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French weekly weather forecast January 5 - 9: bitter cold and snow
Up to 10cm of snow is due in Brittany and Normandy. Toulouse, Dordogne and the Pays Basque will also see flocons
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Free fraud service for UK homeowners living in France
Owners are encouraged to sign up for a free monitoring service from HM Land Registry to reduce risk
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New civic tests for foreigners in France launch amid criticism
Applicants for some types of residency cards must now take 45-minute test
New French drivers swear to be responsible
People who pass their driving tests are now required to sign a “Charter of the responsible driver” online before they are issued with a certificate allowing them to take to the roads.
Candidates will be asked to read safety advice and to watch a YouTube video (tinyurl.com/y743tclf) which includes a reminder that drivers are three times more likely to die in a road accident in their first two years.
It also recommends downloading a Mode Conduite app which puts your phone out of action and responds for you to people who text or call.
The latest accident statistics show a year-on-year drop in deaths (down 44 in October, 2018, compared to 2017), possibly linked to the lowering of the speed limit on secondary roads.
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However, the total number of accidents was up 5.5%, as was the number of pedestrian deaths.
The government hopes these will be reduced by measures including the possibility of drivers being fined if they are seen on camera not respecting pedestrians’ right to cross the road.
In theory, pedestrians always have the right of way.
