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 How to check water restrictions where you live, finding professional tax advice, holiday destinations and their alternatives, foodie heaven, and the offences that could cost you points on your licence. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260503/hosepipe-bans-tax-help-and-driving-offences-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 03 May 2026 08:30:41 +0200 hosepipe-bans-tax-help-and-driving-offences-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france What’s happening in France in May, the summer’s big festivals, what the new pet passport rules mean for travel between UK and France, and electronic billing for self-employed workers in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260426/pet-passports-may-changes-summer-festivals-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:36:28 +0200 pet-passports-may-changes-summer-festivals-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france What to ask for at a French pharmacy to ease your allergies, familial tax declarations, what’s going on with low emission zones, useful phrases involving hair, and what second-home owners need to know about visas - here are this week's must-read articles for life in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260419/allergies-taxes-and-and-hair-phrases-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:08:45 +0200 allergies-taxes-and-and-hair-phrases-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Tax changes for couples, the rules on tax residency in France, carte de séjour delays, trouble at border controls, and a guide to this summer’s festivals - all that in our 6 essential articles for life in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260412/taxes-residency-paperwork-and-summer-festivals-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 12 Apr 2026 08:28:31 +0200 taxes-residency-paperwork-and-summer-festivals-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france What Americans in France need to know about filing two tax returns, English-speaking helplines, where all the doctors are in France, important information for anyone looking to install solar panels, and how to express condolences in French - here are our essential articles for life in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260405/us-tax-returns-solar-panels-and-helplines-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:50:49 +0200 us-tax-returns-solar-panels-and-helplines-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Who has to make a tax declaration in France, expanded rules on wildfire prevention for homeowners, childhood vaccinations, and how to avoid a big fine for just walking your dog. Plus, France’s Easter traditions - all feature in this week's must-read articles for life in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260329/taxes-wildfires-and-dogs-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:20:34 +0200 taxes-wildfires-and-dogs-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france How you can estimate your tax bill, setting up your tax account if you're new in France, studying for the big civics test, where you can dine Michelin-style for €40, what mayors actually do — and the secrets of French’s silent letters. Here are this week's must-read articles for life in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260322/taxes-fine-dining-and-mayoral-powers-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:53:50 +0100 taxes-fine-dining-and-mayoral-powers-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france We ask: will it ever stop raining? Plus, an explanation of why Montpellier is so popular with Americans, what it’s like growing up bilingual, how to challenge your 2026 mutuelle premium increase, and the hidden costs of selling your French home. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260222/endless-rain-montpellier-and-growing-up-bilingual-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:52:18 +0100 endless-rain-montpellier-and-growing-up-bilingual-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Why France’s Interior Minister is looking at naturalisation protocols, who’s who in the 2027 Presidential elections, skiing safety tips, plans to make babies more desirable, and driving licence points. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260215/citizenship-ski-safety-and-babies-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:35:36 +0100 citizenship-ski-safety-and-babies-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france What you need to know about France’s speeding laws, a checklist for the increasing number of Americans planning to move to France, whether children of British citizens born here need a UK passport — and Chandeleur traditions. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260201/speeding-french-moving-admin-and-pancakes-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:36:37 +0100 speeding-french-moving-admin-and-pancakes-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france What you need to know before you move to France from USA, family tax matters, useful websites for cinephiles, and a few of the country’s weirder festivals. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260125/moving-from-the-usa-movie-magic-and-festivals-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 25 Jan 2026 12:43:34 +0100 moving-from-the-usa-movie-magic-and-festivals-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france How to register with the unemployment office if you lose your job in France, vocab for new micro-entrepreneurs, new museum ticket pricing rules, and all the French words for ‘because’. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260118/job-issues-museum-prices-and-vital-wine-tasting-news-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 18 Jan 2026 13:21:57 +0100 job-issues-museum-prices-and-vital-wine-tasting-news-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Why you might need to update your post-Brexit French residency card, law changes in France that will affect drivers, holiday entitlement, and how Amal and George got French citizenship. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260111/driving-rules-brexit-and-the-clooneys-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 11 Jan 2026 09:49:42 +0100 driving-rules-brexit-and-the-clooneys-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france How to properly get rid of your Christmas tree, are Christmas cash gifts taxable? Everything that changes in 2026 for foreigners in France, all you need to know about the winter sales, and the cost of French citizenship if you’re not Amal and George Clooney https://www.thelocal.fr/20260105/tree-disposal-2026-changes-and-the-winter-sales-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:39:07 +0100 tree-disposal-2026-changes-and-the-winter-sales-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Could farm protests disrupt the Great Christmas Getaway? How much will Americans in France have to pay to access healthcare? To tip or not to tip? How to give notice to leave a rental property, and what’s in store for foreigners in France in 2026 - here are the latest must-reads from The Local. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251221/christmas-travel-protests-and-health-fees-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 21 Dec 2025 10:02:18 +0100 christmas-travel-protests-and-health-fees-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france The incoming laws that will affect foreigners in France, questions on dual citizenship, getting a VAT number, winter fuel payments, and seasonal foods and traditions — all in our latest rundown of must-reads from The Local https://www.thelocal.fr/20251214/new-laws-in-2026-vat-and-christmas-traditions-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:57:26 +0100 new-laws-in-2026-vat-and-christmas-traditions-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france What foods you can and cannot take to the UK from France, a reminder about border controls, how to get a flu and Covid vaccine, and what’s actually happening in the fight against fake news https://www.thelocal.fr/20251207/cross-border-foodie-gifts-christmas-travel-and-flu-shots-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 07 Dec 2025 09:15:40 +0100 cross-border-foodie-gifts-christmas-travel-and-flu-shots-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france This week’s must-reads explain what to watch out for when the French strike again next week, what to pack in case of emergencies, help to move to rural areas, sending Christmas gifts to the US, and a stripped-down seven reasons to visit France in 2026. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251130/strikes-survival-kits-and-posting-gifts-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 30 Nov 2025 11:29:36 +0100 strikes-survival-kits-and-posting-gifts-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france The ‘hidden’ fees of house-buying, what’s going on with France’s taxe foncière, the new-look digital carte vitale, when to book your 2026 holidays, French visas and possible new parcel fees all feature in this week’s must reads from The Local. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251123/property-fees-tax-rises-and-holidays-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:00:25 +0100 property-fees-tax-rises-and-holidays-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france How planned changes to the budget could affect foreigners in France, a update on Brexit card renewals where you live, and how Americans in France can celebrate Thanksgiving properly all feature in this week’s practical must-reads from The Local. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251116/budget-changes-brexit-cards-and-thanksgiving-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:43:49 +0100 budget-changes-brexit-cards-and-thanksgiving-6-essential-articles-for-life-in-france