Essential France
A weekly digest of essential articles you need to know for life in France.
November changes, wealth tax, and care bills: 6 essential articles for life in France
What’s happening in France in November, presidential candidates’ various policies for foreigners, wealth tax rules and what they mean, whether gifting your French house to family means you avoid care bills – and where the most ‘pure’ French is spoken…
Travel safety, cold remedies and halloween: 6 essential articles for life in France
How safe it really is to visit France this autumn, what to tell the pharmacist if you have a cold or flu, the cost of living and halloween traditions - and the tunes you'll hear at a French celebration
Citizenship, drought damage and flights: 6 essential articles for life in France
Our guide to citizenship eligibility, what you can do if drought is causing damage to your home, your rights as a tenant, winter flights to and from France – and heartwarming moments that made you feel welcome here.
Tickets to ride, midterm voting, and wine: 6 essential articles for life in France
How to book tickets that cover plane and train travel, how Americans in France can vote in the midterm elections, what Le Pen’s policy proposals actually mean, is your home in France a primary or secondary residence and why it matters – and bagging a Foire aux vins bargain
Récépissés, medical reimbursements, and October festivals: 6 essential articles for life in France
How to travel with an expired carte de séjour, the UK taxes Brits have to pay when they move to France, October festivals to enjoy, and property energy ratings
AI glasses, flu jabs, and capital letters: 6 essential articles for life in France
Are AI ‘pervert glasses’ actually legal in France? And what about Marine Le Pen’s ‘French preference’ plan? Plus, all you need to know about the flu vaccine, where the self-employed can look for business help … and the secret to successful French capitals.
New laws, banking rules, and must-visit exhibitions: 6 essential articles for life in France
The new laws taking effect in France this autumn, how new EU banking rules could affect you, French schools’ international ranking woes – and how to speak verlan.
Autumn events, electronic billing and road signs: 6 essential articles for life in France
Our pick of autumn festivals and events in France, free electronic billing services, a mysterious road sign explained, and how your personal circumstance could change the rules on renting.
September changes, strikes and tacos: 6 essential articles for life in France
What’s changing in France in September, the strikes planned for rentrée, why you might be exempt from property taxes here, the unfathomable mystery of French tacos explained, new rules on repairing white goods, and the perks of being an employee.
Holiday planning, bank rules, and electronic billing: 6 essential articles for life in France
Dates you need to know for planning your next family holiday, whether the cooler weather is here to stay, new EU banking rules, school stationery lists, and what electronic billing means for small businesses and freelancers in France.
Main property rules, water restrictions and emails: 6 essential articles for life in France
Making your second home your main home property, some possibly good news on the heatwave front, water restrictions, French e-scooter rules and why you’ve been getting emails about pixels
Back to school, Schengen and French village names: 6 essential articles for life in France
Rentrée is looming, Schengen’s 90-day rule explained, where France is under water restrictions … and the country’s longest – and shortest – place names
Wildfires, eclipses, and driving licences: 6 essential articles for life in France
Disruptions and health risks linked to France’s massive wildfires, how – and when – to catch this month’s solar eclipse, to swap or not to swap your driving licence … and the country’s crazy winds.
August changes, water restrictions and social media: 6 essential articles for life in France
Future heatwaves, where water restrictions are in place, ways to say ‘thank you’, and what we know about France’s social media ban
EES, health insurance and tea: 6 essential articles for life in France
What’s going on with the EES border system between the UK and France, how health insurance works, what you must have in your car when you’re on the road in France, and the secret to finding a good cuppa
The next heatwave, wildfires and doorbell cameras: 6 essential articles for life in France
How hot will France’s next heatwave be, staying informed on the wildfire situation, hot weather language, taxes and drinks, and the rules on installing a doorbell camera - here are the latest must-read articles for life in France.
July changes, keeping cool, and remote working: 6 essential articles for life in France
What’s happening in France in July, how and why the 14th became the Fête nationale, how to keep cool when the temperature soars, the rules on remote working and inheritance clarified – and the beaches to avoid this summer
Sleep advice, smoke alarm rules and caterpillars: 6 essential articles for life in France
How to get a better night’s sleep during a heatwave, your questions on moving to France answered, what to know if you’re staying in a French Airbnb this summer, the law on smoke alarms and a cautionary note about processionary caterpillars.
Wildfire rules, tax residency and World Cup vocab: 6 essential articles for life in France
What you might need to do to protect your home from wildfires, how tax residency works in France, Brittany or Normandy - where’s better to live?, English-speaking helplines, and vital phrases for World Cup football
World Cup, renovation calculations, and ‘autopartage’: 6 essential articles for life in France
Times and channels for every men’s football World Cup match, how to revalue your French property after renovation work, the rules on family reunification, the growing network of local vehicle hire schemes and is the temptation of a 12-month visa for second-homeowners worth it?
Heatwave advice, CB payments, and ticks: 6 essential articles for life in France
How to keep cool when the temperature rises, handy heat-based language tips, what CB means on your bankcard, childhood vaccination requirements and what you need to know about ticks
Property renovation tips, medical specialists and tax traps: 6 essential articles for life in France
Avoiding property renovation nightmares, booking a specialist doctor, tax traps to avoid for Americans in France, and how to watch the upcoming football World Cup — here are the latest mostly practical must-reads from The Local.
Seine swimming, pensions and saying sorry: 6 essential articles for life in France
Everything you need to know about taking a summer dip in the Seine, setting up a private pension, pet passport updates, and how to say sorry are among the must-reads from The Local this week.