France

It's been a dramatic week in France with the fall of another government, a nationwide day of blockage, a few fires and a new prime minister. But in between it all, we've also found time for some French pleasures - here's what we have been talking about in France this week.

The Fitch agency downgraded France's credit rating on Friday, as President Emmanuel Macron struggles with political instability and disagreements on how to put the country's strained public finances in order.

As France's new prime minister picks his government and gets to work, at the heart of upcoming budget questions will be the ‘Zucman tax.’

There are major disruptions on the French high-speed train network on Friday after the theft of cables, with disruption likely to continue until Saturday.

France's air traffic controllers union - which had initially called for strike action on September 18th - has announced it will push back calls for walkouts until October in order to allow the new government to consider its demands.

The Mediterranean coast, Greater Paris, Rouen and the Loire Valley are at the greatest risk of flooding, according to a government agency, while climate experts warn property hunters to be more aware of future flooding risks in coastal areas.

French health authorities have announced that the 2025-2026 seasonal flu and Covid-19 vaccination campaign will begin on October 14th. Here is what you need to know.

During France's Wednesday Bloquons Tout protests, thousands of school pupils took part in blockades of their schools - The Local looks at whether lycéens actually have the right to strike.

French public health authorities have reported hundreds of excess deaths during the second heatwave of the summer - which spanned two weeks during August.

The perfect French expression to talk about the things you love.

The four main unions representing workers on the Paris Metro, bus, tram and train network have filed their September strike notice, making severe disruption on the capital's public transport network likely.

President Emmanuel Macron said that France would deploy three fighter jets to “help protect Polish airspace” after Warsaw accused Russia of launching a drone raid on its territory.

From a cycling trip in the Loire Valley to France's best autumn events and the French must-reads to buy from your local bookstore, this week's La Belle Vie newsletter offers you an essential starting point for eating, talking, drinking and living like a local.

The dramatic image of sheets of flame engulfing the front of a Paris restaurant during tense nationwide protests on Wednesday has been widely shared - but it seemed the blaze was actually started accidentally by police.

After over 175,000 people took to the streets in France's 'Bloquons tout' (Block everything) mobilisation on Wednesday, the country looks ahead to another day of protests and strike action on Thursday, September 18th.

Take our quick quiz of well known – and not-so well known - road signs you may see in France.

The EU's new EES system is due to come into effect this autumn - but the rules and practicalities of crossing the border will be different for non-EU nationals who are resident in France with a carte de séjour or visa. Here's what this group should do when crossing the border.

September 10th saw nationwide protests and blockades in France, but this is not the last action planned for September - here's the calendar of planned strikes and protests.

After Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday sent a letter accusing Emmanuel Macron of fuelling anti-Semitism in France by calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state, the French presidency snapped back with a statement calling the Israeli leader's claims "abject" and "erroneous". 

France has adopted a modified piece of legislation that will prevent a pesticide believed to pose risks to human health from being reintroduced into the country. The country's main farmers' unions had argued that the pesticide was necessary for French farmers to compete with their European counterparts.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte filed a defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against US right-wing podcaster Candace Owens, who has repeatedly claimed that the wife of the president used to be a man. The Macrons said Owens' claims were "designed to harass and cause pain ... and to garner attention".

A French court on Monday jailed three people for the human trafficking of undocumented migrants to work in the champagne industry. Victims said they were treated "like slaves" as they were forced to work 13-hour shifts and left to sleep in an abandoned building with no food or water.

France’s new agricultural "Duplomb law" has met with stiff opposition from environmental and health experts for allowing the reintroduction of a controversial and banned pesticide that is known to damage ecosystems. However, although a petition against the divisive draft law has garnered a record 1.5 million signatures, it is unlikely to be withdrawn.

The famous red windmill above Paris's Moulin Rouge twirled again on Thursday evening, 14 months after the 12-metre blades tumbled to the ground in a shock accident. Hundreds of people gathered in the street outside the venue on Thursday to watch a public show celebrating the restoration of the iconic monument.

A wildfire that spread over 700 hectares in just a few hours near the French city of Marseille is receding, officials said on Wednesday. Local authorities warned that Marseille Provence airport could be closed again to allow for more airborne fire-fighting. High-speed train traffic in Marseille has resumed while local train traffic remains severely […]