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 Long waits to obtain or renew a carte de séjour, the vital document which proves legal residency in France, are frustratingly common, as our reader poll shows. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260410/lives-and-livelihoods-are-on-the-line-readers-speak-out-on-carte-de-sejour-delays-in-france Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:43:16 +0200 lives-and-livelihoods-are-on-the-line-readers-speak-out-on-carte-de-sejour-delays-in-france France's Interior Minister has announced a plan to tackle what he describes as 'unacceptable' waiting times as préfectures for residency cards - but how bad is the situation? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260407/tell-us-have-you-experienced-delays-in-getting-or-renewing-a-carte-de-sejour-in-france Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:57:12 +0200 tell-us-have-you-experienced-delays-in-getting-or-renewing-a-carte-de-sejour-in-france Banking is a fact of 21st-century life in France, as anywhere — but which are the best French banks for foreign residents, and which ones should you avoid? We asked readers of The Local for their recommendations. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260318/readers-recommend-the-best-banks-for-foreigners-in-france Wed, 18 Mar 2026 15:15:15 +0100 readers-recommend-the-best-banks-for-foreigners-in-france Deciding on which bank to choose when moving to France can be a daunting task - so it helps to ask someone who has done it. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260313/tell-us-which-french-or-internet-banks-would-you-recommend Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:42:17 +0100 tell-us-which-french-or-internet-banks-would-you-recommend France's new tougher rules on French citizenship have seen an increasing number of people rejected on economic grounds - including young people who have spent almost their entire life in France. We spoke to some of those affected. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260225/its-not-just-a-piece-of-paper-i-want-to-belong-in-france-rejected-citizenship-applicants-speak-out Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:55:55 +0100 its-not-just-a-piece-of-paper-i-want-to-belong-in-france-rejected-citizenship-applicants-speak-out Recent changes to the rules on applying for French citizenship have made the process especially difficult for young people - even if they arrived in France as young children and spent their whole life here. We want to hear from young people (or their parents) affected by this. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260220/questionnaire-french-citizenship-for-under-30s Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:52:24 +0100 questionnaire-french-citizenship-for-under-30s Comments by readers of The Local France—whether opinions, advice, or tales of life in the country—offer vital insights to others. We've picked out some recent contributions on topics spanning the hurdles foreigners face as they try to integrate into French life, the administrative reality of "fairness" in the 2026 budget, and the hidden identity crisis that comes with being bilingual. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260220/your-views-we-must-be-willing-to-participate-the-same-way-french-locals-do Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:52:20 +0100 your-views-we-must-be-willing-to-participate-the-same-way-french-locals-do The rollout of high-speed fibre internet across France enters a new phase this year. We asked the readers of The Local living in rural France to rate their internet speed and see if they had noticed any improvement in recent months and years. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260209/much-improved-the-verdict-on-how-good-the-internet-is-in-rural-france Mon, 09 Feb 2026 18:26:43 +0100 much-improved-the-verdict-on-how-good-the-internet-is-in-rural-france Tensions are rising between the US and Europe, but how does this affect Americans living in France? And do American tourists need to worry about their reception here? We asked Local readers about their experiences. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260122/the-french-are-sympathetic-americans-on-life-in-france-in-the-trump-era Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:28:30 +0100 the-french-are-sympathetic-americans-on-life-in-france-in-the-trump-era Comments by readers of The Local France – whether opinions, advice or tales of life in the country – offer vital insights to others. We've picked out some recent contributions ranging from views on the Clooneys becoming French to the ease of accessing French healthcare. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260122/your-views-how-can-you-be-allowed-to-become-french-without-speaking-the-language Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:58:10 +0100 your-views-how-can-you-be-allowed-to-become-french-without-speaking-the-language At the start of 2026 France unveiled a new price structure for its national museums - including the Louvre and Versailles - that charges higher prices to non-EU visitors. Readers of The Local share their thoughts on this new law. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260119/its-discrimination-reactions-to-frances-museum-price-hike-for-non-eu-members Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:03:14 +0100 its-discrimination-reactions-to-frances-museum-price-hike-for-non-eu-members France has unrolled a new policy which involves charging higher prices to non-EU citizens to visit tourist attractions such as the Louvre and Versailles - and we want to hear your views on that. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260113/share-your-view-what-do-you-think-of-frances-higher-museum-prices-for-non-eu-visitors Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:04:45 +0100 share-your-view-what-do-you-think-of-frances-higher-museum-prices-for-non-eu-visitors Dual-national American readers across Europe say they would give up their US passports to stay European if they were forced to, with many citing political disillusionment, fears for safety, and the feeling of belonging to their adopted country. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251213/i-feel-alienated-american-dual-nationals-in-europe-ready-to-renounce-citizenship Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:06:30 +0100 i-feel-alienated-american-dual-nationals-in-europe-ready-to-renounce-citizenship From history to food, manners to politics, there is a lot to understand about France - so we asked our readers to recommend the best books to help explain the country. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220708/11-books-that-tell-you-almost-everything-you-need-to-know-about-france Fri, 08 Jul 2022 17:02:44 +0200 11-books-that-tell-you-almost-everything-you-need-to-know-about-france After a study found that the rental platform Airbnb is present across the vast majority French communes, The Local asked readers how its proliferation has impacted their communities. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251107/turned-our-french-village-into-a-ghost-town-the-verdict-on-airbnb-in-france Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:44:34 +0100 turned-our-french-village-into-a-ghost-town-the-verdict-on-airbnb-in-france Visiting France can be a wonderful experience, but being ripped off at a French restaurant understandably leaves a sour taste in one's mouth. Readers of The Local share their experiences of being overcharged in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250930/sad-and-angry-how-french-restaurants-rip-off-tourists Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:06:28 +0200 sad-and-angry-how-french-restaurants-rip-off-tourists After the French press uncovered the ways visitors are ripped off at restaurants in areas popular with tourists, The Local is looking to hear from readers about their experiences. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250924/tell-us-have-you-ever-been-overcharged-at-a-french-restaurant Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:03:23 +0200 tell-us-have-you-ever-been-overcharged-at-a-french-restaurant Sending children to school in France can be quite a culture shock for foreign parents - from delicious school lunches and impressive after-school care to complaints about a rigid attitude and lack of imagination, here's how readers of The Local view the French system. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250910/great-lunches-but-rigid-teaching-how-foreign-parents-view-the-french-school-system Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:01:08 +0200 great-lunches-but-rigid-teaching-how-foreign-parents-view-the-french-school-system The French schooling system can often present a bit of a culture shock - both good and bad - for recent arrivals. Here are some tips from parents who have already navigated the education system. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250911/7-tips-from-parents-for-surviving-the-french-school-system Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:00:43 +0200 7-tips-from-parents-for-surviving-the-french-school-system The Local is looking to hear from foreign parents about their experiences with the French school system. Please take a moment to share your thoughts in our short survey. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250905/tell-us-parents-what-are-your-impressions-of-the-french-school-system Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:28:34 +0200 tell-us-parents-what-are-your-impressions-of-the-french-school-system