The Local France

Takeaways and 4pm happy hour: How French restaurants are coping with curfew

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 18:44:38 +0200

In nine French cities long leisurely dinners out are a thing of the past as the curfew obliges everyone to be home by 9pm - so how are restaurants adapting to the new situation?

These are the most important foreign languages for the French jobs market

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 18:09:51 +0100

English is not the only foreign language the French need to have the best chance of finding work.

Four police hurt in clashes with Saint-Etienne ultras

Sat, 16 Dec 2017 17:06:44 +0100

Four French police officers were hurt during clashes outside Saint-Etienne's stadium after Monaco crushed the home team, police and local government said on Saturday.

Frenchman's 'fish soup' pizza beats Italy to world cup crown

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 13:33:03 +0200

Frenchman Ludovic Bicchierai has been crowned the world's best pizza-maker thanks to a dish inspired by the French fish soup, bouillabaisse.

France impress in win over Netherlands

Thu, 06 Mar 2014 09:55:00 +0100

France might have only just scraped through to the World Cup finals in Brazil but they showed on Wednesday night in their comfortable 2-0 win over the Netherlands that they could be a force to be reckoned with in the Summer.

Second French brother killed in Syria jihad

Tue, 07 Jan 2014 11:01:22 +0100

A young Frenchman, who converted to Islam, has died fighting in Syria just months after his half-brother was killed in the same conflict, their father revealed on Monday. The family said they found out about their second son's death by text message.

Paris Metro gift-wrapped for Christmas

Mon, 23 Dec 2013 12:20:00 +0100

Christmas came early for commuters in the French capital over the weekend, as an entire carriage of a Paris Métro was transformed into a festive gift. But who was behind this act of guerrilla cheerfulness?

Chickens mob gates of French parliament

Thu, 05 Dec 2013 11:26:00 +0100

We’ve all heard it said that politicians lack courage, but on Wednesday it was the turn of several dozen actual chickens to mob the gates of the French parliament in Paris. Find out what it was all about.

Why French schools are falling in global table

Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:24:00 +0100

The eagerly awaited OECD global education rankings and report does not make easy reading for France, which dropped three places and was again pulled up for its increasing inequality. A French Sociologist professor tells The Local what’s going wrong.

Bigotry against curvy women 'as bad as racism'

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 18:01:00 +0100

When fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld blamed France’s healthcare deficit on "fat people" this month, it was the final straw for French activist Betty Aubrière. She tells us why her group is suing Lagerfeld, and how bigotry against curvy women is as bad as racism and homophobia.

Three PSG players in the hat for 2013 Ballon d’Or

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 11:01:00 +0100

French magazine France Football published on Tuesday the names of 23 footballers, including three PSG players, who are in the running for the prestigious 2013 Ballon d’Or award for the best footballer in the world. But who deserves the gong the most?

France slams Amazon UK ban on foie gras

Mon, 07 Oct 2013 18:20:00 +0200

France has criticized online retailer Amazon UK's decision on Monday to ban the sale of foie gras. The move came after animal rights campaigners denounced producers of the French delicacy as "very un-British" in their cruelty.

Far right stuns France in by-election vote

Mon, 07 Oct 2013 14:33:00 +0200

France's political establishment was left reeling on Monday after two far-right candidates almost claimed 50 percent of votes in a by-election. A Socialist government spokesman called it a "warning shot" ahead of upcoming municipal elections.

PSG left frustrated as Monaco peg them back

Mon, 23 Sep 2013 10:59:00 +0200

The so-called battle of the billionaires ended in stalemate with Monaco recovering from early setback to hold PSG to a 1-1 draw in Paris on Sunday. Monaco's Radamel Falcao cancelled out Zlatan Ibrahimovic's early goal to keep his team top of Ligue 1.

Femen HQ hit by fire after 'witches' death threat

Mon, 22 Jul 2013 10:57:00 +0200

The Paris offices of militant feminist group Femen were hit by fire on Sunday. Although police are treating the blaze as an accident it comes after a recent death threat which said the activists should "burn" like "witches".

Meet Hommen: France's latest topless activists

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:43:00 +0200

Paris has a new group of semi-naked activists roaming its streets, going by the name of Hommen. Set up in response to the notorious feminist organisation Femen, the bare-chested male members of Hommen are an emerging force in the anti- gay marriage movement.

'Loves gays', worships God, fights gay marriage

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:06:00 +0100

At Sunday's anti-gay marriage demo in Paris, a self-styled 'fag-hag' and 'spin doctor for Jesus' got the loudest cheers. In the first of a new series, The Local takes a closer look at the all-singing, all-dancing paradox that is Frigide Barjot – this week’s French Face of the Week.

Votes for foreigners spark debate in France

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:46:00 +0100

The French Senate is to debate extending voting rights to foreigners on Thursday. The Socialist Party, which controls the Senate, wants to allow non-EU citizens to vote in local elections.

French favour voting rights for foreigners: poll

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:59:00 +0100

A clear majority of French people want to give non-EU foreigners the right to vote in local elections, a recent poll shows. The ruling right-wing party disagrees.