The Local France

French 'more wealthy than Americans and Germans', new study reveals

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:06:58 +0200

A new global wealth report has revealed that while there are far more millionaires in the United States than in France, the French are actually more wealthy than Americans on average.

Le Million Dollar Club: France has second highest number of new millionaires in the world

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 17:57:40 +0200

Almost 260,000 French citizens have joined the Million Dollar Club in 2018, second only to the US in terms of millionaire growth, a new study has found.

Can Macron really convince the French to embrace wealth?

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 20:09:33 +0200

In a country like France where it's generally more acceptable to talk about how much sex you have than how much money you have, Emmanuel Macron is facing an uphill battle to persuade the French to embrace wealth. And he can't afford to make any more mistakes.

Real estate market helps France overtake UK for number of millionaires

Fri, 29 Sep 2017 12:24:22 +0200

France has edged the UK out of the top five countries with the biggest number of millionaire residents, a new study has found. But why?

Transparency: 'France lags far behind UK, US'

Wed, 22 Oct 2014 18:00:00 +0200

A new study out this week slammed France for totally inadequate controls on lobbyists. The president of the group behind the report tells The Local how France is lagging in transparency and is playing catch up with other nations.

'Sixty French lawmakers file suspect tax returns'

Wed, 22 Oct 2014 15:22:00 +0200

In what could end up a major tax scandal in France some 60 French lawmakers are in trouble with the taxman after their financial disclosures to the public didn’t quite match up with what they’d declared to authorities, according to media reports.

France probes Assad uncle's 'billions of euros'

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 19:45:00 +0200

Prosecutors in Paris have opened a probe into whether Rifaat al-Assad, uncle of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, used illegal means to acquire his "extraordinary wealth," estimated to be in the billions of euros, it emerged on Monday.

French court ups 'Oxford guru' conman's jail term

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 20:33:23 +0200

Thierry Tilly, the "Oxford guru" who conned a wealthy French family into giving him €4.5 million, had his eight-year sentence increased to a decade in court on Tuesday.

Saudi prince spends €15m on Disneyland trip

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:16:00 +0200

A young Saudi prince treated himself to a particularly memorable visit to Eurodisney, it emerged on Monday, spending €15 million for just 72 hours at the theme park near Paris. He is only the latest Saudi royal to make a splash in the city.

Hermès golf bag among Sarkozy's gifts to Obama

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:39:00 +0200

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave more than $41,000 worth of gifts to US President Barack Obama, in 2011 alone. The most expensive item? A $7,750 Hermès golf bag.

Gallery: What wealth did ministers have to reveal?

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:57:00 +0200

From a bank account containing just €12.21 to three bikes and a Renault Twingo find out what assets French ministers had to reveal this week. Their testimonies revealed eight of them are millionaires.

Plan to 'clean up' politics turning into French farce

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:42:00 +0200

President François Hollande's campaign to clean up French politics after the Cahuzac Affair began in earnest this week, with a demand for cabinet ministers to make their assets public. His attempt at 'transparency', however has been mocked in some quarters.

French tycoon's jet found packed with cocaine

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:41:00 +0100

A French bound jet seized in the Dominican Republic with almost 700 kg of cocaine on board belonged to renowned businessman Alain Afflelou, it has been revealed. The owner of an opticians empire was said to be “amazed” at the news.

Will France's 75 percent tax be cut down to size?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:52:00 +0100

It’s appearing more and more unlikely that President François Hollande’s much-vaunted 75 percent supertax proposal will ever see the light of day. Claims in the French media on Thursday predict it will have to be set at a lower rate.

CEO of French hi-tech group considers tax exile

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:40:00 +0100

Bernard Charles, chief executive of the French hi-tech group Dassault Systemes, revealed on Monday that he is considering leaving his native France for tax reasons.

The mixed fortunes of France's beauty queen

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:29:00 +0100

The heiress to the L'Oreal beauty products empire, she was just named the world's richest woman. But mental health woes and a feud with her daughter have tainted her twilight years. Liliane Bettencourt is our French Face of the Week.

Earn €78,000 a year to be 'rich', French say

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:48:00 +0100

How much do you have to earn to be considered rich in France? According to a recent poll, it's as much €78,000 a year. The results of the wealth survey also contain a strong message for tax exile Gerard Depardieu.

French PM denies plan to ditch 75 percent tax

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:47:00 +0100

The French Prime Minister denied media reports on Thursday that the government was about to scrap its controversial 75 percent top tax rate.

Million euro watch thief gang blights Riviera

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:35:15 +0200

Police on the French Riviera are on the hunt for a gang who have, in the last two weeks, ripped more than a million euros' worth of luxury watches from the wrists of their wealthy owners.

Minister: 'patriotic' French bosses will stay

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 12:40:00 +0200

France's Socialist government said Tuesday it was confident that patriotic business leaders would not flee the country over tax hikes, after Britain's prime minister offered to "roll out the red carpet".