<P> The Zone Rouge (English: Red Zone) is a chain of non-contiguous areas throughout northeastern France that the French government isolated after the First World War . The land, which originally covered more than 1,200 square kilometres (460 sq mi), was deemed to be physically and environmentally too damaged by the conflict for human habitation . Rather than attempt to immediately clean up the former battlefields, the land was allowed to return to nature . Restrictions within the zone rouge still exist today although the control areas have been greatly reduced . </P> <P> The "zone rouge" was defined just after the war as "Completely devastated . Damage to properties: 100% . Damage to Agriculture: 100% . Impossible to clean . Human life impossible". </P> <P> Under French law, activities such as housing, farming or forestry, were temporarily or permanently forbidden in the zone rouge . This was because of the vast amounts of human and animal remains and millions of items of unexploded ordnance contaminating the land . Some towns and villages were never permitted to be rebuilt after the war . </P> <P> The area is saturated with unexploded shells (including many gas shells), grenades, and rusty ammunition . Soils were heavily polluted by lead, mercury, chlorine, arsenic, various dangerous gases, acids, and human and animal remains . The area was also littered with ammunition depots and chemical plants . </P>

No go zone of france poisoned by war
find me the text answering this question