https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed A driver caught going at 200km/h in northern France over the weekend could be facing jail under France's tough new speeding law. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260615/driver-clocked-at-200km-h-faces-jail-under-frances-new-speeding-laws Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:41:16 +0200 driver-clocked-at-200km-h-faces-jail-under-frances-new-speeding-laws In France, anyone looking to graduate with a secondary school diploma must pass an hours-long philosophy exam, in addition to more prosaic subjects like maths and languages. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230612/building-citizens-why-philosophy-is-compulsory-in-french-schools Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:16:28 +0200 building-citizens-why-philosophy-is-compulsory-in-french-schools Emmanuel Macron this week hosts world leaders in his last G7 summit as French president, feeling that Donald Trump's second mandate has vindicated his dream of a stronger Europe but with that vision far from being fulfilled. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260615/for-sure-macron-to-preach-stronger-europe-vision-at-g7-swansong Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:35:27 +0200 for-sure-macron-to-preach-stronger-europe-vision-at-g7-swansong Temperatures are predicted to soar in France from Wednesday, with forecasters saying that the heatwave could last until the end of the month. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260615/intense-and-long-lasting-heatwave-predicted-to-hit-france Mon, 15 Jun 2026 09:17:43 +0200 intense-and-long-lasting-heatwave-predicted-to-hit-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 https://www.thelocal.fr/20260614/wildfire-rules-tax-residency-and-world-cup-vocab-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:37:02 +0200 wildfire-rules-tax-residency-and-world-cup-vocab-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france The 2026 baccalaureate exams get under way, G7 leaders meet in Evian, airport workers in Paris are scheduled to go on strike, there's some football and of course it's the Fête de la musique. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260614/on-the-agenda-whats-happening-in-france-this-week-214 Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:36:16 +0200 on-the-agenda-whats-happening-in-france-this-week-214 This French word can be useful when cooking or describing strange behaviour - but doesn't have the same sense as the English version. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260612/french-word-of-the-day-louche Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:43:15 +0200 french-word-of-the-day-louche Campaigners gathered outside préfectures across France protesting about growing administrative obstacles - including long waits for appointments - that prevent thousands of foreign nationals from accessing their legal rights. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260611/nationwide-protests-over-french-prefecture-delays Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:18:43 +0200 nationwide-protests-over-french-prefecture-delays If you've ever fancied owning your own island, one is now on the market - a private island off the coast of Brittany is for sale for €2.5 million. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260608/private-island-for-sale-off-coast-of-france Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:16:17 +0200 private-island-for-sale-off-coast-of-france They both attract thousands of tourists every year, and both have beautiful beaches relatively cheap homes and fantastic food - so which is the better place to live, Brittany or Normandy? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260611/brittany-v-normandy-which-is-the-best-french-region-to-live-in Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:24:59 +0200 brittany-v-normandy-which-is-the-best-french-region-to-live-in Several hundred people gathered in southwestern France on Friday to bid farewell to an 11-year-old girl whose suspected murder sparked protests across the country and exposed failures in the country's judicial system. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260613/france-bids-farewell-to-girl-11-whose-killing-sparked-outrage Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:38:31 +0200 france-bids-farewell-to-girl-11-whose-killing-sparked-outrage A French court on Friday sentenced a man to 15 years in jail for drugging and raping his partner and filming the acts, for which he sought advice from notorious convicted rapist Dominique Pelicot. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260613/pelicot-follower-gets-15-years-in-france-for-drug-rapes Sat, 13 Jun 2026 14:15:49 +0200 pelicot-follower-gets-15-years-in-france-for-drug-rapes Airlines will be banned from charging parents to get seats next to their children under an EU reform of passenger rights agreed on Friday that stopped short of more divisive changes, diplomats said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260613/eu-to-ban-airlines-from-charging-parents-to-sit-with-children Sat, 13 Jun 2026 10:06:35 +0200 eu-to-ban-airlines-from-charging-parents-to-sit-with-children France on Friday paid tribute to Bernadette Chirac, widow of former president Jacques Chirac, in a funeral in Paris attended by prominent figures from the worlds of politics and entertainment. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260613/france-lays-to-rest-widow-of-late-french-president-chirac Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:41:20 +0200 france-lays-to-rest-widow-of-late-french-president-chirac From the outrage around the Affaire Lyhanna and the dysfunction of the judicial system, via France's preparations for a controversial World Cup and a few film recommendations, Inside France is our weekly look at the news and talking points in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260613/inside-france-outrage-grows-over-the-dysfunction-revealed-by-the-affair-lyhanna Sat, 13 Jun 2026 09:07:42 +0200 inside-france-outrage-grows-over-the-dysfunction-revealed-by-the-affair-lyhanna If someone tells you they're having 'la pêche', it doesn't mean they're keen for a fruity snack. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260612/french-expression-of-the-day-avoir-la-pche Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:44:05 +0200 french-expression-of-the-day-avoir-la-pche If you're planning a move to France, or just thinking about it, what are the biggest worries that you have, or the things that put you off the idea? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260605/tell-us-what-are-your-biggest-worries-or-barriers-to-moving-to-france Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:16:31 +0200 tell-us-what-are-your-biggest-worries-or-barriers-to-moving-to-france Jordan Bardella has stumbled upon reality - writes John Lichfield. A dangerous thing for a populist politician. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260610/opinion-the-french-pension-crisis-could-be-a-landmine-for-jordan-bardella Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:24:38 +0200 opinion-the-french-pension-crisis-could-be-a-landmine-for-jordan-bardella The Talking France podcast is back with an episode looking at the political storm that has erupted following the death of an 11-year-old girl, what France's population could look like by 2070, and which region offers the better quality of life: Normandy or Brittany. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260611/podcast-70000-outstanding-complaints-france-rocked-by-scale-of-child-sexual-violence Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:08:33 +0200 podcast-70000-outstanding-complaints-france-rocked-by-scale-of-child-sexual-violence One of Paris' major airports has announced that 3,000 flights will either be cancelled or transferred to a different airport as it prepares to close a runway for repairs for four months. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260612/paris-airport-cancels-or-reroutes-3000-flights-for-runway-works Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:42:29 +0200 paris-airport-cancels-or-reroutes-3000-flights-for-runway-works