Environment

News updates on environmental issues affecting life in France, from green transport initiatives to being eco-friendly at home.

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Got a question about nature or the environment in France? Get in touch at news@connexionfrance.com

A wind turbine on the side of a hill in rolling country

French eco-villages find way to combat depopulation

Imagination, commitment and hard work can help rebuild rural life as these three villages in Dordogne and Limousin show

Locals fight to save rural French land that Proust loved

A peaceful rural landscape described by Marcel Proust in A la recherche du temps perdu could be surrounded by 150m wind turbines unless literature-lovers win a last-gasp fight.

Where will you find the best weather in France?

Which department in France has the most pleasant climate? We currently live in the mountains of Málaga province in Spain, and we, and our dogs, really struggle with the heat two months of the year. We all love crisp winter days, a promising fresh and bright spring, and glorious autumn leaves. We love summer, but not 40c heat!

Beware Asian hornets nests widespread in France this summer

Nests of dangerous Asian hornets are expected to be widespread this summer after a sunny spring.

Using natural 'bio' mosquito repellent may kill birds

A scientist is demanding a review of the use of natural bio mosquito control, claiming it is harmful to some birds.

Gardeners in France: why you shouldn't mow your lawn weekly

Landscape gardener Eric Lenoir refuses to systematically mow lawns for clients, saying it is better to let the grass grow.

France to introduce bug that eats harmful ragweed plant

Should a bug that eats harmful ragweed be deliberately introduced into France?

Environmental news in France: July

In this month's round up of the environmental news making headlines in France, we talk air quality, beekeeping, and the new must-buy eco-friendly rosé from the Loire.

Positive environmental news in France: June

In this month's round up of the positive environmental news making headlines in France, we talk waste, pesticide use, and solar panels on a supermarket.

Farmers can spray pesticides within 5m of rural homes

Nature and ecology groups supported by about 100 mayors have lost an urgent legal challenge to laws allowing farmers to spray weedkiller and pesticides close to homes in the French countryside.

Join battle in France to stop butterfly extinction

The survival of some of nature’s most beautiful creatures is in your hands. Jane Hanks looks at how the drop in butterfly numbers can be reversed

Pay-per-bag waste tax to start in France

Dordogne is to become the first department to charge all its households a separate bill for waste disposal.

French company finds way of wasting less food

Waste not, want not is key to kitchen savings

French company makes glasses from unwanted seashells

Unwanted seashells reborn as frames for sunglasses

Recycling in France by using Ressourceries and reusing

“Rubbish” is being given a second chance of life, thanks to a network of 157 Ressourceries spread throughout the country.

New French government site helps for old objects

Don’t throw out your old possessions!

How green is your electricity in France?

Energy companies which claim to offer “green electricity” should be checked and receive a “premium” label if they are truly green, says Ademe, the state agency responsible for promoting eco-friendly living in France.

Green rebirth for older cars in France

It will soon be possible for the owners of older petrol or diesel cars to have the engines taken out and replaced with electric motors and batteries.

French trainers made of sea-dumped plastic

Two friends, shocked at the amount of plastic dumped in the Mediterranean off Marseille, have set up a business – turning bottles into trainers.

Last chance to claim eco-friendly cash for French home

Many better-off households are likely to lose their eligibility for the long-standing system of tax credits for eco-friendly home improvements and renovations next year – so if affected you may want to undertake work while 2019 lasts.

Ban hunting on private land

According to the main French law covering ecology and rural life - le Code de l’environnement - no one has the right to hunt on the property of others without the consent of the owner. However, very often hunting is carried out on land by default and it is necessary to show your wish to prohibit it.

Paris rooftop farm will yield tonne of fruit and veg

The world’s largest urban farm will open on a rooftop in Paris next year.