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LIVING IN FRANCE

Heatwaves, Paris wages and summer travel: 6 essential articles for life in France

A reminder of what to expect on French roads, rail and airports this summer, the risk of some hot weather this summer, how much you need to earn to make it ‘rich’ in Paris, tiny cars, the people likely to decide France’s parliamentary elections, and a policy that will affect immigrant families that they could vote on

Published: 30 June 2024 08:06 CEST
Children cool in a public fountain in Colmar.
Children cool in a public fountain in Colmar. (Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)

Coming to a road in France near you soon – a summer holiday tailback… 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

Temperatures may well have dipped a bit by the time you read this – but France does get hot in the summer and officials regularly issue weather alerts when heatwaves strike – so how dangerous are sizzling days in France? And how can you keep safe?

Explained: How dangerous are French heatwaves?

Heatwaves also bring with them insects – especially mosquitoes. In France these now come in types; the ‘classic’ European mosquito and new arrival from Asia the Tiger Mosquito. Both produce very annoying itchy bites, so what are the best ways to get rid of them?

Are anti-mosquito apps really worth using in France?

The higher-paying jobs are heavily concentrated in the French capital, but set against that is the high cost of living – especially the cost of renting or buying a home. So how much do you need to be paid to be considered a ‘high-earner’ in Paris? Turns out, it’s complicated…

What is considered a good salary in Paris?

They’re small and don’t go very fast, but they’re also cheap, easy to park and can be driven by teenagers and people who don’t have a driving licence – welcome to the world of France’s ‘voitures sans permis’.

Meet France’s tiny cars that you don’t need a licence to drive

As you know, we try to avoid elections, here. But sometimes, it’s unavoidable, like this article clarifying a group of people who sound like something out of a Monty Python film … But the ni-nis could end up determining the course of France’s parliamentary elections.

Who are France’s ni-ni people?

Speaking of elections – you can follow all the latest election news (including from Sunday’s first round of polling) HERE, and we will also explain the peculiarities of the French electoral system and what happens next. We will be producing a special episode of the Talking France podcast on Monday. 

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LIVING IN FRANCE

Explained: What to do if you leave your belongings on a train in France

Here's a look at the steps you should take if you discover that you have left an important or treasured item on a French train.

Published: 3 July 2024 14:59 CEST
Explained: What to do if you leave your belongings on a train in France

We’ve all done it. You get home, or to your hotel or office to realise that, when you got off the train, you forgot to pick up your wallet, laptop, or tablet or sometimes even items of luggage.

Or – every parent’s nightmare – one of your children has left behind their beloved cuddly toy, and only realises as the train you’ve just got off leaves the station.

The good news is that all is not, necessarily, lost. 

The first step is to report the missing item to SNCF. You can do this at the station, but if you’ve got home before you realise something is missing, you can report lost property online (you can change the language of the website).

You will need to describe what you’ve lost, when you lost it, and which train you were travelling on – as well as giving your contact details. 

What happens next

First of all, you will be given a declaration number. Keep it safe – it allows you to track the progress of SNCF’s search for your lost property.

Even so – we have to be honest – the investigation relies a fair bit on good fortune. If your lost property is found on the train by a member of staff, or handed in at a station, then there’s a good chance you’ll get it back. 

It may be that your lost property has already been handed in. If so, it will be registered on SNCF’s national lost property database and kept for 30 days at the station where the item was picked up or, for items forgotten on a train, at the station where they arrived.

Deadline

The database is monitored in real-time matching found items with reports of lost property. When your property has been located, you will be informed, and can go to the station where it is stored, or have it sent to your home address, subject to a shipping charge.

If you do collect it from the station, take along proof of ID – and expect to pay a fee of up to €10, depending on the value of the property you have reported missing.

And, after 30 days?

If items of lost property are not claimed after 30 days, it may be handed over to the government’s Administration des domaines, sold to a charitable organisation or destroyed.

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