-
Did you know French police can check your home when you are away?
Here is how to sign up for the service, as well as a special check for elderly people. Plus, advice on how to avoid ‘fake police’ scams
-
MAP: Which areas of Paris have had the biggest property price drops?
Drops of around 10% (up to €1,100 less per m2 in real terms) have been seen in several arrondissements. Only one has not seen a significant drop
-
Eight scams doing the rounds this summer in France
Summer travel means one thing: More scammers, especially on the roads and at transport hubs. Here are tips to avoid falling victim
Pioneer village pays for its own solar farm
More than 200 residents are supplied with sufficient electricity to fit their needs
A tiny village become in Aude has become the first in France to pay for and build its own solar farm to provide enough electricity for each of the 229 residents.
The pioneering small-scale 250KW solar power project at Luc-sur-Aude in Occitanie went ‘live’ in mid-December and has already produced 14,000kWh of electricity.
Mayor Jean-Claude Pons had been approached several times by developers to create a solar farm but wanted to do something that involved the villagers rather than outside firms.
A business called 1,2,3 Soleil was set up and launched a crowdfunding bid through specialist site Enerfip. It resulted in €275,000 raised in a month and cash from one in four villagers.
Energy produced is sold to the cooperative renewable energy supplier Enercoop and investors will receive a better return than a savings account.
Mr Pons said: “Ours is a modest commitment to fight climate change. This citizen’s project for renewable energy is our taking back of the means of energy production.”
Built by Soleil du Midi, it is a village-scale project as it is less than a hectare when average solar farms can be 30 hectares. Other communes have since asked Mr Pons for details.