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 It's a well known fact that renovating a property will add to its value - but now the French government has created an online tool that allows you to estimate how much value certain works will add to your French property. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260520/explained-how-to-calculate-the-value-of-your-french-property-after-renovations Wed, 20 May 2026 11:17:07 +0200 explained-how-to-calculate-the-value-of-your-french-property-after-renovations France has a bit of a reputation as a workers' paradise and while that is an exaggeration, there are still plenty of benefits that employees are entitled to. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200604/benefits-great-things-your-french-boss-owes-you Thu, 04 Jun 2020 12:59:49 +0200 benefits-great-things-your-french-boss-owes-you A decree published in France’s Journal Officiel reveals the government has authorised electricity supplier EDF to pilot dynamic tariffs. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260506/frances-edf-to-test-dynamic-electricity-pricing Wed, 06 May 2026 14:35:37 +0200 frances-edf-to-test-dynamic-electricity-pricing It's the practical question that people moving to France need to ask themselves - from accommodation to transport, via grocery shopping and childcare, we take a look at the cost of living in France in 2026. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260302/how-much-money-do-you-need-to-live-in-france-in-2026 Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:07:48 +0100 how-much-money-do-you-need-to-live-in-france-in-2026 If you're working in France, you will be automatically enrolled in the state-run pension system, but you can also benefit from a government-backed scheme to help you save for retirement or other projects. Find out what also changes in 2026. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240311/plan-depargne-retraite-setting-up-a-private-pension-in-france Mon, 11 Mar 2024 12:04:34 +0100 plan-depargne-retraite-setting-up-a-private-pension-in-france Whether you are thinking of buying or you want to know what your French property is worth, a free online service provided by the French government allows you to search for the real estate value of houses or apartments. https://www.thelocal.fr/20241017/new-data-to-show-house-hunters-the-value-of-french-property Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:09:30 +0200 new-data-to-show-house-hunters-the-value-of-french-property It brands itself as 'Le made in France' and uses the slogan 'c’est mieux si on paye en France' (it's better if you pay in France) - so what is CB and is it really an alternative to American payment systems? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260424/explained-the-french-cb-payment-method Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:49:11 +0200 explained-the-french-cb-payment-method The French prime minister, the man charged with sorting out the country's financial woes, is €559 overdrawn at his bank, the latest register of ministers' interests shows. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260422/overdrafts-second-homes-and-cars-how-rich-are-the-french-government Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:13:37 +0200 overdrafts-second-homes-and-cars-how-rich-are-the-french-government France's largest consumer organisation has warned that the prices of everyday items in French supermarkets will rise this summer, due to the war in the Middle East. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260421/prices-to-increase-in-french-supermarkets-this-summer Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:19:12 +0200 prices-to-increase-in-french-supermarkets-this-summer Amid a backdrop of soaring energy prices, the French government has unveiled the measures it intends to put in place to help struggling households and small businesses. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260420/heat-pumps-and-ev-leasing-france-unveils-energy-cost-aid-plan Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:03:52 +0200 heat-pumps-and-ev-leasing-france-unveils-energy-cost-aid-plan Several of France's motorway service stations are closed on Friday as employees strike over fuel costs. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260417/fuel-stations-closed-in-france-as-workers-go-on-strike Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:10:44 +0200 fuel-stations-closed-in-france-as-workers-go-on-strike If you're looking at coverage of the French tax declaration and thinking 'I wonder if that applies to me' - then chances are, it probably does. Here's a look at who has to do the annual declaration and who is exempt. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210215/explained-who-has-to-make-a-tax-declaration-in-france-in-2021 Mon, 15 Feb 2021 13:39:34 +0100 explained-who-has-to-make-a-tax-declaration-in-france-in-2021 Almost everyone who lives here, as well as some who live outside France, have to fill in the annual French tax declaration. The process itself can be complicated if you're not used to it, so Jill Starley-Grainger asked chartered accountant Faten Amamou for some pointers. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210413/ask-the-expert-how-to-fill-out-each-section-of-the-french-tax-declaration Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:22:04 +0200 ask-the-expert-how-to-fill-out-each-section-of-the-french-tax-declaration Tax declaration season is now open and if you are in a couple, you might need to do a joint tax declaration - here's how this works. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250514/explained-joint-or-single-tax-declarations-in-france Wed, 14 May 2025 15:49:51 +0200 explained-joint-or-single-tax-declarations-in-france The French state-owned electricity giant EDF has announced a €240 million aid plan to help households and businesses switch from fossil fuels to electricity, part of France's drive towards full electrification. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260408/edf-announces-e240m-plan-to-help-france-electrify Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:02:22 +0200 edf-announces-e240m-plan-to-help-france-electrify It's not uncommon for people who move countries to have assets and income in more than one place - so what does this mean for your tax residency status in France? Here's what the rules say. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220825/explained-the-rules-on-tax-residency-in-france Thu, 25 Aug 2022 16:33:30 +0200 explained-the-rules-on-tax-residency-in-france While fuel prices have already been on the rise for nearly six weeks, the price for household gas could also see a sharp rise from May, according to French industry experts. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260407/gas-prices-in-france-could-go-up-25-percent-from-may Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:45:23 +0200 gas-prices-in-france-could-go-up-25-percent-from-may Nearly one in five filling stations is out of stock of either petrol or diesel following the long Easter weekend, Deputy Energy Minister Maud Bregeon announced on Tuesday morning. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260407/around-18-percent-of-frances-fuel-stations-are-out-of-stock Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:22:49 +0200 around-18-percent-of-frances-fuel-stations-are-out-of-stock Good Friday isn’t a public holiday in most of France, but transfers of money between banks will be delayed from Friday until Tuesday, April 7th. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260401/bank-transfers-in-france-closed-over-easter-weekend Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:31:49 +0200 bank-transfers-in-france-closed-over-easter-weekend Motorists everywhere are struggling in the face of spiking prices at the pumps because of the war in the Middle East — but how much should you expect to pay in France? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260327/how-expensive-is-petrol-in-france-right-now Fri, 27 Mar 2026 16:27:46 +0100 how-expensive-is-petrol-in-france-right-now