Paris to have street named after David Bowie (even though UK does not) The iconic name will be formally unveiled next week
French towns introduce ‘smart’ street lights which locals can turn on The innovative system allows towns to save money by switching off street lights overnight, without compromising the safety of people walking home Street in France renamed after famous Nancy chimpanzee, Jojo Nice to rename street in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II Who decides which French streets can only be used by local residents?
Why were the French so suspicious of street numbering? More and more hamlets are bowing to pressure to display a proper address, but the system, spearheaded by Napoleon, has always attracted controversy
Why some French towns are switching off their street lights at night Reasons include the high – and still rising cost of energy – and the negative effects of light pollution on biodiversity
When naming places and streets, France should honour women too Only 2% of France’s 63,500 place names honour women. Samantha David looks at why women’s role in human history is still underestimated
Mairie changed the name of my street in France: What must I do? As street names occasionally change - we look at whom you need to inform (or not) if this happens
Am I allowed to wash my car on the street outside my house in France? A little-known French environmental law prohibits residents from cleaning their car while it is parked on a street, and those who ignore it could theoretically be fined
Smart street lights trialled in Lyon only illuminate if someone passes Street lighting that responds to passing cars or pedestrians is being hailed as a way to cut electricity consumption, improve biodiversity and allow residents to sleep well at night
French village plans to (finally) number its houses and name streets The Creuse village has just a few hundred residents so street names were not considered necessary, but new postal workers and modern technology are set to change this
Paris town hall mistakes Harry Potter prank road sign for real one Mairie replaces fake sign directing pedestrians to fictional street from the magical books with a new permanent sign as part of a revamp
In which French departments is mask-wearing currently obligatory? You must still wear a mask in public outdoor spaces of some towns in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Brittany, Centre-Val de Loire, Corsica, Grand-Est, Normandy, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Pays-de-la-Loire
Bordeaux: Street sign change to acknowledge slave trade past Streets in Bordeaux that are named after slave traders have been modified to add historical context, rather than being removed, amid wider debate over whether the country should tear down symbols of slavery. Sinkhole 10 metres wide opens up in northern France Paris square named Princess Diana ‘Sausage Street’ may change name
City’s signs tell you where to go ... in how long New signs make tourist trips easier Hot food banned from Fête de la Musique in France Drunks to get a rude awakening in Caen Pavement ad tests halted as guinea-pig cities object Just 6% of streets are named after women ‘Wild geyser street pools’ anger local authorities
Two towns where the streets have odd names FROM Pink Crocodile Street to Dancing Bush Road, residents in two French communes may raise a few eyebrows when they submit their tax declaration forms.