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La Voie Bleue: European Cycle Route of the Year is in France
700km bike path linking Luxembourg and Lyon has been crowned winner of the 2026 title
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Before and after: Garonne river floods in south-west France
Satellite images show extent of flooding from back-to-back storms in February
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Home insurance increases expected in France after floods
Compensation costs for the recent storms and flooding across the west and south-west is estimated to be in the billions of euros
Estimates must be realistic
An architect engaged to oversee renovation work in a home as a maître d’oeuvre must provide an accurate estimate of the cost, France’s top appeal court has confirmed.
One architect was obliged by the Montpellier appeal court to compensate clients after the €813,464 bill for renovation works in their house far exceeded the initial €458,042 estimate (both before VAT).
He then lost a further appeal to the Cour de Cassation and was told to pay the clients’ additional €3,000 costs.
The court said that an estimate should be accurate, though a variation of up to 10% was admissible.
The compensation payment was not for the full amount, due to luxurious additional items the homeowners asked for during the works.
