Work

Moving to France and need to earn a living? Be inspired and stay informed with our in-depth guides to employment and running your own business, as well as real-life stories and work-related news updates.

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Got a question about working in France? Get in touch at news@connexionfrance.com

Labour of love: meet the commuters who cross borders

With its beautiful countryside, culture-rich cities and idyllic seaside resorts, France is in many ways an ideal country to live in – but how far would you travel for the privilege? Gillian Harvey discovers the lengths that some people will go to

Vaccine sparks interest in plug-and-play freezer monitors

A French start-up offering plug-and-play freezer monitors is seeing a surge in interest from health authorities needing to monitor temperatures for storing Covid-19 vaccines

€500 help to set up website for small businesses in France

Small businesses that had to close during the second confinement are eligible for a €500 grant to help them set up a website

Fish leather maker pays homage to ‘lost’ tribes of Siberia

Kristof Mascher is a leather worker in the Dordogne with a unique style incorporating fish leather into each of his individually created pieces

Autumn rise in cognac exports in France after difficult year

Cognac trade body confident about the future with shipments in October 2020 4% higher than they were in October 2019

How long must you keep your business documents in France?

Businesses must, by law, keep all official documents, such as invoices, that they have sent out or received

Lockdown lifeline for dying wool-spinning industry in France

One of France’s last knitting wool spinners and dyers has seen a rise in demand which it hopes will help to revive the struggling industry

Meet France’s oldest producer of fèves in Galettes de Rois

Crafting fèves is a year-round business for Fèves Colas in Nièvre, the oldest producer of the tiny lucky charms in France

Bordeaux whisky matures in an old Nazi bunker

Two whisky-loving entrepreneurs have turned a bunker designed as a bomb-proof reservoir of diesel for German U-boats into Moon Harbour Whisky

Working horses replace tractors for island preservation work

Three horses have been brought back into use on Ile aux Sternes, a nature reserve on three small islands in the Loire by Tom Pellerin, owner of Trait Service 45

Stocking Christmas markets’ stalls is a year-round business

Muriel Schumacher and her team make typical Alsace Christmas decorations and it takes all year to prep for the Christmas period

Do I have to pay the full CFE business tax this year?

There is a tax exemption for businesses with a very small turnover and depending on location, a special two-thirds reduction linked to Covid

My journey from a language trainer to snail farmer in France

Mike Collins's plan to become a snail farmer developed over the years. He now raises snails along with 35 different products

Meet the maker of the 'world’s smallest accordion'

When professional accordionist Stéphane Bonifassi could not find an instrument on the market that suited him 23 years ago, he started making his own

What are the advantages of portage salarial in France?

In the November edition of The Connexion, the small business and tax advice column answers a reader question on self-employment under portage salarial

Can I invoice and quote for work in English in France?

Regardless of client nationality, it is best to do all paperwork in French to avoid having to pay for translations later on

France lockdown: Forms for professional athletes

There are special documents for high-level sports people of all disciplines, as well as coaches and other staff to allow them to continue training

I am a plumber - can I work during lockdown in France?

Can independent contractors, such as electricians and plumbers, still carry out work in the houses of other people if they wear a mask?

Online studying: France's Campus Connectés explained

The Connexion explains Campus Connectés, and speaks to one student about their experience with the higher education scheme.

Do small businesses in France still have to accept cash?

In the work section of The Connexion October edition, we answer a reader question on whether small businesses in France must accept cash payments from customers.

Will working from home affect tax regime in France?

In the October edition of The Connexion, the small business and tax advice column answers a reader question on whether COVID-19-induced working from home will affect tax regimes in France.

New French language course to be offered to foreign workers

French as a foreign language is to be offered as an option under the government’s lifelong learning scheme which is open to all workers.