The Local France

Move over Paris! Small town aims to be France's new City of Love

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 12:16:34 +0200

The small northern town of Lens wants the French capital to stop having a monopoly on romance.

French women going for younger lovers, study shows

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 13:51:28 +0200

French women are opting for younger men more and more, a new study has found. Perhaps they have taken inspiration from a high flying young politician.

Woman held after 'mailing erotic pics' to French minister

Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:47:37 +0100

A 29-year-old woman has been placed in police custody for allegedly sending "malicious messages" and "erotic photos" to France's Minister for Economy, Emmanuel Macron.

French turning to web to find love (but they won't admit it)

Sat, 13 Feb 2016 09:50:14 +0100

A new survey shows the French of all people are turning to dating apps more and more to find their lovers, although many won't admit it, Katie Warren writes.

Emojis: French in love but less than happy

Wed, 22 Apr 2015 14:48:23 +0200

An extensive study of emoji-use around the world appears to confirm a few of the stereotypes about the French - notably that they are the most passionate, but perhaps not the happiest folk around.

Google says French really is language of love

Fri, 07 Nov 2014 17:19:00 +0100

It has been confirmed (again) that French is the language of love, as a Google Translate survey found it is the tongue most often used to translate romantic expressions.

Expat group hopes to 'change dating' in France

Fri, 06 Jun 2014 13:27:00 +0200

Disillusioned by modern dating games, a group of single expat women in Paris have started a new support group to change the rules of modern courtship and put the fun back into dating.

Ten French expressions to use on Valentine's Day

Fri, 14 Feb 2014 10:45:00 +0100

It’s tricky enough to grasp all the linguistic subtleties of dating in English – let alone in a foreign language. To help you on your French dating adventures, we’ve listed ten Gallic idiomatic expressions, that may seem bizarre, but could be very useful.

Ten reasons why it's good to date other expats

Thu, 13 Feb 2014 14:30:00 +0100

You’ve upped sticks, settled in France and you’re slowly embracing the local culture. But that doesn’t mean you are obliged to fall in love with a local. Here, The Local lists ten reasons why it's a good idea to date a fellow expat.

Court blesses woman's marriage to father-in-law

Wed, 04 Dec 2013 18:00:00 +0100

France's highest appeals court made legal history on Wednesday, giving its blessing to the marriage of a woman from the south of France to her ex-father-in-law, according to reports.

Photo of the day: 'From Paris With Love'

Mon, 09 Sep 2013 15:55:00 +0200

Some 150 people gathered on Boulevard Lannes in the 16th arrondissement of Paris over the weekend, for a series of public and defiant kisses and embraces. But what was it all in aid of?

Star-crossed lovers, haunted by past lives

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:32:00 +0200

Elisabeth Lorentz and Eric Holder are in love. But this week, a set of facts from their past, and a letter from French President François Hollande himself, threatened to destroy their future. They are our French Faces of the Week.

Teacher charged for 'romantic' fling with pupil

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0200

An English teacher at a school in the northern city of Lille has admitted to falling in love with one of her pupils, a 14-year-old girl, who was 20 years her junior. The pair have insisted however, their relationship was consensual.

First wedding boutique for gay men set to open

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:16:00 +0200

Gay marriage might only have been legalized in France on Tuesday and it hasn’t actually been signed into law yet, but by this weekend gay men hoping to tie the knot can visit a new upscale wedding boutique entirely dedicated to them.

Widower, 90, pins love hopes on garden sign

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:40:00 +0200

After the death of his wife, whom he had known for over seven decades, a 90-year-old French man is refusing to give up hope of finding love again. The pensioner has planted a sign at the bottom of his garden to alert potential companions.

Top ten tips for finding French love

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:46:00 +0100

For many people making a romantic French connection is still thought of as the Holy Grail when it comes to finding a partner. So to mark Valentine’s Day The Local has come up with some dating tips to help both men and women in their quest to find Gallic romance.

Love-sick sprayer goes on citywide graffiti spree

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:47:00 +0200

A love-struck vandal has sprayed two kilometres worth of graffiti in the northern town of Caen in a bid to let a girl called Manon know that he or she was desperately in love with her.

Wet weather dampens French lust: survey

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:27:00 +0200

Rain and low temperatures this summer have put a damper on French libidos in the northern half of the country, a recent survey reveals.

'Madness made me cut off love rival's penis'

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:45:00 +0100

A Frenchman says he cut his girlfriend’s lover’s penis off and flushed it down the toilet because he was "driven by madness".

French communist mayor 'weds' gay couple

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:14:00 +0100

A French communist mayor on Saturday married two gay men in a symbolic wedding as French law does not recognise same-sex marriage.