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 The staircase to the top of Europe's tallest sand dune - located in the south-west France département of Gironde - is making its grand return with the opening of the summer tourism season. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260331/staircase-returns-on-frances-dune-du-pilat Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:52:22 +0200 staircase-returns-on-frances-dune-du-pilat Airbnb is controversial in large urban centres such as Paris or Nice, but in rural areas or small towns, locals say the platform can be a useful way to attract additional tourist revenue. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260309/everyone-benefits-why-airbnb-is-welcomed-in-certain-parts-of-france Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:02:53 +0100 everyone-benefits-why-airbnb-is-welcomed-in-certain-parts-of-france If the grey days of winter are getting you down, here is where to go in France that gives you the best chance of seeing the sun. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260225/revealed-the-best-places-in-france-for-winter-sun Wed, 25 Feb 2026 13:25:38 +0100 revealed-the-best-places-in-france-for-winter-sun As French ski resorts prepare for the peak February season, the news of more deaths have hit the headlines - here's how to stay safe while skiing in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260112/avalanche-risk-is-it-still-safe-to-ski-in-the-french-alps Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:51:13 +0100 avalanche-risk-is-it-still-safe-to-ski-in-the-french-alps A decree establishing new rules on mediation and legal disputes comes into effect from February 7th, 2026. Here’s what's changing for affected passengers. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260205/what-passengers-need-to-know-about-frances-new-airline-disputes-policy Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:55:48 +0100 what-passengers-need-to-know-about-frances-new-airline-disputes-policy The February holidays are high season for French ski resorts in the Alps and the Pyrénées, but what are the prospects for snow this year? https://www.thelocal.fr/20260204/hows-the-snow-looking-in-france-for-the-february-ski-holidays Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:18:18 +0100 hows-the-snow-looking-in-france-for-the-february-ski-holidays As French ski resorts prepare for the February peak season, The Local looks at the regulations for skiiers in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251104/do-skiers-and-snowboarders-have-to-wear-helmets-on-french-slopes Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:17:18 +0100 do-skiers-and-snowboarders-have-to-wear-helmets-on-french-slopes French rail operator SNCF has opened ticket sales for the Easter holidays and the long 'pont' weekends in May. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260128/train-tickets-go-on-sale-for-frances-may-2026-holiday-weekends Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:52:33 +0100 train-tickets-go-on-sale-for-frances-may-2026-holiday-weekends It’s cold and a bit dank outside right now, but Spring really isn’t that far away, so here’s what’s coming up in France as the days get longer, the sky bluer, and the sun warmer. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251231/what-to-do-and-where-to-go-in-france-in-spring-2026 Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:19:33 +0100 what-to-do-and-where-to-go-in-france-in-spring-2026 A fire broke out in a five-star hotel in the upscale French Alpine ski resort of Courchevel on Tuesday evening, forcing the evacuation of around 270 occupants, firefighters said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260128/83-evacuated-from-hotel-fire-in-frances-courchevel-ski-resort Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:55:34 +0100 83-evacuated-from-hotel-fire-in-frances-courchevel-ski-resort From pig-squealing competitions to men in bear suits, via the 'world championship of seagull impressions', these are some of France's most bizarre traditional festivals. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221205/bears-lemons-and-pig-squealing-9-of-frances-strangest-festivals Mon, 05 Dec 2022 11:05:13 +0100 bears-lemons-and-pig-squealing-9-of-frances-strangest-festivals 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 If the grey January weather is getting you down, you might be thinking about booking your next holiday - here are some tips for getting the best choice and value for money. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260116/when-is-the-best-time-to-book-your-2026-french-holiday Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:22:34 +0100 when-is-the-best-time-to-book-your-2026-french-holiday The French Culture Ministry has confirmed to The Local that non-EU citizens who live in France will not have to pay the new higher museum ticket prices for non-European visitors. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260116/french-government-confirms-that-france-residents-exempt-from-museum-fees-hike Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:12:41 +0100 french-government-confirms-that-france-residents-exempt-from-museum-fees-hike 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. Here's how the new pricing structure works. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260114/explained-frances-new-museum-prices-for-tourists-and-residents Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:39:37 +0100 explained-frances-new-museum-prices-for-tourists-and-residents 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 Should foreign tourists pay more for state-funded galleries than locals, or should art be accessible to all, without discrimination? France is hiking prices for non-Europeans at the Louvre this week, provoking debate about so-called "dual pricing". https://www.thelocal.fr/20260113/french-museum-fare-hikes-for-non-european-tourists-spark-outcry Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:51:30 +0100 french-museum-fare-hikes-for-non-european-tourists-spark-outcry Paris museums and monuments recorded an increase in visitor numbers in 2025, compared to the previous year, as an increasingly young crowd of tourists flocked to the capital’s key cultural attractions. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260107/paris-landmarks-see-record-tourist-numbers-in-2025 Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:28:17 +0100 paris-landmarks-see-record-tourist-numbers-in-2025 The Louvre closed its doors to thousands of disappointed visitors on Monday due to a strike over working conditions at the Paris landmark, two months after a major robbery. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251215/louvre-faces-closures-as-staff-walk-out Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:30:35 +0100 louvre-faces-closures-as-staff-walk-out From huge and world-famous to small, cute and traditional, France has plenty of options for enjoying a Christmas market. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251104/the-french-christmas-markets-you-have-to-visit-in-2025 Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:16:06 +0100 the-french-christmas-markets-you-have-to-visit-in-2025