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LIVING IN FRANCE

Elections, visas, and stinging beasts: 6 essential articles for life in France

This week’s must-reads from The Local France explain how Britons here can register to vote in July’s General Election, what you need to know about swapping your driving licence for a French one, whether a language course will get you a French visa and what to do if you find a hornet, wasp, or bees' nest on your property in France.

Asian hornets on their nest
Asian hornets on their nest. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP)

Yes, there’s the European elections in June, and the US Presidential election in November – but you may also have heard that there’s a General Election on July 4th in the UK.

If you’re a British citizen living in France, you may want to have your say, so here’s how you can register to vote, even if you have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years.

How Brits living in Europe can register to vote for UK election

Another one for Britons living in France. Now that the dust has settled from the somewhat chaotic post-Brexit period, the system for swapping a UK driving licence for a French one seems to be running fairly smoothly. There are, however, some things that UK licence holders need to know.

5 things Brits in France need to know about swapping driving licences

The idea of a prolonged stay in France to learn the language while also soaking up some French culture and a few pains au chocolat / chocolatines is a popular one and there are many language schools that offer intensive courses.

If you are looking to move to France to improve your French language skills, some courses might allow you to qualify for a student visa – but many will not.

Can I get a French student visa if I sign up for a language course?

If you have property in France that you advertise for short-term rentals on a certain website, you’ll know about the numerous restrictions in place, but new legislation making its way through the French parliament is set to tighten the rules further. Here’s what you need to know.

French politicians agree on tighter Airbnb rules

France routinely ranks at the top of the world’s most visited tourist destination – but the vast majority of people visit the same few sites, which some consider over-rated. Here are our suggestions for a few different places to visit, far from the maddening crowds.

19 alternative places to visit in France to avoid the crowds

It’s the bee, wasp and hornet time of year again. The last thing you want to discover is that any of them have made a nest in or around your French property – and this is, potentially, more of a problem for second-home owners whose properties are empty for long periods.

It is especially worrying for those who are allergic to stings. But, there are well-established systems in place to deal with an unwanted nest.

What to do if you find a bee, wasp or hornet nest on your French property

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Préfectures, property and Euro 2024: Essential articles for life in France

Buying a property, préfecture problems, buying and selling concert tickets, how and where to watch Euro 2024 action - plus of course what France's snap elections mean for foreigners in France - are all this week's must-reads from The Local.

Préfectures, property and Euro 2024: Essential articles for life in France

We don’t normally do politics here – the ‘Essentials’ newsletter is supposed to be practical and we usually leave that political sort of thing to editor Emma Pearson and her election bulletins.

But there are some things we can’t ignore. And one is that there’s a snap-election coming up, and there’s a possibility that Marine Len Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National party could do well. So – from visas to cartes de séjour and French language tests – here’s a look at some RN’s policies that could affect foreigners living in France, or hoping to move here someday.

What a far-right prime minister could mean for foreigners in France

There are several things to consider before buying property in France. You may want to visit the area during different seasons to be sure that you enjoy it rain or shine, and you will want to consider how much you would end up paying in property taxes, as well as whether or not it will be a main residence or second home.

And then, there are the extra hurdles for foreigners purchasing property here. Here’s a look at some of the restrictions and challenges you will want to be aware of beforehand.

What restrictions are there on foreigners buying property in France?

Many foreigners have experienced problems with their local préfecture – from long delays in processing applications to difficulty getting appointments and problems in making contact with préfecture staff.

If you’re a non-EU citizen living in France then you will need either a visa or a carte de séjour (residency permit) – and in the early years most people will need to regularly renew their cards – this means that you will have to interact with their local préfecture, or sous-préfecture. Here are a few tips to make the process a little easier on the blood pressure…

Top tips for dealing with delays or problems at your French préfecture

A football tournament kicked off on Friday – you may have heard something about it. From TV schedules to bars, cafés and fan zones, here are your options for watching all matches of the Euro 2024 football tournament in France.

How to watch the Euro 2024 tournament on TV in France

If you are buying or selling tickets to events such as concerts, matches or festivals in France, then there are some rules to be aware of, especially as the Olympic and Paralympic Games approach.

The rules for buying and selling tickets in France

From strike action to Olympic disruption, via ‘black days’ on the roads and the €49 rail pass, here’s a look ahead to what to expect if you’re travelling to, from or within France in summer 2024.

Travel to France: What to expect on roads, rails and airports this summer

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