Family in eastern France struggles with hundreds of bats living in their home

A family living in Meyzieu, near Lyon, says their home has also become impossible to live in after more than 400 bats settled inside their roof. 

The issue reportedly started a few years ago when bats first appeared in the house. The family contacted a specialist organisation to report the problem but were told the colony was small and unlikely to grow significantly, according to France 3.

There are around 36 species of bats in France and they are all protected, meaning they cannot be killed, removed or have their nests destroyed. One of the reasons they are protected is their slow reproduction, and perhaps the reason specialists did not expect their numbers to grow, as each female gives birth to only one young per year. 

However, by summer 2025, the family estimated that more than 400 bats were living in the roof and walls.

As a result, the noise became a daily struggle for the family, prompting them to spend around €20,000 on building works trying to resolve the issue but to no avail. 

"It was noisy seven days a week, 24 hours a day. We had the impression that it was scratching, that it was banging like someone knocking on the door, and I'm not talking about the smell, which escaped from the electrical sockets," homeowner Benjamin told France 3. 

Why bats are protected 

Bats are not only protected for their slow reproduction but they are also “the only mammals capable of flight,” said LPO Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, a regional nature conservation association.

Additionally, they provide important ecological benefits as their colonies can control insect populations including mosquitoes, and their droppings can be used as a natural fertiliser. 

The association also explains that they are “harmless animals (that) do not attack humans or domestic animals”.

Meanwhile, LPO said that since they are not rodents, they do not gnaw on electrical cables or insulation and do not cause structural damage to the house. However, large colonies can create significant problems through noise as the Meyzieu family experienced. 

If anyone discovers a colony of bats in their roof, attic or near their home, the LPO advises people to contact specialists rather than attempting to remove the animals, as their destruction or relocation is prohibited and could be fatal for some depending on the time of the year.

What does the law say 

Their protection comes from French environmental law which prohibits the intentional destruction, capture, removal, or disturbance of protected mammals. It also protects the places they use for breeding and resting, meaning that destroying or blocking access can be illegal. 

The rules also prohibit possessing, transporting or selling protected animals and breaking them could result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment and heavy fines.

This means that homeowners cannot simply trap bats, seal them inside a roof space or remove a colony without approval. 

Which animals can you remove from your home and which are protected?

The same protections and rules apply to a wide range of native mammals that people may encounter in their home or their garden. 

Protected species include the European hedgehog, red squirrel, European beaver, hazel dormouse, European water vole, otter, European mink, wildcat, common hamster, Eurasian lynx and brown bear, among others. A full list can be found here.

These animals cannot be killed, captured or disturbed without authorisation. 

On the other hand, common household pests such as rats, mice, cockroaches, bed bugs, ants, fleas, and silverfish are not protected in the same way and can generally be controlled through pest-management methods. 

Some birds that nest around homes, including swallows, swifts and house martins, are also protected, and their active nests cannot be destroyed.