News letters and comment

‘Ponds in rural France are beautifully maintained but no longer used’

Columnist Peter Wyeth laments that these large, impressive sites, once the fresh-aired setting for family picnics, barbecues and fun, now fail to attract people

‘New French speeding rule encourages aggressive drivers’

The change has enabled reckless motorists to drive even more wildly without fear of losing points, argues columnist Samantha David

Do you agree? Paris politicians ignore rural France at their peril

Rural voters are looking for leaders outside the Paris bubble who will protect village life, says columnist Nick Inman

Updated: How important is buying French produce to you?

We share reader feedback after the farmer protests swept France

‘Macron wants higher birth rate - of the right kind of French babies’

The president’s latest bid for Le Pen votes is deeply unsavoury, warns commentator Nabila Ramdani

‘Why France’s ‘boy wonder’ PM may still end up as Macron’s scapegoat’

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal may have presidential aspirations but consider the fate of his predecessors, warns commentator Simon Heffer

My experience in France as a university English teacher

Teaching English in France has taught me so much about the language learning process

‘French far-right fight over rural votes with village-idiot policies’

Political parties which promise to protect a mythic Gallic country life are living in a fantasy world, warns columnist Nabila Ramdani

French education minister did not lie - ‘reality proved her wrong’

Statement over her son’s schooling echoes the ‘alternative facts’ phrase from the US Trump administration

Why being punctual is not always polite in France

Sometimes being late is good manners as columnist Annaliza Davis finds out

Are theatre audiences in France better behaved than the UK or US?

Columnist Peter Wyeth notices a genuine appreciation for performers and no reports of anti-social behaviour at shows

The value of going to your mayor’s New Year party in France

Cérémonies des vœux take place all over France, giving elected officials a chance to ‘talk shop’ – while everyone else socialises

Updated: readers share their French film and TV recommendations

Dramas, thrillers, and a soap opera all make list of most-loved watches in France

‘No happy new year for French president chasing a place in history’

President Macron’s problems are stacking up at home and abroad, says columnist Simon Heffer

Why do cheap UK-France ferry day-trips exist but France-UK do not?

Popping over to Dover for British goods or fish and chips used to be a nice day out for one reader until recently - blame duty-free

‘I’m obsessed with Dutch peanut butter - it beats French or US brands’

Why a peanut spread from the Netherlands called ‘pindakaas’ is the best in the world according one reader

Do you agree? Flawed trickle-down economics at odds with French values

Columnist Nick Inman digs into why many French people are sceptical that tax breaks for the wealthy will benefit society

‘Vous? Tu? French people are more worried about mistakes than I am’

The French word for ‘you’ comes with a social dance that columnist Nick Inman refuses to join

Napoleon, an ‘irritable little tyrant’? Not to us French people

The leader remains a central figure and unified France during one of its most fraught periods, say two experts, as a new blockbuster film about him divides critics

‘No fussy eating, strict bedtimes - my French parenting rules’

‘Adopt what you like and leave the rest’, says Columnist Cynthia Spillman as she points out some differences of bringing up children in France

‘I will never rely on an app to translate my thoughts into French’

Online translators are useful tools but people still need to understand the nuance of language, says columnist Nick Inman

Do you agree? American Dream overrated when compared to France

Columnist Nick Inman explores the existence of the French Dream and how it differs to its American counterpart

French people are not rude, just direct

Cultural differences have created this stereotype

‘The torturous tale of my missing carte Vitale and French bureaucracy’

French administration systems are always right and never make mistakes, jokes columnist Peter Wyeth

Rugby loss: ‘French are not bad losers, we just like skirting rules’

The Connexion reviews whether French are sore losers by nature following France’s defeat in the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup or if the reaction is more emotional and part of the game itself

‘Mairie to rescue when no engineers found for my dodgy French boiler’

Writer Samantha David left with problem when her regular repair man was off sick

French rugby assault case puts spotlight on trial by social media

Online platforms should protect the presumption of innocence of anyone appealing a conviction, says French lawyer

Ban on abaya dress in French schools divides opinion

Religious experts share arguments for or against the long robes recently banned in secular state schools

Art historian’s guide to walking the Chemin de Compostela from France

Medieval art historian Dr Julia Faiers walks in the shoes of a pilgrim to discover the sacred art and monuments along the Chemin de Compostelle

Restos du Coeur: Why issues at France’s biggest charity have hit hard

News that the charity is struggling has been seen as tantamount to a ‘French institution in peril’, prompting outrage, disbelief, and high-profile donations

‘While the world mocks the British Royal Family, France remains loyal’

Regret over the guillotine or nostalgia? Journalist Nabila Ramdani explores why France loves The Royals

Is French cuisine really the best in the world?

A Connexion reader challenges the country’s gastronomic credentials

Why footballer Kylian Mbappé could be France’s greatest soft power

Sports star’s appeal for calm after the recent riots shows his huge influence off the pitch as well as on

France garden tips: try agapanthus, it is hardier than you think

The evergreen types are ideal for a Mediterranean climate, coming as they do from the western and eastern cape in South Africa

Do you agree? French cuisine is not superior to other foods

Put stereotypes to one side, there are some foods Britain and US do better than France, says Nick Inman

‘A weekend camping 12 minutes away from our French home - why not?’

After a relaxing stay at the local lake, writer Samantha David realises tourist facilities on her doorstep are for locals too

I agree French visa system is too difficult

A Connexion reader says that troubles are not limited to online processes – face-to-face appointments can also be challenging

Talking point: Is it really offensive to say ‘the French’?

Columnist Nick Inman mulls over the arguments for and against using this general term

‘I see no problem’: Readers divided over banning horse meat in France

Some readers still enjoy horse meat, while others argue it should be outlawed immediately

‘Solid metal fences hiding French gardens are a mystery to me’

Attitudes to fencing might highlight a difference in French and American culture, ponders Peter Wyeth

Navigating electric car challenges in France

A Connexion reader spells out some important considerations before trading in your car for a ‘cleaner’ vehicle

‘Ten recycling bins in Belgium was easy compared to French system’

‘Why is it so difficult to recycle in my village?’ wondered writer Samantha David, so she rang the council to ask them

Higher taxes, 90/180 days rule… why we are selling up in France

Connexion readers explain why they’ve decided to quit France due to Brexit changes

Beware of bulk-buy ‘deals’ in French supermarkets

A Connexion reader advises that you should always check the price per kilogram

‘Tax on France’s vegetable gardens would be another Macron scandal’

If rumours of a ‘potager’ tax are true it would strike at the heart of French life, says journalist Nabila Ramdani

‘France’s rugby is a metaphor for its culture and art de vivre’

As France prepares to host the Rugby World Cup, journalist Richard Ogier looks at how the sport is revered here

Homemade garden fire protection system in France

A Connexion reader shares their solution to the threat of wildfires to their garden this summer

Driving to France in an electric car: the case against

A Connexion reader argues that EVs are not so great for the environment as they are said to be

Reader’s experience of France’s DPE energy rating: ‘nonsense’

They believe their low rating is inaccurate and devaluing their stone property

All in favour of EU flag-flying in France

Connexion readers give their feedback on mairies being made to fly the EU flag

‘Therapy’ dogs long overdue in France

A Connexion reader shares her experience of therapy dogs in the UK

Stress-busting tips for when friends come to stay with you in France

Living in France can mean acquiring ‘new best friends’ who invite themselves to stay, columnist Cynthia Spillman helps navigate this with grace

Do you agree? Protests and polls undermine real democracy in France

There are two parallel democracies in France - the ballot box vote and the protest in the street, says journalist Nick Inman

Stop picking on older drivers in France

A Connexion reader believes older drivers are not the biggest risk on the roads of France

‘Bringing back monarchy to France may not be a ridiculous idea’

A monarch and a President may bring balance - but which aristocrat would sit on the French throne? Journalist Simon Heffer explores

How to access the British gov.uk website as a French resident

A British Connexion reader shares how he was able to create a Government Gateway account

‘Enormous impact’: Readers on how EU rule has hit their France visits

Connexion readers detail how the 90/180-day rule has slashed their holiday time and pushed them to sell their French homes

‘Hoisting EU flag as a compulsory sign of peace looks ridiculous’

With war raging in Ukraine, journalist Nabila Ramdani thinks Macron’s new flag policy is personal and trivial

‘Subsidised French cinema keeps art form alive despite Hollywood’

Film as art is protected and championed in French culture - long may it continue says columnist Richard Ogier

Far-right terrorism ‘is a real threat’ in France

A recent march by far-right activists in Paris caused controversy, but political scientist Stéphane François says it is the less visible extremists we should be worrying about