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LIVING IN FRANCE

BBQ rules, water, and the truth of ‘heavy legs’: 6 essential articles for life in France

What changes in France in July, whether water restrictions will hurt your French holiday, barbecue regs, French schools and non-French pupils, heavy legs and the ‘proposed garden tax’. Here’s our round-up of essential reads from The Local that bust a myth or two about living here…

Published: 2 July 2023 07:57 CEST
BBQ rules, water, and the truth of ‘heavy legs’: 6 essential articles for life in France
Brochettes or not brochettes... We explain the rules on barbecues in France. (Photo by MYCHELE DANIAU / AFP)

Exam results are out; cycling’s Tours de France (both of them – including the long-overdue women’s one) get under way; and the summer holidays start. But also, tax demands start to arrive, there’s an important change to gas tariffs, and news about non-EU bank accounts. That’s right, it’s July and – in France – a new month means new rules.

What changes in France in July 2023

With a significant portion of France under some level of drought alert, many are wondering how water restrictions and other drought-related rules could impact their French holiday this summer.

From advice on showers to rules outlawing barbecues and local restrictions on water use, here is what you need to know.

How could drought and water restrictions impact my French holiday?

The taste of barbecued food is something that we can’t get enough of, but having a BBQ does come with some problems especially if you live in a built-up area. So, as we head into summer BBQ season is approaching, but can you just light your charcoal and go in France, or are there rules to grilling?

The rules of having a BBQ in France

Moving to France with little or no French is a challenge for anyone – but for kids starting at French schools the process can be especially difficult. Or can it? There’s a perception that children simply ‘pick up’ languages with no problem, but in fact it can be quite a difficult process.

So, we spoke to parents who had successfully navigated the school system.

Parents reveal: What to expect when your non-French speaking child starts school in France

Summer’s here in France and – as they song should have gone – the time is right for hearing French women complaining of ‘les jambes lourdes‘ while pharmacies advertise remedies for ‘heavy legs’. So, what’s behind this strange ailment and why do only French women seem to suffer from it?

Why do French women suffer from ‘heavy legs’?

We round-up this week’s essential articles round-up with the answer to one final question that’s been doing the rounds online…

FACTCHECK: Is France about to impose a vegetable garden tax?

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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.

Published: 16 June 2024 08:12 CEST
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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