Living in france

Digital radio arrives in French countryside

Most larger towns and cities have had DAB+ since 2024

A couple stands outside a Bordeaux estate agency looking at property listings in the window.

Can an American move to France on an income of $2,000 per month?

We review visa, housing, and living expenses on a budget

France’s Constitutional Court approves assisted dying bill, highlights reservations

The bill was approved in its entirety but three clarifications made

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French bank charged €1,000 for UK transfer fees

Reader accrued fees over three years - before changing bank

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

Many workers in France will not benefit from an extra day off this year

Man arranges bottled water at a distribution point in Montsalvy during France’s 2022 drought.

40,000 people in France see water cut off: what to do if it happens to you

Plus, worst-hit areas and authorities step up enforcement as water shortages increase

Middle-aged man holding a mobile looking stressed with hand over his head

New cold-calling laws in France: what if I have a foreign number?

Cold-callers still dodge new laws

How does France’s new ‘right to repair’ rule cover your purchases?

Certain electrical goods benefit from 10-year additional protection

French mayor issues bylaw banning barking dogs at night

Heatwave and open windows made incessant barking ‘unbearable’, with owners at risk of €135 fine

How many high-vis vests are you required to keep in your car in France?

Confusion remains over the road rules for yellow jackets

Fountain jets spray water in Courbevoie under bright sun during a heatwave near Paris.

France’s fifth heatwave sees temperatures climb: your questions answered

Driving rules, air conditioning, help for vulnerable residents covered

Family in the French Alps has lived in the same valley for 700 years

Meet the Suiffet family of Val-Cenis and their remarkable alpine history

Red no-swimming sign on a grassy riverbank beside calm water.

France increases fine for swimming in unauthorised zones

It comes as over 270 deaths by drowning already recorded this summer

Building a house in France: where to save money and where to spend

Expert tips on planning, budgets and getting it right first time

France's free citizens' handbook triples in size to help candidates prepare for new tests

Try our quiz based on the topics in the 2026 livret du citoyen

Doctor wearing a white coat with a stethoscope in a hospital.

Haemochromatosis in France: symptoms, diagnosis and one woman's experience

The genetic disorder causes the body to absorb too much iron

France approves social media ban for under-15s

Everyone in France would need to verify their age to use social media applications

New official app aims to make French admin easier

Several services available via one login

Water storage, pesticides: why France’s new farming bill is controversial

Emergency bill follows farmer protests at start of the year

France drought update: all but two departments facing restrictions or warnings on tap water use

Tap water usage limited in at least one commune of most departments

Three-panel collage of a fortress, city skyline with cathedral, and a riverside street with a tower.

Western France leads new ranking of nicest places to live in France

New study rates quality of life for residents

Close-up views of water pouring from taps and a hose into a pool.

France water restrictions: Five questions answered

We review rules for rainwater, wells, filling swimming pools, and penalties for infractions

Divorce dissected: custody, finances, common mistakes for residents of France

Lawyer Floriane Laruelle, a senior associate at Dawson Cornwell who specialises in international children’s law, highlights common issues for bi-national couples

Online simulator for French pension now works smoothly

Technical problems hit the launch of the system

Person wearing blue surgical gloves about to open a septic tank cover

Warning over impact of sewerage systems on property prices in France

Properties with sub-standard sewerage systems can be sold with an official certificate of non-conformity

Meet the Lidl supervisor who also runs a French village as mayor

The 30-year-old mother of two is mayor of Berviller-en-Moselle

How running clubs help build community in France

'We wanted to create a safe space where women could connect', say organisers

Young couple on a sofa covering their ears in a bright living room.

Neighbours take man to French court for playing same song over and over

Noise complaints are not uncommon in French towns and villages.

A pupil holding a piece of paper and celebrating exam success

Standard of living in France is increasing, official data reveals

Low inflation contributes to higher median income but poverty remains high

Where to watch England’s World Cup game in France this Saturday?

Many bars will be open late and welcoming Three Lions fans

French peaches, nectarines and brugnons: how to tell these summer fruits apart

French markets are replete with fruit in July

Living in France: Five common questions readers ask

Queries range from healthcare and pensions to home renovations and citizenship

Antique chairs and table in a decorative room beside a wooden cabinet displaying plates.

Buy and care for French antiques with confidence

In her new book, Sharon Santoni reveals what to collect, how to select, and where to find the French antiques of your dreams

'The Bretons and the Irish are quite similar'

An Irish lecturer explains why she stayed in France after finishing her masters, and what life in Rennes is really like

EU-wide €3 tax on small parcels comes into force

France scraps own version of tax leading to equality across bloc

3D illustration of an air source heat pump beside a modern house.

What are different heat pump types and what is best for my French home?

Two main pumps exist, with different costs and benefits

Replacing water filter in French home became a two-month DIY nightmare

Columnist Nick Inman tells of his ordeal changing a dedicated filtered drinking water tap

Key practical and cultural dates for your diary in France for July 2026

Early July will see difficult periods for those using French motorways

Check this before buying French property in a flood zone

One in four people – some 18 million – now live in an area at risk of flooding

Electric vehicle leasing, gas bill rises: what changes in France in July 2026

Card payments are also set to begin on Parisian public transport

View through a window into Bistrot Bertha, showing tables, seated customers and a hanging chair.

‘It’s Papy hour!’: Bistrots bring new lease of life to French care homes

Outlets have opened in facilities throughout the country, from Flamanville (Manche) to Fontenay-sous-Bois (Val-de-Marne)

Hands using a laptop with a language choice screen showing British and French flags.

Constantly translating French for all my friends is getting me down

Protecting your time and preserving your energy is not selfish, says columnist Cynthia Spillman

English-speaking Alcoholics Anonymous in Paris: meetings, hotline and support

Learn how expats can access confidential help for alcoholism

Four-panel collage featuring a hospital donation scene, medical leaflet, cigarette pack with injector, and SFR sign.

14 recent and upcoming changes in France you may have missed in June 2026

Includes new electricity tariffs and blood donation rules

How to sign up for France’s heatwave welfare check register

Local authorities regularly contact vulnerable people. Relatives can sign them up

Explained: France's system of care homes

The system is under scrutiny after a wave of scandals

A view of a fibre optic cable concept to show new internet technology

Customers stranded as Free ends thousands of copper wire internet contracts in France

Subscribers scramble to find replacement as telecoms giant gives them month’s notice

Father dies trying to save daughter caught in river current in southern France

Mother and daughter were rescued whilst clinging on to branches along the Hérault river

Man holding a blue French passport beside a small shaggy dog indoors.

‘Last straw’: UK dog owner to sell French home over new pet passport rules

Reader says the extra cost of a UK Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every trip is too much

The Life Certificates that retired Britons in France need

Issues can arise with the current postal verification system

Millions set to celebrate Fête de la Musique 2026 across France this Sunday

Free concerts, street performances and extended transport are planned for the annual music festival

Tips to save money on… keeping cool in France

Last June was the second hottest on record as temperatures topped 40C

Couple face France residency issue over marriage documents

Pair must find ‘transcription’ of South African documents

Human error behind most French forest fires where causes known

Only 12% were caused by natural factors, with the rest due to humans

a French residence permit or brexit withdrawal card inset against Lyon departmental prefecture

My experience renewing a five-year French ‘Brexit card’

The application process was quick… but the queues were not

France finds new way to crackdown on illegal sports streaming

Regulator can turn viewers’ screens black during games, blocking them from content

Retirement age in France should be pushed back to 67 and six months, report advises

Reports says pensions deficit will be higher than anticipated due to low birth rate

Warning over online returns policies in France

Consumers advised to check reviews before ordering

Storefront signs for Orange, Bouygues Telecom, SFR and Free telecom brands in France

Sale of SFR agreed in France: what changes for mobile and internet clients

Contracts set to be split between three rivals reducing competition in sector

French honey explained: why local honey varies by region and flower

Artisanal French honey is high quality and strictly controlled

Black and white image of a quiet village street lined with stone buildings and a small chapel in the distance.

How to trace the history of your village in France

There are many resources available for amateur historians

Two people laughing and holding a drink on a sofa in France.

How slowing down makes you love life in France

Columnist Cynthia Spillman examines the surprising benefits of taking it easy

A piggy bank with an older person using a calculator in the background to show money

Why some pensioners in France will soon pay more for home help

Opponents call decision 'out of step' with government policy

Free electricity proposed for village in east of France

Village in Aisne elected an ecologist mayor in 2020

France’s speed cameras are infuriating – and that’s why they keep getting vandalised

Columnist Samantha David says the devices seem designed to catch drivers out

Historic house seen across a green lawn with yellow flowers and large trees in the foreground.

On the market: 'Our 1758 French manoir became an Opera House'

Manoir La Gozinière in Auvergne echoes to the enchanting melodies of Mozart, Verdi, Bizet and Puccini

Why this American moved from Paris to Dordogne after 30 years in France

Connexion reader shares what life in France is really like, from expat community and cultural life to healthcare shortages, transport challenges and learning French