victims, whether or not they were followed by hospitalization or death.