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 French carmaker Renault said Tuesday it aims to end selling simple internal combustion engine vehicles in Europe by 2030 and plans to develop its new electric car platform with Google. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260310/renault-aims-to-stop-selling-fuel-only-cars-in-europe-by-2030 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:44:13 +0100 renault-aims-to-stop-selling-fuel-only-cars-in-europe-by-2030 A plan to make SUV owners pay more for parking in Paris has met with a mixed response from residents, ranging from Gallic shrugs to outright support or rejection. https://www.thelocal.fr/20231117/paris-plan-to-cut-suvs-in-french-capital-hits-bumpy-road Fri, 17 Nov 2023 16:57:02 +0100 paris-plan-to-cut-suvs-in-french-capital-hits-bumpy-road A confusing law that has forced (at least officially) drivers in France to keep at least one disposable breathaylser kit in their car at all times has finally been officially binned by the French government. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200108/france-to-finally-scrap-law-obliging-drivers-to-keep-breathalysers-in-cars Wed, 08 Jan 2020 17:40:28 +0100 france-to-finally-scrap-law-obliging-drivers-to-keep-breathalysers-in-cars Under dazzling autumn sunshine in the heart of Paris, Marc Fiot steps out of a new Zoe, Renault's flagship all-electric hatchback, and readily declares it "the future". https://www.thelocal.fr/20181006/at-paris-motor-show-electric-cars-are-the-future-just-not-right-away Sat, 06 Oct 2018 16:48:57 +0200 at-paris-motor-show-electric-cars-are-the-future-just-not-right-away The French government is going to start fining more owners of SUVs, big sedans and other oversized cars in a bid to dissuade the public from buying polluting vehicles. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180720/france-tightens-grip-on-polluting-cars-with-stricter-eco-tax Fri, 20 Jul 2018 18:48:13 +0200 france-tightens-grip-on-polluting-cars-with-stricter-eco-tax The very French tradition of burning cars on the national July 14th holiday is very much alive and well with some 850 vehicles torched at the weekend, but where does this tradition come from? https://www.thelocal.fr/20180716/850-cars-torched-across-france-on-bastille-day-weekend Mon, 16 Jul 2018 15:36:25 +0200 850-cars-torched-across-france-on-bastille-day-weekend French carmaker Renault said Wednesday it will buy a big stake in a French newspaper group as it prepares to give motorists reading material while they sit in driverless cars with time on their hands. https://www.thelocal.fr/20171213/renault-buys-stake-in-french-media-group-as-it-prepares-to-entertain-bored-motorists-in-driverless-cars Wed, 13 Dec 2017 17:40:31 +0100 renault-buys-stake-in-french-media-group-as-it-prepares-to-entertain-bored-motorists-in-driverless-cars A retired cabinet maker in central France who famously built a wooden 2CV Citroen car has taken it out on the road for the first time. See the video here. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170929/video-frenchman-taken-his-wooden-citron-2cv-out-for-a-spin Fri, 29 Sep 2017 14:19:20 +0200 video-frenchman-taken-his-wooden-citron-2cv-out-for-a-spin Sales of new cars in France rose 5.1 percent last year, breaching the symbolic threshold of two million vehicles for the first time since 2011, the French automakers' association CCFA said Sunday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170102/french-car-market-zooms-to-five-year-high Mon, 02 Jan 2017 10:40:29 +0100 french-car-market-zooms-to-five-year-high France’s senate has published a report blasting the fact that when it comes to cars women suffer from a lack of égalité and it's the men causing all the accidents. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160929/sexism-at-the-wheel-france-wants-more-women-drivers Thu, 29 Sep 2016 17:27:55 +0200 sexism-at-the-wheel-france-wants-more-women-drivers Parisians have been warned that there will be a high level of air pollution on Thursday, August 25th. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160824/paris-warned-about-air-pollution-ozone-free-parking-cars-smog Wed, 24 Aug 2016 17:35:31 +0200 paris-warned-about-air-pollution-ozone-free-parking-cars-smog The French government gave the green light on Wednesday for driverless cars to take to France's roads. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160804/france-gives-go-ahead-for-driverless-car-tests Thu, 04 Aug 2016 17:02:51 +0200 france-gives-go-ahead-for-driverless-car-tests We’ll give you good news first. French residents spent less time sitting in traffic jams in 2015 compared to the previous year, a total of 28 hours, down from 29. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160317/and-the-worst-french-city-for-traffic-jams-is Thu, 17 Mar 2016 10:49:31 +0100 and-the-worst-french-city-for-traffic-jams-is Drivers in France will now be able to contest speeding fines online instead of having to send a letter, thanks to a new move to cut down on paperwork. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151126/speeding-fines-can-now-be-contested-online Thu, 26 Nov 2015 12:15:56 +0100 speeding-fines-can-now-be-contested-online A motoring group has revealed exactly which cars are the most commonly pinched in France with thieves apparently having a penchant for French made automobiles. https://www.thelocal.fr/20151029/most-stolen-cars-in-france-revealed Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:36:21 +0100 most-stolen-cars-in-france-revealed The French government's latest bid to tighten its belt will see it sell off thousands of cars from the 65,000-strong fleet of official state-owned vehicles. It comes after the Eylsée Palace decided to flog its finest wines as well as a luxury apartment in New York to save money. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150223/france-to-strip-leather-from-official-car-fleet Mon, 23 Feb 2015 16:54:00 +0100 france-to-strip-leather-from-official-car-fleet French drivers are ditching their country's own brands in favour of Italian car company Fiat, figures released on Monday show. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140901/french-ditch-own-cars-for-italian-fiat Mon, 01 Sep 2014 18:57:00 +0200 french-ditch-own-cars-for-italian-fiat Just days before the local elections a French mayor has invited ridicule by telling police officers the reason he was speeding at 60km/h over the limit was because he was trying to dry his vehicle after going to the car wash. But did the cops fall for his excuse? https://www.thelocal.fr/20140320/speeding-french-mayor-was-trying-to-dry-car Thu, 20 Mar 2014 10:15:00 +0100 speeding-french-mayor-was-trying-to-dry-car It may not be the fastest or flashiest car on the market, but for the second year in a row the Smart Fortwo was the most coveted car by French thieves. Curiously, the car thieves weren't so interested in the car, but rather what's in it. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140131/smart-car-the-most-stolen-in-france-in-2013 Fri, 31 Jan 2014 12:21:00 +0100 smart-car-the-most-stolen-in-france-in-2013 The French custom of burning cars on New Year’s Eve shows no sign of being extinguished, with authorities reporting that over 1,000 vehicles were destroyed this week. The night was also marred by three fatal stabbings. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140102/new-year-sees-1000-cars-burned-across-france Thu, 02 Jan 2014 10:10:00 +0100 new-year-sees-1000-cars-burned-across-france