20 recent and upcoming changes in France you may have missed in April 2026
See where the main risk areas for ticks are, flights updates and why scientists are warning about a dog virus
Updated rules for sending post to US; fines for dogs not on leads; street lights restoredEkaterina Pokrovsky/Lazy_Bear/Alphacit Newim Reporter/Shutterstock
Since 2025, all parcels entering the US are subject to duties, now payable by the sender in advance. This led to temporary disruption of La Poste services, though Colissimo deliveries resumed in February 2026.
Three options are available: International Letter for documents, online Colissimo parcels under €650, and Chronopost services. Private couriers remain an alternative.
Authorities also warn that only “homemade” items qualify as gifts under US rules. Non-compliant parcels risk return or destruction, with penalties of at least $100.
Tax calculator
The government has launched an online calculator to help residents estimate how much tax they will owe on 2025 income.
Officials say it can help households anticipate large bills, although it does not cover all situations, including some foreign income. Income tax bands have also risen by 0.9% this year, in line with inflation.
Trace forgotten accounts
A scheme to recover money from dormant accounts returned €164million to savers in 2025, with 174,000 people reclaiming forgotten funds. On average, €943 was recovered per person, with nearly 90% of claims successful.
The money is held by Caisse des dépôts et consignations after accounts, life insurance policies, or savings remain inactive for several years. Funds are kept for up to 30 years, during which they can still be claimed by owners or heirs.
This will increase services from five to seven crossings per week, with current sailings operating on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and taking just under 24 hours.
The boost in capacity will be enabled by a third vessel being added to the route.
DFDS said the decision reflects rising demand for travel and trade between Ireland and continental Europe.
Shops open on May 1
Independent bakers and florists will be allowed to open and employ staff on May 1 under a temporary measure that aims to end the long-standing legal uncertainty over work on la fête du travail.
Under the measure, employees must volunteer their time and be paid double for the shift. The government is expected to present a bill later this year to make the measure permanent for future bank holidays.
The long-standing rule aims to protect wildlife during a sensitive breeding period, as dogs can disturb nesting birds and young animals. Outside this window, dogs must still stay within 100metres of their owner in forest areas.
Separate local regulations may also require leads in towns and other public spaces.
ChatGPT for shopping
Carrefour has launched a new shopping toolintegrated into ChatGPT, becoming the first major European food retailer to offer in-app grocery planning via artificial intelligence.
Available since March 26, the feature allows users to build shopping baskets, search for products, create meal plans, and receive recipe suggestions through text or voice. It can also check product availability, recommend alternatives when items are out of stock, and provide portion guidance.
The service is accessible via a dedicated Carrefour app listed in ChatGPT’s app directory.
Users need both a ChatGPT account and a Carrefour account linked to the same email.
While shopping can be prepared within ChatGPT, purchases are completed on Carrefour’s website, as direct payment inside the AI platform is not yet supported.
Analysis found 27% of ticks carried at least one pathogen and 4.5% carried multiple.
The vast majority were Ixodes ricinus (sheep ticks), with 15.4% carrying Lyme disease bacteria.
Other pathogens linked to anaplasmosis, neoehrlichiosis and babesiosis were also identified. Researchers say the map will help guide public health policy and raise awareness.
Ticks are commonly found in wooded areas, gardens and parks. Protective clothing and post-walk checks are advised to reduce bite risk.
First launched in 2024, the site features an interactive map of nearly 5,800 approved centres, allowing users to compare prices by location, vehicle type and fuel, or search by commune or specific business number.
The tool aims to help motorists cut costs, as prices vary widely—from around €45 to over €100, with a national average of €78. Fees can also differ by department and vehicle size.
Vehicles must undergo testing every two years from age four, with fines of €135 for non-compliance.
Several municipalities, including Figeac (Lot) and Torcy (Seine-et-Marne), have moved quickly after local elections, framing the return of full-night lighting as a response to public concerns over safety, mobility and quality of life.
Thousands of communes had reduced or switched off streetlights during the energy crisis linked to the war in Ukraine. Torcy estimates the reinstatement will cost €15,000-€20,000 per year, less than 0.1% of its municipal budget.
Spot scam calls
Phone users are being advised that certain number prefixes could help identify potential scam calls, due to the growing misuse of number-spoofing apps.
The app OnOff allows users to generate multiple mobile numbers, but can only issue specific ranges allocated by Arcep.
Since 2023, these include prefixes such as 06 44 66-69 and 07 56 8-9. Calls from these numbers may warrant extra caution, although they are not automatically fraudulent.
Separately, strict rules limit telemarketing calls to designated number ranges and hours, with heavy fines for breaches.
Expanded fire-prevention rules
Residents in southern France are reminded to clear undergrowth around their properties, as expanded fire-prevention rules come fully into force in 2026.
New regulations in areas including Var and Hérault require owners and tenants to remove vegetation within set perimeters around homes, outbuildings and access routes. However, compliance remains low, with many properties failing inspections last year. Authorities stress fines of up to €1,500 are a last resort.
Speaking on BFMTV on April 1, Mr Ciotti said the municipal council would meet on April 24 to reverse the 2024 rise in the taxe foncière, which he said amounted to nearly 25%.
He estimated the move would save around €200 for owners of a typical three-room flat in the city centre. He also confirmed a reduction in taxe d’habitation on second homes in Nice.
The announcement contrasts with trends elsewhere in France, where many councils are raising property taxes linked to undeclared “comfort features” such as baths.
Around seven million homes could be affected nationally, with average increases estimated at €63 per year from 2027, on top of an average taxe foncière bill of around €1,100.
The virus spreads easily, prompting advice for owners of unvaccinated dogs to avoid parks and communal areas until full immunity develops. Puppies are particularly vulnerable.
Symptoms include severe vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and rapid weakness. Owners are urged to seek urgent veterinary care if infection is suspected. Vaccination is widely available in France and part of standard canine immunisation schedules.
Under the revised scheme, maximum aid through the state-backed Advenir programme rises from €8,000 to €12,500 per project, an increase of around 56%.
Additional funding per parking space has also been boosted, while owners in shared outdoor car parks can receive higher subsidies for security-related installations.
Individual co-owners in communal buildings are now eligible for up to €1,000 per charging point.
Nice–Newcastle flights resume…
Direct flights between Nice and Newcastle have resumed as easyJet reopens its base at Newcastle Airport, expanding links between the French Riviera and northern England.
The service operates twice weekly on Tuesdays and Sundays until August 2026, when a third weekly flight on Thursdays will be added, continuing through to November. One-way fares start from around €28.
The airline has indicated it hopes to reinstate the service in 2027, although this has not been confirmed.
The decision comes amid a wider decline in passenger traffic at the airport, which fell by around 8.9% in 2025. Poitiers-Biard will now operate just four destinations in 2026: Lyon, London, Edinburgh and limited flights to Montenegro.
Conventional systems rely on collecting adhesive tape from air samplers and analysing it in laboratories, which can take several days.
Grenoble-based Oberon Sciences has developed AI-powered “Aerotape” sensors, integrating a microscope and camera to capture pollen images in real time, with AI identifying types such as birch, oak and ragweed.
Developers say accuracy can reach up to 96% for major allergens.
The firm offers a free mobile application called ‘France Pollen’, which provides allergy risk levels and sends notifications to users.
The invasive fish, introduced in the 1980s, can grow beyond 2.5metres and weigh over 100kg, and is now preying on vulnerable migratory species.
Environmental bodies including CAPENA are coordinating targeted fishing campaigns to reduce numbers without fully eradicating the species.
Since February, anglers have also been banned from releasing any caught catfish back into the water.
Genealogy tests
DNA testing kits for genealogical use should be legal in France under certain conditions, a government advisory board has said.
Between 100,000 and 150,000 people use such tests each year despite them being unauthorised. Le Conseil économique, social et environnemental (CESE) recommends permitting access to tests aimed at identifying family origins.
However, it says that medical genetic testing must be strictly regulated and so-called 'ethnic origin’ tests should remain banned.
