Dog-walks, airport scam, tax season: 5 French practical updates

Tax season opens in France 

The 2024 income declaration season has begun in France with the online space opening on April 11. 

In the vast majority of cases people must declare via their personal space on the French tax website.

Read more: Online income tax declarations open in France: what’s new?

In addition, nearly 11 million people will benefit from automatic declaration if their personal information has not changed and their income information is already known to the authorities. 

Read more: Millions to get email from French tax officials: be sure to read it

Dogs need to be on leads

A temporary rule change will force all dogs to be on leads when walking through forests in France this spring. From April 15 to June 30, dogs must be kept on leads, and are not allowed to stray from paths. 

This is in an attempt to stop dogs killing wild animals that live in the forest, mostly birds and other game, often that have given birth and have vulnerable young nearby. 

Read more: You will soon have to keep dog on lead if walking in forest in France

Beware of ‘airport scammer’

Passengers at Toulouse airport are being warned of a scammer, who convinces unsuspecting victims that he is an executive at Airbus. 

He pretends to need a small amount of money – around €30 – to help him get home, but promises he will pay victims back later, sometimes even taking their contact details. 

However, once he has received the money, he disappears, blocking the person as a contact. 

Read more: ‘Professional scammer’ targeting people at airport in south-west France

What are average health insurance costs? 

Top-up health insurance (mutuelle) costs are rising in France, but there are still large regional and age-based differences. 

We look at what the average monthly price of cover should be in France, breaking down additional average costs based on where a person lives, what they do, and how old they are. 

It is useful to use this as a benchmark against your own top-up insurance payments, if you have such a policy.

Read more: Health insurance in France: what you should expect to pay per age

New rural noise disturbance law passed

A new law has been passed which prevents noise complaints over ‘pre-existing’ noises in rural France, in a bid to prevent neighbour disputes over the matter. 

The law comes after a number of famous cases in France over loud farm animals, farm smells, and cowbells, which often occur when people move into rural villages from cities. 

Read more: Cockerels, farms smells: new law protects country habits in France

The new law makes it so that any noise existing before an inhabitant moves in – related to farming or the local wildlife – cannot be used as the basis for a complaint. 

Read also: Explained: How to settle disputes without going to court in France