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HUNTING

Alcohol limits, training days and an app: How France plans to make hunting safer

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.

Published: 9 January 2023 12:59 CET
Alcohol limits, training days and an app: How France plans to make hunting safer
A sign indicating "hunting in progress" on the top of the Hautacam hiking trail, southwestern France on January 7, 2023. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

With the stated goal of “zero hunting accidents,” France’s junior environment minister, Bérangère Couillard, on Monday unveiled the 14 measures the country plans to take in order to make hunting safer.

Over one million people go hunting every year, making it the sport with the third highest number of registered participants in France.

But it is becoming increasing controversial due to the number of accidents around la chasse (which usually means shooting) – including high profile cases in which passing hikers, dog-walkers, cyclists and even drivers have been shot by mistake by hunters.

READ ALSO ‘Like the wild west’ – life in rural France during the hunting season

During a press conference on Monday morning in Loiret, Couillard outlined the tenants of the 2023 Hunting Safety Plan. Here’s what it says;

No ban on Sunday hunting

Even though a ban on hunting on Sundays, public holidays and during school holidays had been called for by several associations and MPs, the National Federation of Hunters (FNC), was fiercely opposed to it. Members of the French government, including President Emmanuel Macron, had also spoken out in opposition to this measure.

Nevertheless, almost 80 percent of the French public favour a hunting ban on Sundays, polling firm IFOP found in December.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about France’s hunting season

In explanation for why the ban was not included, Couillard said that “nothing says that Sunday is the most accident-prone day.” She elaborated, adding that “Thursday is the most accident-prone day” in fact.

The junior environment minister added that during the period of 2000 and 2003, when hunting was banned on Wednesdays, there “were more accidents during this period.”

“We want to see better safety, seven days a week,” Couillon added.

Safety rules and training

The government will introduce mandatory training for all hunt ‘organisers.’ These training sessions will not be simply theoretical, but they will also have ‘hands-on’ portions.

“By the end of 2025, all hunt organisers (around 200,000 people) will have received training from the federations. The courses will be created alongside the French Biodiversity Office.

“They will remind hunters, in particular, of the safety rules and the challenges of communicating with local residents,” Couillard said.

All hunters, not simply the organisers, will have to undertake a training course every 10 years. 

The French government also offered plans to harmonise hunting safety rules throughout the country, starting with the 2023-2024 season. While these have not been decided upon yet, they may include standardising the wearing of fluorescent jackets or instituting a 30′ hunting angle (meaning not firing the weapon on the peripherals), for example.

The hunting plan will also allow for the better monitoring of weapon possession in France, as well as the national registry of persons banned from acquiring and holding weapons.

Alcohol restrictions

The government will also institute a fine – put in place in early 2023 – to punish any person caught hunting under the influence of alcohol. According to Franceinfo, it will be forbidden to hunt with an alcohol content of 0.5 grams per litre of blood. This equates to approximately two glasses of wine, depending on the individual. 

Also, the FNC (National Hunters’ Federation) has backed a new criminal offence of hunting under the influence, similar to that in force for drivers.

The app

The junior environment minister discussed plans to roll out a new tool: an app where hunters will have to report active hunts.

The aim is to “promote and centralise information on hunting locations and times” in a way that is “available on a digital platform” and open for all to access, explained Couillard.

The app is expected to be available in autumn – when the next hunting season opens – and it should allow all people in France to identify whether any hunts are going on near their homes. 

The Secretary of State’s aim is to achieve peaceful cohabitation with the introduction of an application identifying the areas hunted: “Declarations of hunts will be compulsory from September 2023.”

One of the main complaints of residents in rural France is that it is hard to find out where hunts are taking place, and therefore which areas to avoid when hiking, cycling or dog-walking. 

Hunting signs

By September 2025 (at the latest) France will standardise the usage of hunting signs throughout the country. Additionally, starting in September, communal hunting associations (ACA) will have to display ‘hunting days’ at the town hall, to better inform residents of the area. 

Hunters must already by law display signs when la chasse is underway, but application of this is patchy around the country.

Tougher penalties for hunting accidents

The hunting safety plan will also introduce stiffer penalties for accidents where hunters are found to be at fault.

“Depending on the seriousness of the offence, the government hopes to strengthen penalties like the withdrawing hunting licences or placing bans on renewing the licence,” Couillard said.

READ MORE: French hunter ‘sorry’ after killing Franco-British man he mistook for boar

Statistics show hunting accidents have been on the decline in France over the past 20 years, but are still common.

In 2021-2022 the French Office of Biodiversity counted 90 hunting accidents (physical injuries linked to the use of a hunting weapon), compared to 80 in the previous season. Of these accidents, eight were fatal – six of the people who died were hunters and the other two were passers-by unconnected to the hunt.

Over the weekend, an 84-year-old hunter in Corsica accidentally shot himself dead as he was stowing his gun in his car.

Member comments

  1. So basically a non event! Putting hunting days on an app doesn’t mean 90% of the population will see it, and it puts the onus on non hunters to find out what is happening! As for an alcohol limit? More importantly the arrogance of the hunters has to be addressed, they seem to think they have precedent. However, I am not sure how that could be achieved other than a total ban.

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For members

LIVING IN FRANCE

Reader question: Will I need to do a French ‘integration’ class to renew my carte de séjour?

France's new immigration law contains extra provisions for 'integration' - including promising to adhere to French values and attending classes on French history and culture. Here's what they mean for foreigners in France.

Published: 19 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Reader question: Will I need to do a French 'integration' class to renew my carte de séjour?

Question: I read that France will now be requiring foreigners to sign a contract promising to respect French values, and to take civics classes – does that mean I will have to do that when I next renew my carte de séjour?

The short answer to this is – maybe, it depends on the type of card you have and what change you’re hoping to make.

Here’s the longer answer;

France’s new immigration law, passed back in January, brought in three main changes for foreigners in France – language tests, a contract promising to ‘respect the values of the French republic’ and expanded classes in civics (French culture, history and values).

Language tests

Undoubtedly the biggest change for most people is the language tests – we have covered this topic extensively HERE.

Contracts 

Then there is the Contrat d’engagement au respect des principes de la République française – which is a promise to respect the ‘values of the French republic’ such as personal freedom, freedom of expression and equality between men and women.

In practical terms, this is just a form that you will need to sign as part of the application process for a visa or residency card – you can find full details on exactly what you’re agreeing to respect HERE.

This applies to all types of visa and residency card, including renewals. It is not yet in force, but is expected to come into effect later this year.

Classes

Then there are is the contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR), which has a confusingly similar name. This involves extra courses in civics and language that certain groups can be required to attend.

The CIR is a lot more than just signing a form, you also agree to take several hours of classes – but the key thing is that many groups are exempt from this requirement.

The immigration law doesn’t actually change who is required to sign the CIR and do the classes, it just expands the scope of the classes themselves and adds a test at the end.

These don’t apply to people applying for visa, it’s only when you get your residency permit – carte de séjour/titre de séjour – that you may be required to meet with OFII (the French office of immigration and integration) and take the classes.

Exemptions – Let’s start with exemptions – if you are applying for or renewing any of the following carte de séjour types you do not need to do the classes; 

  • Visitors (carte de séjour temporaire “visiteur”)
  • Students (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “étudiant”)
  • Trainees/interns (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “stagiaire”)
  • Temporary workers (carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “travailleur temporaire”)
  • People who were born in France and have resided here for at least eight years (you fall under the jeune étranger né en France status of the carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “vie privée et familiale”)
  • People with serious illness (you fall under the ‘étranger malade‘ category of the carte de séjour temporaire portant la mention “vie privée et familiale”)
  • Seconded employees and their families (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “salarié détaché”)
  • Seasonal workers (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “travailleur saisonnier”)
  • Talent passport holders and their families (carte de séjour pluriannuelle portant la mention “passeport talent”)
  • People who completed at least three years of French secondary school or one year of higher education in France
    EU/EEA/ Swiss nationals
  • Holders of the post-Brexit Article 50 TUE carte de séjour
  • People who qualify for the carte de résident due to service in the French foreign legion or military

So who does have to do the classes? – The new law does not change who has to sign the CIR (and by extension, agree to take the classes), certain groups have always been required to do this, including;

  • Workers on a salarié carte de séjour
  • Self-employed people on a entrepreneur/profession libérale status
  • Certain groups on the ‘vie privée et familiale‘ statuses, including parents of French minors and foreign spouses and partners (PACs) of French nationals.
  • Applicants for the carte de résident de longue durée-UE card, which is given to people after five years of residency in France
  • Refugees

You only have to sign the CIR and take the assigned courses once, and the certificate then applies to all future card applications and renewals. 

How to access the classes

In most cases, people do the classes shortly after arriving in France when they request their first carte de séjour (usually after three months of residence, although it can be longer for different card types).

It is part of the general summons by the OFII which can also include language classes and a medical test.

OFII: Your questions answered on France’s immigration office

However if you are swapping from a card type that is exempt onto a card type that is not exempt you may also have to do them – for example if you apply for the carte de résident de longue durée-UE after five years of residence and were previously on a ‘visiteur’ card.

In this case you won’t receive a summons from OFII, you will need to contact them and request the relevant form. You will be called to an interview and from this interview they will decide whether you need to do the classes or not – it depends on your level of French and whether you can demonstrate that you are integrated into French society and understand French values.

In the case of the carte de résident de longue durée-UE, the opinion of your local mayor or commune can be taken into account – so if you know your mayor you could ask them to write an attestation stating that you are well integrated into local life, which may help.

So that’s the long answer – we did warn you. 

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