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LIVING IN FRANCE

Wine bargains, property tax rises and cheap flights: 6 essential articles for life in France

This week’s must-reads include tips for finding bargains on high quality wine, the locations in France where property taxes are to rise, how to get a French address before moving, and why cheap flights might be axed.

Published: 3 September 2023 08:03 CEST
Wine bargains, property tax rises and cheap flights: 6 essential articles for life in France
French wine lined up for the Foire aux Vins (Photo by PATRICK HERTZOG / AFP)

Summer is drawing to an end, which means children return to school, adults head back to work and French supermarkets begin offering bargains on wine.

September and October are a great time of the year to stock up on nice wine thanks to the wine sales known as foire aux vins. Previous surveys have shown that the majority of French people participate in the foire aux vins, and many recommend buying for Christmas in advance.

You can find out what to expect as well as the schedule for both online and in-person stores this autumn.

Foire aux vins: How to find bargains on high quality wine in France

Property owners in France might have an interest in saving a few euro on wine this year, seeing as property taxes are rising.

Some areas will see more significant increases than others – like Paris, whose year-on-year increase is set to be 59 percent. 

Where in France are property taxes increasing the most?

For those who do not yet have a permanent address in France, bureaucratic matters (including applying for the initial visa to come here) can be complicated. 

The catch-22 of needing an address before arriving, while simultaneously being unable to acquire said address because you are outside of the country can feel impossible. The Local has put together some options for how to remedy this problem. 

Reader question: How can I get a French address before arriving in France?

French ministers are back at work after their summer holidays, and the new education minister, Gabriel Attal, has made one piece of clothing his priority: the abaya.

This loose-fitting robe-like dress – worn by women in parts of the Muslim world including North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and most of the Middle East – is now in the middle of a new controversy surrounding secular attire in French schools, as people disagree whether the abaya is a cultural garment or one that signifies affiliation with the Muslim faith.

Why the abaya is at the centre of France’s latest secularism row

Cheap flights are another topic that have been part of the public discussion in France recently.

France’s transport minister, Clément Beaune, has caused a stir by calling for minimum flight prices, saying that €10 flights are ‘no longer possible’ during a climate crisis.

Despite Beaune’s statements, this does not necessarily mean that the country will ban cheap flights tomorrow. 

Factcheck: Is France really banning cheap flights?

And finally, you might be curious why French media have already begun guessing at possible frontrunners for the 2027 Presidential election, even though Emmanuel Macron is just one year into his second term. 

Here’s why many of the French have their eyes fixed in the future.

Why France is already talking about 2027

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Why washing your car in France can lead to a €450 fine

France has strict regulations about washing your car, and failure to abide by these can lead to hefty fines.

Published: 31 May 2024 14:59 CEST
Why washing your car in France can lead to a €450 fine

For many car owners, warm weather means time to finally give the vehicle a good wash.

But motorists in France should know that washing your car, motorcycle or other vehicle at home can actually be against the law in France – with some regulation even covering activities in your own driveway or garden.

Failing to respect the rules can lead to hefty fines. 

What does the law say?

There are two levels of regulation that affect car-washing – the Environmental Code and local regulations, but both of them are concerned about the same thing; the environmental impact of the runoff from your car washing.

During summer you also need to check if there are any drought restrictions in place, as some of these also ban any type of car-washing. 

In 1979, Paris became one of the first cities in France to pass legislation restricting where you can wash your car. The original Paris law states “Car washing is prohibited on the public highway, riverbanks, harbours and quays, as well as in public parks and gardens”. 

READ MORE: ‘Drive like a woman’: France targets male drivers in new road safety campaign

Since then, most départements across France have adopted similar decrees, which cover car-washing on public land – roads, pavements, parks or similar.

In order to find the rules in your area, contact your local préfecture (or ask the mayor), but most areas now have a ban on car-washing on the public highway, with a penalty of a third-class fine of €450. 

However there is also the Environmental Code, which operates on a national level, and that can cover even your own private property such as a driveway, garage or garden.

The Code states that “direct or indirect discharge of harmful substances into surface or groundwater is prohibited”.

This can affect wastewater from washing a vehicle as certain chemicals in car wash detergents, as well as any runoff motor oil, can have negative effects on local flora and fauna. Runoff can happen from both public and private land, which is why the Environmental Code has a wider scope.

Violating the rules on discharging harmful substances into water carries a maximum penalty of a two-year prison sentence or a fine of €75,000. Judges can also order defendants to carry out restoration of the environment that they contaminated.

The penalties are even harsher if you live in a coastal area where the runoff would go directly into the sea or ocean, or if you live next to a conservation zone. In this case, fines can go up to €100,000.

We should point out that these maximum penalties are more likely to be applied to companies which have been found to be polluting the local watercourse, rather than motorists washing their car, but the fines do have a large range.

So where can I wash my car?

First, you can go to a car wash (une station de lavage). Not only do car wash stations use less water than you would washing the vehicle at home (50 to 60 litres per vehicle instead of 200-300 litres at home), they also treat the wastewater. 

As a result, car washes do not risk polluting the waterways.

They are very common in France and include automatic car-washes, staffed car-washes where someone else does the hard work or the more common self-service type (usually coin operated) where you wash the car yourself use their pressure hoses and soap. These are often found in supermarket car-parks or at out-of-town shopping centre car parks.

Second, you can look for a designated car washing area. These would allow you to wash your own vehicle manually. They have special steps in place to treat the runoff water in compliance with environmental regulations. You can ask your mairie where these are located.

And finally, an alternative is to clean your car without using any water at all. To do this, you can purchase special wipes. There are also special dry-cleaning options, including sprays that you put onto your car, leave for a few seconds so that the dirt is absorbed, and then wipe off using a microfibre cloth.

Drought

During periods of drought, local authorities have the power to restrict non-essential water usage, including things like watering your garden or filling your swimming pool.

These regulations apply to any type of car-washing – on public or private space, or at a car-wash – and take precedence over any other local rules. 

You can check to see if your area is under water restrictions by going to the French government website vigieau.gouv.fr and typing in your home or rental address. The website will inform you of what (if any) restrictions are in place, the penalties of failing to respect them, as well as offering government advice for how to decrease your water usage.

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