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French weekly weather forecast January 12 - 16: warmer but rain returns
Many areas will see temperatures increase by 5C - 7C compared to the weekend
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Politics and elections: What's new in France in 2026
From Marine Le Pen's appeal against her conviction to municipal elections and a Brexit 'reset' meeting
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Auchan supermarkets in France to switch to Intermarché or Netto in 2026
Switch to Intermarché or Netto branding by the end of 2026 subject to regulatory approval
Cut French energy bills or face penalty on house sale
Ministers are looking at copying the anti-pollution bonus-malus system for buying cars and re-targeting it at house-owners to encourage them to improve home insulation and energy efficiency.
With the diagnostic de performance énergétique (DPE) being part of the obligatory documents to be produced for a property sale or rental for the last 20 years, Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot said he is looking at a system based on this.
It would see energy efficient homes (DPE-rated A or B) being given a bonus while those that are badly-insulated (rated E, F or G) would be hit with a penalty on resale.
A decision is due this year as Mr Hulot is set to become the first ecology minister to hit the target of renovating 500,000 homes a year.
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The 2015 energy transition law imposed a condition of renovating all homes with an F or G rating in their DPE by 2025.
However, proposals on how it would work have disturbed some in the building industry who fear it could penalise poorer or more rural areas where renovation is expensive.
