Living in france

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

Why an Irish lecturer stayed in France: life, work and challenges in Brittany

Grainne O’Keeffe Vigneron explains why she stayed in France, what life in Rennes is really like, and the biggest challenges for Irish people living and working in Brittany

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

France scraps own version of tax leading to equality across bloc

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

‘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

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

'How I learnt to speak three languages – including Alsatian'

Briton Peter Brooks, 70, gives advice to others who are struggling with language-learning

Floating offshore wind installation with cranes and a turbine on a barge at sea under a blue sky.

France plans 10 new offshore wind farms

Final decision to be announced before end of 2027

Large crowd dancing in Paris with rainbow flags and a decorated float in the background.

France falls short on LGBTQ+ inclusion despite victories

France celebrates le Mois des fiertés (Pride Month) in June

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

Includes tax deadlines, exams and festivals

Woman outdoors raising her hand to refuse a glass of beer offered in the foreground

My husband hates my new teetotal lifestyle in France

A reader writes about how her decision has led to disagreement

Garden hose watering plants, with a red car and a backyard swimming pool shown in adjacent panels.

Water restrictions imposed across parts of France

Officials warn that conditions could worsen in the coming weeks

The real history of Mother’s Day in France

The French Fête des Mères takes place on the last Sunday of May most years

Authorities in south-west France seek to improve beach safety following recent drownings

Police lifeguard union call for changes after four drowning deaths in a week

Blood donor rules, gas price drop: what changes for residents in France in June 2026

Fuel aid payments will also begin

A garden sprinkler sprays water next to model houses and a British passport.

15 recent and upcoming changes in France you may have missed in May

Includes water restrictions, residence permits and ETAs

Neighbours stand and sit around a long table outdoors, talking and eating at a block gathering.

How to celebrate the Fête des Voisins in France this Friday

Millions of neighbours across the country are expected to meet on the 26th edition of this friendly festival

Whit Monday holiday: how it works in France and how much it raises for state

It used to be a simple bank holiday like any other - but the tragic events of 2003 changed everything

Hosting family in France can make for healthier relationships

Old grievances can be healed by sharing your time and space

Reportages sur la communauté des Hérons : Ici le festival des deux mains au Solilab sur l'île de Nantes.Ici l'association Moneko et sa monnais locale.photo : Marc Roger

Does your French town have its own currency?

There are over 65 of them around the country

Can neighbours in France force you to cut down trees?

Learn about French regulations on trees near property lines

New free-delivery offer available for over-65s at Carrefour stores in France

Scheme promises extra help and easier-to-find products in thousands of local stores

Mature woman arguing with an unhappy young couple at a flat doorway

French neighbours turned nasty since daughter's party

'Dispute is ruining our life in France', reader says

Mature student smiling while writing notes and using a laptop in a classroom.

How to save money on adult learning courses in France

Get help for language classes, employment, and more

'Wildlife is all around us': why we love living in the Côte-d’Or

British couple swapped London for Burgundy and say they have no regrets

France refused entry to 200 Britons and 190 Americans in 2025

More than 1,100 UK citizens were found to be illegally present in the EU, official data reveals

A view of someone filling a glass of water from the tap

High water consumption letters sent to Dordogne residents in error

Homeowners are warned to be vigilant

Beer overtakes wine in France for first time

Consumers drank around 10 million litres more beer than wine in 2025, industry report shows

French minimum wage to increase by 2.4% on June 1, 2026

It follows rise on January 1 and keeps France’s rate among highest in EU

Recycling alert after battery explodes in waste collection lorry in France

Double check your recycling bins or when using your local déchetterie

Flowers and punctuality do not always pay off in France

A reader shares an embarrassing tale

France passes anti-fraud bill with 100 plus new measures: key points

Crackdown focuses on social welfare fraud. Officials will be allowed greater access to bank statements and healthcare log-in information

Mobile data offer in France includes UK and US also

New deal to cover 135 countries starts from €19.99 for some subscribers

Video: French police show film of ‘drunk deer’ to warn rural drivers

Animals can act erratically after eating fermented fruit in spring

A view of a bad pothole in a road, with a car in the background

Drivers’ group warns over unsafe condition of French roads

40 Millions d’automobilistes calls on drivers to report potholes, cracked surfaces and collapsing verges via mobile app

A third of those eligible for French income support are not claiming it

Lack of information and social stigma behind low uptake

A view of a man on a laptop and using a phone, with an alert symbol

‘Silent' phone call scam on the rise in France: what is it and why it is so dangerous

Caller stays silent when the phone is answered

How to swap coins for supermarket vouchers in France

€46 million was exchanged via Coinstar terminals in 2025

Fake French police officer scams return – tips to protect yourself

Fraudsters posing as police to gain entry to a property

Close-up of a four-nozzle petrol pump at a service station that dispenses B10 Diesel (yellow), B7 Diesel (orange), E85 'super ethanol' (blue) and E10 petrol (green).

Ethanol conversion kits: what drivers in France need to know

Conversion kits are available at a leading supermarket from €690

French wildlife prospers from darker streets – but debate over public safety remains

Some areas are rethinking lighting changes introduced in 2022

Tens of thousands take to the streets of France for May Day marches

Around 320 demonstrations took place in major towns and cities across the country

Where in France tiger mosquitoes are found and how to deal with them

The mosquitoes become active in spring, and are now in 83 of 96 departments

Group of friends raising drinks at a picnic table in a sunny garden

Five things they don't tell you about bank holidays in France

No one works, and precious few people would consider spending them doing jobs around the house

Crowds and photographers at the Cannes red carpet for 'Ismael's Ghosts' screening

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

Includes key tax dates by department and several bank holidays

Split image of European Commission anf French notaire sign

Is France considering easing its 2021 inheritance law affecting foreign wills?

More than three years have passed since the European Commission first acknowledged receiving multiple complaints

Vehicles refuelling at an E.Leclerc petrol station canopy in Vitry, France

Where does France’s oil come from?

As the price of crude oil rises again we look at France's supply of the precious commodity

Ministry looks to ease foreign income citizenship hurdles

Calls for more flexible guidance to be issued to prefectures with regard to French citizenship requests from retirees with foreign pensions

Water restrictions begin in south-west France: who is affected?

Residents can check restrictions near them using government website

Collage of child posting letter, person walking dog, and night-time street scene

20 recent and upcoming changes in France you may have missed in April 2026

See where the main risk areas for ticks are, flights updates and why scientists are warning about a dog virus

Will food prices increase in France due to Middle East conflict?

Rising inflation from energy prices comes after annual price negotiations close

Checkmate.,Hand,Of,An,Unrecognizable,Man,Playing,Chess,Defeating,His

Covid pandemic sparks a chess revival in France

Netflix TV series The Queen’s Gambit also brought the game to a new audience

Should we move away from oil-fired heat in France?

Modern condensing boilers are generally considered high-efficiency