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LIVING IN FRANCE

On the agenda: What’s happening in France this week

Here is what is happening in France on the week beginning July 5th.

Published: 5 July 2021 11:00 CEST
On the agenda: What's happening in France this week
French schools break up this week. Photo: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP

Monday 

Avignon’s international festival of theatre gets underway. Like all events of more than 1,000 people, entry is via health passport – requiring a vaccination certificate or negative Covid test – only.

Workers at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports are striking in a dispute over contracts. Some flights have been delayed.

Tuesday

Schools break up for the summer holidays. 

President Emmanuel Macron meets with unions to discuss the proposed pension reforms. The reforms to the country’s pension systems sparked a two-month national transport strike in December 2019 and January 2020, before being deferred when the pandemic struck. Macron now has to decide whether to revive the proposed reforms or delay further.

Cannes film festival begins.

Parliament debates the ‘loi Taquet‘ –  a package of measures aimed at better child protection that includes support for unaccompanied minors arriving in France, reforms to the care system and changes to the rules for crèches.

Wednesday

Tourists and visitors to France are now required to pay for Covid tests after an earlier offer of free tests for tourists was scrapped due to a “lack of reciprocity” from other countries. Prices are capped at €49 for a PCR test and €29 for a rapid-result antigen test. Tests of all types, including for travel, remain free to residents.

READ ALSO How to get a Covid test in France 

Meeting of the Defence Council, which considers Covid-related health restrictions. After weeks of falling Covid rates and the gradual reopening of the country, France now faces a fourth wave driven by the delta variant, which health minister Olivier Véran has warned could be here by the end of July.

Thursday

Parliament debates the budget for 2021.

Marseille jazz festival begins. 

Friday

Traffic forecaster bison futé has issued warnings for the whole country for Friday and Saturday and French families head off on holiday now that schools are finished for the summer. 

Nightclubs reopen for the first time since March 2020. Entry is via health passport – vaccination certificate or negative Covid test – only.

A second strike notice has been filed by workers at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.

Saturday

Paris’ popular urban beaches open. There are three Paris plages locations this year – Bassin de la Villette in northern Paris, the banks of the Seine and a new location at the Jardins du Trocadéro near the Eiffel Tower, with a big screen showing the Tokyo Olympics and other sporting events 

READ ALSO What’s on in Paris this summer

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PROPERTY

How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

Storm Ciaran’s property-wrecking passage through France - with another storm forecast for the weekend - may have many people wondering how comprehensive their insurance cover is. 

Published: 3 November 2023 15:45 CET
How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

In the wake of Storm Ciaran, thousands of property owners in France are preparing insurance claims – with initial estimates of the bill for damage between €370 million and €480 million.

Home insurance is compulsory in France, whether you own the property you live in or you rent – and it must include some level of storm damage cover. 

Check also to see if your insurance provides cover in case of a declaration of a catastrophe naturelle.

The garantie tempête (storm guarantee) covers damage caused by violent winds. What constitutes a ‘violent wind’ varies from contract to contract, but there appears to be a widespread consensus of agreement on wind speeds over 100km/h.

In most insurance contracts, this covers damage caused by the storm and within the following 48 hours – so you’re covered if, for example, a tree weakened by the storm comes down within that period and damages your property.

Be aware that, while the storm guarantee automatically covers the main property, it generally only covers any secondary buildings and light constructions – such as a veranda, shed, solar panels, swimming pool or fence – if they are specifically mentioned in the contract. 

The same is true of any cars damaged by debris. A basic insurance contract might not include storm damage, so it is always worth checking.

Damage must be reported to your insurer as quickly as possible. The deadline for making declarations is usually five days after any damage is noticed. This is especially important for second home owners, who may not be at the property when the damage occurs. 

In some cases – such as in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran – insurers may extend the reporting period. But under normal circumstances, it’s five days after the damage has been discovered.

What happens next

To make a claim, the first thing to do is contact your insurer by phone or email. Your insurer will take you through the next steps, but usually you have to send in a declaration – which should include an estimate of any losses and for any repairs, with evidence where possible, such as photographs and any receipts for purchases. 

Your insurer may also request proof of wind intensity, which can be provided for example by a nearby weather station.

The insurance company may appoint an expert to come and assess the damage, so make sure to keep damaged property safe until they arrive, as well as all invoices for any urgent repair work. 

What if you’re a tenant?

If you rent your property, you must report any damage inside the accommodation to your insurer and also notify your landlord so that they can file their own claim. 

In the case of a co-propriete, you must declare damage inside the accommodation to your insurer, while the trustee sends his own declaration to the collective insurance (which sometimes covers the private areas) .

How long does it take for claims to be settled?

Payment of the compensation provided for by the “storm guarantee” depends your home insurance contract. After the insurer has estimated the amount of damage, compensation is generally paid between 10 and 30 days following receipt of the insured’s agreement.

What if we got flooded?

In the case of flooding, you may have to wait for a natural disaster order to be issued. 

Catastrophe naturelle

The ‘state of natural disaster’ is a special procedure that was set up in 1982 so victims of exceptional natural events, such as storms, heavy rain, mudslides and flooding, as well as drought, can be adequately compensated for damage to property.

The government evaluates each area and deems whether it qualifies for the status of catastrophe naturelle (natural disaster). 

Essentially once a zone is declared a natural disaster, victims can claim from a pot of funds created by all insurers. If the zone is not declared a disaster, insurance companies are under no obligation to pay out. 

Under a “state of natural disaster” residents are covered for all those goods and property that are directly damaged by the phenomenon, in this case storms.

It applies to residential or commercial buildings, furniture, vehicles and work equipment that are already covered by insurance policies.

Homes must be already covered by a multi-risk insurance policy for the status of natural disaster to count.

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