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 Armed with swimsuits, caps and goggles, rural French children are gaining access to swimming lessons close to home at an unlikely venue: a retrofitted trailer truck. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260210/pool-on-wheels-brings-swim-lessons-to-rural-france Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:24:23 +0100 pool-on-wheels-brings-swim-lessons-to-rural-france Hunters who are caught with a gun or bow in their hand while drunk face fines of €1,500 - or €3,000 for repeat offenders - under France's new laws aimed at cutting fatal accidents linked to 'la chasse'. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230918/france-introduces-e1500-fine-for-drunk-hunters Mon, 18 Sep 2023 14:49:49 +0200 france-introduces-e1500-fine-for-drunk-hunters In attempt to stop the decline of rural communities, the French government has today launched a €12 million scheme that offers grants to entice shops, bars, cafés and other businesses to isolated areas of France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230301/french-government-offers-e80k-grants-to-attract-shops-bars-and-cafes-to-rural-villages Wed, 01 Mar 2023 17:27:12 +0100 french-government-offers-e80k-grants-to-attract-shops-bars-and-cafes-to-rural-villages The French government has laid out a 14-point plan to make hunting safer after growing controversy over the number of hunting accidents, including fatalities. Here's what the plan involves. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230109/alcohol-limits-training-days-and-an-app-how-france-plans-to-make-hunting-safer Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:59:46 +0100 alcohol-limits-training-days-and-an-app-how-france-plans-to-make-hunting-safer Fourteen villages are battling for the title of France’s ‘favourite village’ in 2020. Here's a look at each of them and why they are worth planning a visit to. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200302/frances-best-villages-14-hidden-gems-that-are-well-worth-a-visit Mon, 02 Mar 2020 12:40:00 +0100 frances-best-villages-14-hidden-gems-that-are-well-worth-a-visit Here's a list of the ten best French villages you've never heard of, which are well worth a visit when you get the chance. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190529/the-best-french-villages-youve-never-heard-of Wed, 29 May 2019 19:18:39 +0200 the-best-french-villages-youve-never-heard-of Parents, teaching unions and mayors in rural France are up in arms over an announcement by the government that 200 to 300 classes in schools throughout the country will be closed at the end of the school year. They blame the president. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180306/fears-in-rural-france-over-plans-to-close-hundreds-of-classes Tue, 06 Mar 2018 14:45:39 +0100 fears-in-rural-france-over-plans-to-close-hundreds-of-classes Here's how you know you've gone native in rural France, according to a woman who says she has done it herself. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170414/you-know-youre-a-local-in-rural-france-when Fri, 14 Apr 2017 13:45:29 +0200 you-know-youre-a-local-in-rural-france-when A nearly abandoned village in central France has recorded its first birth in 50 years - and local authorities were at a loss for words, not least for the fact the baby was born in the garden? https://www.thelocal.fr/20170411/garden-birth-in-tiny-french-village-brings-first-baby-in-50-years Tue, 11 Apr 2017 17:37:21 +0200 garden-birth-in-tiny-french-village-brings-first-baby-in-50-years Nearly three million French people are drinking polluted tap water, according to a new study and most of them live in rural areas. https://www.thelocal.fr/20170127/millions-in-rural-france-drink-polluted-tap-water Fri, 27 Jan 2017 11:20:21 +0100 millions-in-rural-france-drink-polluted-tap-water Jonathan Miller, journalist and town councillor in south western France, takes a lighter look on life on the home front in rural France amid the ongoing war on terrorism. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160812/life-on-the-home-front-in-frances-war-on-terror Fri, 12 Aug 2016 17:10:39 +0200 life-on-the-home-front-in-frances-war-on-terror In his article "Carry on Campagne" UK comedian and author Ian Moore describes why rural France, more than anywhere else in the world, really feels like living in a foreign country. https://www.thelocal.fr/20160404/carry-on-campagne-by-ian-moore Mon, 04 Apr 2016 16:48:13 +0200 carry-on-campagne-by-ian-moore A French television programme has revealed France's favourite village. https://www.thelocal.fr/20150624/frances-favourite-village-2015-revealed Wed, 24 Jun 2015 16:44:12 +0200 frances-favourite-village-2015-revealed Does life in rural France offer the peace and quiet that you've always dreamed about or is it a quick route to loneliness and isolation? Amaryllis Barton takes a closer look. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140828/rural-france-heaven-or-hell Thu, 28 Aug 2014 19:46:00 +0200 rural-france-heaven-or-hell Residents in a French village have united behind an elderly British couple after their dream of a quiet retirement in southern France turned into a nightmare when their neighbours - also from the UK - walled them into their home. https://www.thelocal.fr/20140821/french-villagers-come-to-aid-of-british-couple Thu, 21 Aug 2014 10:18:00 +0200 french-villagers-come-to-aid-of-british-couple