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 Laws require many homeowners in the south of France to do compulsory works each year to help prevent the spread of wildfires - but as fires become more common, the laws have been expanded to cover properties in northern France, including Brittany. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260324/french-government-expands-obligatory-wildfire-prevention-work-for-homeowners Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:26:38 +0100 french-government-expands-obligatory-wildfire-prevention-work-for-homeowners Tax declaration season is upon us, while property owners may also need to complete a property tax declaration. The first step is to create a French tax account - here's how to do that. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230209/explained-how-to-get-a-numero-fiscal-and-create-a-french-tax-account Thu, 09 Feb 2023 11:37:35 +0100 explained-how-to-get-a-numero-fiscal-and-create-a-french-tax-account If you're visiting France from a non-EU country your time here is limited, unless you have a visa - but what happens to people who overstay and how strictly are the rules enforced? https://www.thelocal.fr/20210331/reader-question-what-happens-if-i-over-stay-my-90-day-limit-in-france Wed, 31 Mar 2021 16:47:58 +0200 reader-question-what-happens-if-i-over-stay-my-90-day-limit-in-france Faced with a housing shortage and an increase in the number of second homes, local elected officials in many areas of France are making the issue of housing a key topic in their campaigns. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260224/why-second-homes-are-at-the-heart-of-frances-local-elections Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:29:27 +0100 why-second-homes-are-at-the-heart-of-frances-local-elections Around 1 in 10 properties in France are used as a second home - but who owns them all? Here's the breakdown of age, wealth, nationality and region for France's holiday homes. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260223/explained-who-owns-all-the-second-homes-in-france Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:44:26 +0100 explained-who-owns-all-the-second-homes-in-france The city of Paris has been introducing more stringent measures against second homes, in an attempt to ease the capital's housing shortage, but will it really go as far as banning them altogether? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260202/is-paris-really-going-to-ban-second-homes Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:31:58 +0100 is-paris-really-going-to-ban-second-homes Local officials on a French island are offering incentives of up to €10,000 to second-home owners who are willing to rent out their properties on a long-term lease, in order to try and overcome the housing shortage for locals. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260129/french-island-offers-up-to-e10000-to-second-home-owners-who-rent-out-their-property Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:55:44 +0100 french-island-offers-up-to-e10000-to-second-home-owners-who-rent-out-their-property The deadline is rapidly approaching for second-home owners in France to pay the second part of their property taxes - the taxe d'habitation. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251215/deadline-for-french-second-home-tax-payments Mon, 15 Dec 2025 10:31:07 +0100 deadline-for-french-second-home-tax-payments Second-home owners in France might be tempted to apply for a 12-month visa in order to avoid having to abide by the 90-day limit on visits to their property - but there are some things to consider before doing so. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251128/can-second-home-owners-in-france-get-a-one-year-french-visa Fri, 28 Nov 2025 14:56:42 +0100 can-second-home-owners-in-france-get-a-one-year-french-visa Foreigners who have residency in France gain extra rights (and responsibilities) which are not open to those who simply own property here or visit regularly. Here's a look at what non-residents can and cannot access. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250602/what-you-can-and-cannot-do-as-a-non-resident-in-france Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:42:57 +0200 what-you-can-and-cannot-do-as-a-non-resident-in-france As things stand, second-home owners in France must wait over two decades before they can be exempt from capital gains income tax upon resale. However, French MPs have voted to change the time period. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251105/french-mps-vote-to-change-capital-gains-tax-exemption-for-second-homes Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:21:03 +0100 french-mps-vote-to-change-capital-gains-tax-exemption-for-second-homes Almost half of the 3,690 town and village councils in France that have the authority to raise the rate of taxe d’habitation bills on second homes have done so, according to official figures. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251103/more-french-towns-hike-taxe-dhabitation-bills-on-second-homes Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:33:14 +0100 more-french-towns-hike-taxe-dhabitation-bills-on-second-homes Buying a house always carries a risk, but it can be harder doing it in a foreign country where you are unfamiliar with the sales process, tax regulations or local bylaws - here are 7 things to watch out for when buying a place in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251030/7-french-property-traps-that-catch-out-foreign-buyers Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:13:23 +0100 7-french-property-traps-that-catch-out-foreign-buyers The moment when you sell your second-home in France is not quite the end of the French paperwork requirements - from taxes to sales agreements, here's what to expect. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251023/explained-taxes-and-paperwork-required-for-selling-a-second-home-in-france Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:43:13 +0200 explained-taxes-and-paperwork-required-for-selling-a-second-home-in-france It should come as a surprise to precisely no one that selling a property in France is a time-consuming and bureaucratic process - here's exactly how the process works and the legal steps you need to complete. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251023/six-steps-to-selling-a-house-or-apartment-in-france Thu, 23 Oct 2025 12:43:59 +0200 six-steps-to-selling-a-house-or-apartment-in-france The French government has unveiled the deadlines for the property tax owed by second-home owners. Here is the timeline for 2025. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251017/whats-the-deadline-for-second-home-owners-in-france-to-pay-taxe-dhabitation Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:57:35 +0200 whats-the-deadline-for-second-home-owners-in-france-to-pay-taxe-dhabitation Every autumn, when taxe foncière deadlines are upon us, the same question arises: who should pay following a change in a family’s situation — whether it’s through death, divorce or the sale of the property. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251013/who-pays-french-property-taxes-in-case-of-divorce-death-or-sale Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:45:07 +0200 who-pays-french-property-taxes-in-case-of-divorce-death-or-sale If you're visiting France and you're not a citizen of an EU country, your visits may be limited by the '90 day rule' - here's how it works, what changes under EES border checks and how to calculate your trips so that you don't overstay your allowance. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220419/calculator-how-to-work-out-your-90-day-allowance-in-france Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:15:22 +0200 calculator-how-to-work-out-your-90-day-allowance-in-france Many property owners in France may be curious about earning some extra cash renting out their home - especially on platforms such as Airbnb - but it's important not to fall foul of local rules on registration and taxes. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251009/what-you-need-to-know-about-legally-renting-out-a-french-second-home Thu, 09 Oct 2025 16:35:30 +0200 what-you-need-to-know-about-legally-renting-out-a-french-second-home As more and more local authorities in France tighten up the rules on short-term rentals, The Local looks at whether the 'bail mobilité' could be a useful alternative for second-home owners looking to rent their property for part of the year. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251009/is-frances-bail-mobilite-a-good-option-for-second-home-owners Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:57:29 +0200 is-frances-bail-mobilite-a-good-option-for-second-home-owners