https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed As France continues to grapple with stubbornly high levels of domestic violence, there are services available to help victims who don't speak French very well. https://www.thelocal.com/20260319/where-to-find-english-language-help-services-for-victims-of-domestic-violence-in-france Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:05:00 +0100 where-to-find-english-language-help-services-for-victims-of-domestic-violence-in-france Christmas and New Year is a peak season for travel in and out, and around, France - so what is the likelihood of strike-related disruption this year? https://www.thelocal.com/20251112/will-there-be-strikes-in-france-this-christmas Wed, 12 Nov 2025 12:13:17 +0100 will-there-be-strikes-in-france-this-christmas If you're shopping in France you might have noticed empty shelves in the egg section of your local supermarket - apparently due to an 'explosion' in demand as the French embrace egg-based cooking. https://www.thelocal.com/20251001/why-french-supermarkets-are-reporting-egg-shortages Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:56:41 +0200 why-french-supermarkets-are-reporting-egg-shortages France's 'cultural canon' includes a range of classic novels which most French people will have read (or watched the movie, or at least heard of) and which are therefore often referenced. Aurore Laborie lists the must-reads. https://www.thelocal.com/20250904/listed-the-iconic-books-that-make-up-frances-cultural-canon Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:34:13 +0200 listed-the-iconic-books-that-make-up-frances-cultural-canon Due to the spread of tiger mosquitoes, France is now reporting rising numbers of cases of what were previously considered to be 'tropical' diseases such as chikungunya, Zika, dengue fever and West Nile virus. https://www.thelocal.com/20250820/maps-where-in-france-are-there-cases-of-chikungunya-dengue-and-west-nile-fever Wed, 20 Aug 2025 14:28:41 +0200 maps-where-in-france-are-there-cases-of-chikungunya-dengue-and-west-nile-fever French Prime Minister François Bayrou wants to scrap two public holidays in order to cut the country's deficit - and he has Easter Monday in his sights, saying the day has "no religious significance". https://www.thelocal.com/20250716/why-frances-pm-has-easter-monday-public-holiday-in-his-sights Wed, 16 Jul 2025 15:34:44 +0200 why-frances-pm-has-easter-monday-public-holiday-in-his-sights A second British student legally resident in France under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement has encountered problems accessing university accommodation, an issue that was highlighted earlier this summer by The Local. https://www.thelocal.com/20250717/another-british-student-in-france-hits-admin-roadblock Thu, 17 Jul 2025 14:05:26 +0200 another-british-student-in-france-hits-admin-roadblock After a French train passenger was fined €150 for using his phone on speaker mode, we look at the strict rules in place to ensure a peaceful journey on France's trains. https://www.thelocal.com/20250207/what-are-the-rules-around-phone-use-on-french-trains Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:41:49 +0100 what-are-the-rules-around-phone-use-on-french-trains A woman who refuses to have sex with her husband should not be considered 'at fault' by courts in the event of divorce, Europe's top rights court said on Thursday, condemning France. https://www.thelocal.com/20250123/european-rights-court-faults-france-in-marital-sex-case Thu, 23 Jan 2025 12:06:14 +0100 european-rights-court-faults-france-in-marital-sex-case Pornographic websites must be able to verify users' ages in France from Saturday, the result of a years-long battle between operators and authorities, with start-ups scenting an opportunity in the new arrangement. https://www.thelocal.com/20250109/porn-sites-up-against-french-deadline-for-age-checks Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:29:52 +0100 porn-sites-up-against-french-deadline-for-age-checks Long discussed but finally coming into effect on Saturday is the 'universal charger' law, requiring all new small electronic items sold in France to use the same charging system - meaning that one charger can be used for multiple devices. https://www.thelocal.com/20241227/universal-charger-frances-new-law-for-phones-and-small-electrical-items Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:45:08 +0100 universal-charger-frances-new-law-for-phones-and-small-electrical-items Although France no longer has compulsory military service, there is still a requirement for a 'citizen service' known as the JDC - and for most younger people this is compulsory, including young foreigners who take French citizenship. https://www.thelocal.com/20240524/what-is-frances-citizen-service-and-who-has-to-do-it Fri, 24 May 2024 19:11:17 +0200 what-is-frances-citizen-service-and-who-has-to-do-it Workers in France who receive a monthly salary have been warned that their March pay packet may arrive late, due to European banking regulations. https://www.thelocal.com/20240322/why-your-march-salary-could-be-late-in-france Fri, 22 Mar 2024 09:58:23 +0100 why-your-march-salary-could-be-late-in-france The French government has extended the 'surtaxe' it charges on SUVs and high-polluting vehicles, as local authorities look for new ways to crack down on SUVs in cities. https://www.thelocal.com/20240117/france-increases-taxes-on-suvs-and-high-polluting-vehicles Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:08:20 +0100 france-increases-taxes-on-suvs-and-high-polluting-vehicles Pension protests, riots and political deadlock - but also a Playboy controversy, a dodgy sardine paté and the loss of France's best-loved Brit, Jane Birkin. Here's a look back at what happened in France in 2023. https://www.thelocal.com/20240102/year-in-review-what-happened-in-2023-in-france Tue, 02 Jan 2024 13:42:56 +0100 year-in-review-what-happened-in-2023-in-france If you believe certain media, France is under attack from a plague of bedbugs which have infested public transport, cinemas, hotels and homes - but is the bedbug threat being exaggerated for political reasons? https://www.thelocal.com/20231005/factcheck-is-there-really-a-plague-of-bedbugs-in-france Thu, 05 Oct 2023 12:51:29 +0200 factcheck-is-there-really-a-plague-of-bedbugs-in-france Did you receive a recent email from Amazon informing you book delivery prices are going up? Here's why. https://www.thelocal.com/20231004/reader-question-is-the-french-government-really-forcing-amazon-to-raise-its-prices Wed, 04 Oct 2023 17:54:53 +0200 reader-question-is-the-french-government-really-forcing-amazon-to-raise-its-prices A northern French city has begun paying its residents for every day that they leave their car at home during rush hour, in an effort to reduce pollution and traffic congestion. https://www.thelocal.com/20230905/french-city-pays-locals-to-leave-their-cars-at-home Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:38:59 +0200 french-city-pays-locals-to-leave-their-cars-at-home If you live in France you should usually swap your driving licence for a French one after a certain period of residence - but is it actually illegal to drive on your old licence? And what are the penalties? https://www.thelocal.com/20230823/is-it-illegal-to-drive-on-a-foreign-licence-if-you-live-in-france Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:03:11 +0200 is-it-illegal-to-drive-on-a-foreign-licence-if-you-live-in-france As France sizzles under an intense heatwave, four départements have been placed under a 'red' weather alert on Tuesday by Météo France - but what does this mean for people living in or visiting those areas? https://www.thelocal.com/20230821/what-does-frances-red-heatwave-warning-mean Mon, 21 Aug 2023 20:08:01 +0200 what-does-frances-red-heatwave-warning-mean