‘Tiny swimming pools’ catch on in France as easier and cheaper option Smaller pools are not subject to same regulations as larger conventional ones
How do I see if any drought rules are affecting my French home? Restrictions can greatly impact the use of water
How to wake up your swimming pool when temperatures get warmer We look at the different steps you need to take to get your pool ready for the warmer days ahead 1,500 undeclared pools traced in Dordogne, south-west France French tax officials to hunt out undeclared sheds and verandas Several villages in south of France without tap water due to drought
France's way of tracking undeclared pools is unfair, says report The aerial photography system in use since 2021 is not applied in the same way all over the country
‘Garden shed’ tax in France: what rises in 2024 and what exemptions? The tax on building property extensions is rising again this year
Swimming pools: How to check you are within tax rules in France There are forms to fill in and taxes to pay at both the construction stage and after completion. Here is how it works
Compost, cars, cakes: Five French practical updates We recap recent articles which you may have missed
Can we build a natural pond at French home if cannot have a pool? Reader’s question is about a pond which has filtration by reeds and does not use chlorine
New pool must go due to neighbour’s ‘protected view’ clause in France Court rules property must be returned to original state in line with clause protecting a sea view in their property deeds
Stop stigmatising us during droughts, say pool owners in France Pools only account for 0.06% of nation’s water usage, says industry federation
What is France's 'drought' website VigiEau? You can type in your address to find out whether you can do things like fill your swimming pool or water the garden
Will I receive fine for not paying taxe foncière on old French pool? A new pool should be declared to the property section of the local tax office
Why more French pools now require swimming caps (it’s not for hygiene) Wearing a cap can also bring big savings on energy 10 beautiful public swimming pools to cool off in in France Tan-through swimwear makes a splash in France How do French authorities check people are not breaking drought rules?
Tax authorities discover 120,000 undeclared swimming pools in France Aerial photography and artificial intelligence were used to help identify homeowners who had not declared their swimming pools France widens tax crackdown to include undeclared sheds and verandas France drought rules: Do they stop me topping up my swimming pool? Legal bid to overturn ban on above-ground pools in southern France Tax rise dismay, inheritance change: 5 French property updates Map: The 28 French departments at high risk of drought this summer
How to keep your swimming pool open despite drought in France With more than three million private pools in France, but increased water restrictions across the country, we share professional tips on how to keep your pool safe and useable
France drought: sales of above ground pools banned in parts of south The aim is to limit the temptation to use water for pools as departments prepare for local population numbers to quadruple as tourists arrive
Swimming pool still adds value to French property despite droughts An increased selling price might look attractive but do not forget running costs, increased taxes and water bans
Pool building ban, landlords lose Pau appeal and other property news We also look at a Dordogne castle for sale with a grisly backstory, how Macron’s pension reforms will impact mortgages and more
Swimming pools, sheds: Tax due on installation is rising in France The tax is applied once on the installation of a new built structure requiring planning permission or a prior declaration on someone’s property
Energy audits, tax, grants: What is new for property in France in 2023 We look at the energy diagnostic tests needed for sales or letting and why installing a pool will cost more
Renovation loans, evictions, house swaps: Five French property updates We also look at tax authorities’ Google surveillance of garden pools in 2023
Tax rise for home pools, market slowdown: Five French property updates We also look at a case of ‘tacit’ planning permission gone wrong and support for fining people who turn their heating up too high
Pool problem, ‘rent with option to buy’: Five French property updates We also look at why sellers may not be liable for misrepresenting the size of a property and the best places to live for workers
Language classes, motorway tolls: Tips for saving money in France Five ways to save money in France, from paying less at swimming pools to improving your language skills for free...
Can I add a swimming pool to French home without paying more in tax? We explain the different taxes that come into play when building a pool and look into circumstances where you do not need to pay them
Do swimming pools show up on French taxe foncière bills? We look at how the bills are set out and whether they contain details of structures such as pools
‘Who’d pay €20?’: Why 29 public swimming pools in France have closed Soaring energy costs have led to one private company to take drastic action, but France’s national swimming federation is not happy
Are above ground pools subject to the taxe foncière in France? We look at which types of swimming pools are subject to local taxes
Undeclared swimming pool detection system to be used across France The system has resulted in €10million being collected in extra taxes during a trial in nine departments
Should France ban private swimming pool use amid drought crisis? An MP says the idea should not be ignored but only be used as a last resort in the combat against droughts
Swimming pool ‘squatter’ incidents on the rise in southern France Police are receiving more and more calls about people using pools without permission but often their power to act is limited
Rent-a-pool: grain containers inspired French mobile pool business A pool builder in rural Tarn-et-Garonne got the rental idea while watching lorries load crops at the side of a field
Annual burkini row ‘demonises’ all five million muslims in France Journalist Nabila Ramdani gives her view on the latest ‘Muslim dress’ saga to hit France and how the arguments against the burkini just don’t stack up
Pools, prices, islands: Five updates for property owners in France We also look at a costly planning permission error and how a shortage of houses is pushing up prices
How French tax authorities are tracking undeclared swimming pools A new AI aerial photo tool is being tested in some parts of France, but some critics say it is far from foolproof and could see residents landed with unfair taxe foncière bills
Are all public swimming pools now open in France? Yes, swimming pools are now fully able to open in France.
The Connexion's guide to owning a swimming pool in France It’s been a hot summer and readers with gardens may be wondering about the cost of fitting a pool for next year...
French tax office begins to use aerial shots to find undeclared pools The measure is also targeting home extensions in nine departments before being used throughout France in 2022
Calls for ‘swimming licence’ to reduce number of drownings in France Recent survey suggests most drownings occur in natural environments, where swimmers find it harder to assess conditions. Meanwhile a mobile pool in a lorry is touring rural areas teaching people to swim
French property market news: September roundup Our pick of stories for property owners in France from the last month
Digne-les-Bains: Pool builder flees to Corsica with customer deposits Volunteer firefighter who promised families he would install swimming pools earlier this year has taken deposits worth thousands and now cannot be contacted
Tax and planning: When and how to declare a swimming pool in France With the tax office teaming up with Google to spot undeclared pools, we look at the rules so as not to be caught out
Growing trend for shipping containers as trendy pools in France Industrial-chic swimming pools crafted from shipping containers are in high demand thanks to their looks, price point and durability
French homeowners face long wait for swimming pools as demand soars Installers’ order books are filled for months in advance - but a pool is not only good to use but can be a sound investment to raise property value
How much of our tax bill is due to having a swimming pool? Having a pool on your property does increase the valeur locative of a property and this figure is used to work out the level of taxe foncière due
Laws affecting swimming pool owners in France As a swimming pool owner, are you liable for accidents that happen in your pool when you’re not there?
France lockdown boosts salt water swimming pools popularity Why have salt water swimming pools become increasingly popular in France over the past decade?
What to do if your pool turned green during lockdown Owners arriving later than usual at holiday homes, as European travel restrictions lift, may have the bad experience of finding their pool has turned green.
20 pools to reopen with new rules in France Twenty public swimming pools will reopen with new rules at the beginning of June, as a trial for the second stage of deconfinement.
Containers reborn as value-for-money swimming pools An Australian idea of using old shipping containers as swimming pools has been adapted for the French market.
I earned €150 a month with my French home’s pool It is only November but one home-owner is already thinking of next summer and her swimming pool – and how to rent it out after earning €150 a month doing just that this year.
Paris pool closes due to ‘pro-burkini’ protest A public pool in Paris closed this weekend after pro-burkini activists mounted a protest against the ban on the body-covering swimsuit, and demanding “access for all to leisure facilities”.
Take a dip… in a bus An old regional bus has been converted into a swimming pool and is to be installed – and used – outside the Louvre-Lens museum in Pas-de-Calais this month
France warned on 30% rise in accidental drownings The number of accidental drownings in France rose by 30% in the summer of 2018, health agency Santé Publique France (SPF) has warned.
A new pool in one week - from dig to swim Sponsored content: Compass Pools' swimming pools can be installed in just one week - and come with a 40-year guarantee!
Google Earth threat has people rushing to pay tax A mayor aims to boost taxe foncière payments after using Google Earth to spot undeclared or unauthorised swimming pools and other constructions in the commune.
Website helps you rent out your pool Swimmy has 16,000 subscribers and allows private owners to rent their pools
One in five pools breaks safety laws One in five private swimming pools does not have safety equipment, breaking the law obliging all pools to have a cover, alarm or barrier in place.
121 deaths by drowning in 35 days in France Lack of lifeguards, and poor standard of swimming lessons to blame, according to secretary general of Fédération des maîtres-nageurs
Macrons plan to build private pool at holiday fort Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron are planning to construct a private outdoor pool at their official holiday residence, the Fort de Brégançon, in a bid to escape being seen by paparazzi on the fort’s private beach.
Told to pay up for undeclared swimming pool I did not declare a new swimming pool to the tax authorities and have now been told to pay extra taxe foncière and d’habitation back-dated for several years – is that fair?
Planning a swimming pool in our garden We are planning a swimming pool in our garden for when our grand-children come to visit. We know built-in pools sunk into the ground face extra taxe foncière so we are planning a wooden kit that is largely above ground. Can you give us advice on our plan – especially as we see from Connexion that some councils are using Google Maps to spot pools and levy tax? I.G.