Living in france

Why glasses cost so much in France – and how to find cheaper options

Price of seemingly similar glasses can vary by as much as double

Self-employed in France can claim state benefits if business fails

Allocation des travailleurs indépendants applies if certain conditions are met

I'm not confident enough with my language skills for French interviews

Columnist Cynthia Spillman advises a reader on how to get to grips with learning

news

French village latest to end door-to-door rubbish collection

The €1 million project is intended to ‘reduce anti-social waste behaviour’

Could France soon become cashless?

Cash use is declining except in certain specific situations

What are the proposed changes to child allowance rules in France?

Over two million families could see a change to their allocations familiales if measure is approved

French etiquette guide: greetings, gifts and when to use 'vous'

Understanding a few simple customs goes a long way to help you fit in

Photos: village’s creative letterboxes delight visitors

A Rubik’s Cube-themed letterbox has been crowned winner of the 2025 Fête des Boîtes aux Lettres in the Loiret village of Saint-Martin-d’Abbat

What you need to know when collecting rainwater in France

The rules are complex and depend on what you plan to do with it

A comprehensive guide to living in Verdun

A guide to transport, property and lifestyle in the historic town

You know you are in France when... champagne is on the hospital menu

Australian spotted the drink at the American Hospital in Paris

How I got involved in dog shows after moving to France

Reader Jacqueline Reddin-Williams has been in France for 31 years

‘It’s time’: why we chose to move back to UK from France

Columnist Gillian Harvey reflects on making the big decision

Why France endures a costly commune problem

The country's 34,875 communes, many with fewer than 500 inhabitants, create financial strain and hinder decentralisation efforts

Map: what are France's groundwater levels at start of autumn 2025 ?

Water-saving measures were in place throughout the summer

Key practical and cultural dates for your diary in France for October 2025

Including the start of the Entry/Exit System, daylight saving time and open days in French chateaux

Graph: how September’s inflation affects household budgets in France

Tobacco and service costs rose well above average

How to manage tricky family visits after moving to France

Columnist Cynthia Spillman shares tips on how to cope with challenging visitors

France’s ‘Service Public’ online information portal changes web address

Update provides additional authenticity to help fight fraud

How to renew a five-year Brexit WA residency card online in France

Interior Ministry asked prefectures to set up standardised sites: several, but by no means all, have now done so

How I became an interior designer after moving to France

Reader Sylvana Delvalle used her creative background to carve out a new career redesigning people's homes

Electric cars, solar panels, bank payments: six changes for residents in France in October 2025

Some benefits are also increasing

From Largeasse to Montcuq: amusing France place names

A list, compiled by holiday rental site Toploc, focuses on signs guaranteed to amuse

14 recent and upcoming changes in France you may have missed in September

Including latest on Mont Blanc tunnel closure and changes to chèque énergie

It frustrates me that my parents do not want to learn French when they visit

Columnist Cynthia Spillman advises a reader living in France on parental education

Explained: How to go to a French university as an overseas student

Final submission deadlines are in December-January to start in the following autumn

A comprehensive guide to living in Lyon

Discover everything you need to know about living in Lyon, from transport options and safety tips to housing prices and education opportunities

Graphic: One in five French workers employed in state sector

There are nearly six million workers in the ‘fonction publique’ in France, covering several areas

I moved to France and became a fluent French–speaking heating engineer

Reader Stewart Paterson, 62, tells us how he retrained and learned the language

How a Brittany commune hopes to get strangers talking

A conversation bench is one of many initiatives being trialled to develop a spirit of friendship

Why I love where I live... in Biarritz

Reader Alex Gaines, 42, from North Carolina, moved to the south of France in 2013 for studies and surfing, and has never looked back

I hate it when the French get my name wrong

Columnist Cynthia Spillman offers advice to a reader who is frustrated by mispronunciation

How do bailiffs organise their work in France?

Commissaires de justice have a range of activities

French interiors: the Parisian art of stylish living

A sumptuous new book offers an exclusive peek inside some of the capital’s most voguish homes

Divorce costs set to rise for most in France from September

Use of mediator will help speed up cases, but comes with additional bill

New national TV channel for French regions launches

Free-to-air TNT channel 19 went live on September 1

An opportunity for my partner means embracing change in my life in France

Cynthia Spillman confronts a fresh world, as her husband has a chance to get back in the game

Health rules, sick notes, fibre grants: 10 changes for residents of France in September

The end of the month will see property renovation and electric car leasing schemes return

Five things they don't tell you about… la rentrée

The official end of the summer holidays in France brings a mixture of relaxation and return to work

Items that cannot (or should not) be transported by removal companies in France

Movers will not take certain goods for reasons of safety or value

How do I get my expat friend to learn French?

Cynthia Spillman offers advice to a reader who feels monopolised by her English-speaking neighbour

Retiree asks that church bells in French village stop at night so she can sleep

The lady claims the bells ring over 100 times a night, locals say this is part of local heritage

France to release official ‘survival guide’ to help people prepare for emergencies

30-page pamphlet outlines how to respond to industrial accidents, terrorist attacks, extreme weather and even the outbreak of war

Mobile post office trucks to continue in parts of rural France

La Poste says mobile services serve community needs over profit

Heatwaves: What help is available in France to keep home cool?

There have already been several spells of intense heat in 2025

August 15 bank holiday in France: what is celebrated and will shops be open?

You may be in luck if you are looking to do some shopping

Request over garden boundary plants has caused tension with French neighbour

Columnist Cynthia Spillman advises a reader over best approach with neighbour

Britons in France prompted to send postcards to their UK MPs

Campaigners are urging for a link to be made with British MPs to convince them of the benefits of ‘overseas constituencies’.

Buying a second-hand boat in France is 'harder than buying a house'

There are implications surrounding the country of registration and UK VAT

Five things they don't tell you about... summer cooking in France

Less about cooking and more about entertaining, here are five French ways to plan a meal alfresco

Energy bill rises and other changes in France in August

Also interest rates on government regulated savings accounts set to fall

'I'm worried my husband will leave me for a younger, slimmer French woman'

Columnist Cynthia Spillman advises a reader struggling with insecurity

New powers to issue fines proposed for France's municipal police

Agents may soon be able to issue fines for graffiti, driving without a licence, and taking alcohol into sports stadiums

How I became an online English teacher after moving to France

Former community safety officer John Mainland, 53, tells how his love of helping others led him in a new direction

What are the new plans to end cold calls in France?

Moves to completely end unsolicited commercial calls are taking shape following years of complaints and failed solutions

Who do the new French language tests changes affect - and from when?

Use our handy graphic to see if this applies to you

Mandatory militarised civic service for youths in France aged 16-25 starts this autumn

Journée de défense et de citoyenneté is compulsory for many young people

Our French gîte: we swapped UK traffic jams for a simpler life in Burgundy

Caroline and Richard Williams transformed their lives by relocating to run a guesthouse in rural France

French home decor tips: how to create a warm, authentic interior with vintage charm

Designer Zoé de Las Cases shares her ideas on white wood floors, second-hand finds, ambient lighting and seasonal flowers in her book La Maison

France’s summer holiday habits: more aoûtiens than juilletistes

We look at when and where the French are going on holiday this year

Personalised coffins grow in popularity as secular funerals rise in France

Many orders for unusual designs come from British residents

Tax benefits scheme for rural businesses revived in France

Relocating your business to the countryside areas could unlock tax exemptions and payroll benefits

Is it possible to switch Amazon Prime account when moving to France from US?

Certain content is geo-restricted

Living in Orne: facts about this department of northwest France

From transport to healthcare, what is it like to live in this charming Normand department?

BBC Sounds to block listeners abroad – this is how to keep access

Radio to remain available in France via commercial services

Videos: Relive July 14 fireworks and drone shows that lit up France for Bastille Day

Show in Toulon used drones for impressive display

‘Child-friendly’ stickers for cafés to launch in France

Red stickers will promote spaces that welcome children in face of growing – and controversial – ‘no-kid’ movement

Why I love where I live… in Strasbourg

How roller derby helped Australian Carlie Bonavia settle into French life

Live in rural France? Know what your communautés de communes does

They are also known as 'Les Com-coms'

The house we bought in France is just too big for us and we can't afford the upkeep

Columnist Cynthia Spillman gives her advice on a common dilemma

Our French gîte: Couple combine farming with tourism in Burgundy

Owner Ghislaine Bentley explains why juggling a beef farm and popular chambre d’hôtes is worth the hard work

French court rules in favour of ducks in neighbour’s noise complaint case

Couple who bought house should have realised that sound of quacking would be an issue

'Our historic Normandy chateau was a World War Two battlefield'

A British couple's dream retirement home was once the site of a key battle for the Allies in 1944

'France is a fantastic place to have a baby'

New mum Therese Nyström speaks about her pregnancy journey and the experience of giving birth in France

Why do members of my family mock my life in France?

Columnist Cynthia Spillman gives her advice on dealing with negativity