The Connexion 237 - July 2022 e-Paper
Critical staff shortages have left more than one in five hospital A&E units in France in “great difficulty”, with many forced to cut opening times or stop service altogether.
A shortage of doctors in private practice is a key cause of the hospital problem said Claude Rambaud, vice-president of patients’ group France Assos Santé. People struggled to find key services such as a GP “and the hospital is the only option left”
Paris’s signature grey zinc skyline could soon be getting a green makeover after authorities gave the go-ahead to a prototype rooftop garden
Covid cases were rising by 50% a week in France at the end of June, with experts saying the situation constituted “an epidemic restart” with vaccination still the “strongest weapon”
France may have escaped the worst of the early summer flight chaos but unions warn that strikes and staff shortages loom as the holiday season takes off
The government has announced a €500million budget to help keep cities cooler after an early heatwave in June saw temperatures nudge 40C across much of France, and exceed that in some places
Government efforts to boost spending power got lost in the legislative election fury but several measures have already been launched, with more planned over the coming months
French campsites are braced for one of their busiest summers in years as continued Covid uncertainty and rising fuel prices keep holidaymakers close to home
Quintessentially French apéro Ricard celebrates its 90th birthday this year
Anyone applying for a French residency card (carte de séjour) can do so in person after all, after the government was forced to back down on its recent effort to move all French administration exclusively online
The winner of one of France’s most prestigious international garden festivals is announced this month against the spectacular backdrop of a 15th-century Loire chateau
A system to connect defibrillators with departmental emergency centres, so that an alarm and flashing light can be activated to help people locate devices when needed, has won France’s top prize for invention, the Concours Lépine
So-called ‘Diplomator’ Jean-David Levitte predicts what lies ahead for the Western world following the conflict in Ukraine
A swimming pool builder in south-west France has realised a gap in the market for mobile pools and seen nearly all his stock rented out in less than three months
The government is facing mounting pressure to address criticism of the new, stricter contrôle technique, with French media piling into the debate
Twelve million visitors are expected for the Paris 2024 Olympics with an opening ceremony along the Seine and events in three dozen sites – so the Champions League final fiasco has made security a big concern
After years of women being forced to stand cross-legged as they wait in interminable toilet queues, more and more French cities are testing new styles of outdoor sanitaires.
Ministers could put a billion euros back in the pockets of France’s least well-off with a simple signature capping unfair bank fees, a leading consumer group has said
Police in Spain are testing a new type of speed camera that can detect drivers who brake heavily just before they reach the camera zone and then speed up again once past
It might not be the prettiest piece of engineering, but a 1910 coal locomotive has become the focus of a €80,000 fundraising appeal on one of the few steam train lines still running in France
A series of ‘job-dating’ fairs to recruit potential secondary school teachers has attracted the ire of French teaching unions, who said it risked lowering standards in the profession
Five key things to be aware of before deciding what do with your pensions, particularly if you plan to spend your retirement in France
Our financial advisor answers your money queries on page 33.
You can find more advice for managing your money in France in our Money and Tax section on pages 33 and 34, and online.
You asked, we answered. Send your queries to questions@connexionfrance.com.
- Can I still buy ‘100% Santé’ glasses without a mutuelle?
- EU flight compensation in case of a strike
- Is French nationality my right if I am married to a French person?
- Do you need any proof of language skills to obtain a residency card?
- How can a Briton visit France for extended stay with EU spouse?
Get the answers to your questions on page 18 and elsewhere. You can also find answers to reader questions in the Your Questions section online.
Property: Making sense of solar power for the home
Money: With markets in mayhem, avoid fads and spread risk
Environment: Too many bees are dying in the winter – so keepers are trying to find out why
Business: English speakers in demand both to study business students and to be job coaches
Education: More Maths and sport among school changes
Health: Sensor offers hope for hay fever sufferers
Food: Fresh fish in the post