The "Environmental Health Barometer" survey conducted by the National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (INPES) gathered opinions on environmental and health issues through a telephone questionnaire administered to a representative sample of the population. This study focuses specifically on air pollution. It describes French people’s perceptions of air pollution, their views on its health effects, and their access to information on this topic. Differences in perceptions were identified for each of these factors, after controlling for structural effects related to other variables. Thus, overall, the most disadvantaged social classes have a more negative view of air pollution problems; they are more sensitive to its sensory manifestations (odors, smoke) and perceive a higher health risk for the general population. However, they report less frequently feeling the effects of air pollution on their own health or that of those around them. But beyond socioeconomic criteria, it is primarily around the city that disparities in perceptions of outdoor air pollution seem to crystallize. Urban dwellers hold negative perceptions of air pollution. Different life stages also develop varying sensitivities to the environment. However, this study does not demonstrate that these differences in perception are associated with differences in exposure; it thus highlights the main challenge observed in pollution management, namely the invisible nature of toxic pollution and the inadequacy of regulatory responses. Raising public awareness is all the more difficult because perceptions of pollution vary greatly among population groups, requiring communication tools to be tailored to different target audiences. The identified disparities also raise questions about whether people living in precarious conditions can embrace environmental values that seem beyond their reach. (R.A.)