Magazine

French banks should send verification codes through email

Another reader highlights struggle of needing a smartphone to use their bank account

Barnier deserves better than Brexit insults

Reader believes EU negotiator was dealt tough hand and lacks so-called 'arrogance'

What does le mouton à cinq pattes mean and when should it be used?

A phrase to describe something unique or out of the ordinary

magazine

What does en flagrant délit mean in French?

Learn how this common phrase is used when someone is caught in the act

Lack of mobile phone makes banking in France too difficult

Reader queries why banks send SMS codes instead of using other alternatives

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My friends in France are meeting without me – how do I handle feeling shut out?

Columnist Cynthia Spillman helps with a reader's dilemma

Construction workers spreading wet concrete beside a cement mixer and dump truck.

How we built a garage ourselves in France

Tania Solomons, 60, and Andrew Hamm, 58, to France in 2019

Doctor wearing a white coat with a stethoscope in a hospital.

Haemochromatosis in France: symptoms, diagnosis and one woman's experience

The genetic disorder causes the body to absorb too much iron

Test your knowledge: fun French facts

Try our fun quiz featuring France's largest town, widest avenue and longest river

Recipe: Pan-fried black bream with asparagus & spiced beurre blanc

Recipe from fish expert Nathan outlaw's new cookbook

Recipe: Orange & fennel pan-fried grey mullet with roasted carrots & carrot & fennel seed vinaigrette

Try Nathan Outlaw's recipe from his new fish cookbook

New English art tours launch on France’s extraordinary 150km trail

The mountain trail in south-east France visits artwork by Andy Goldsworthy, Herman de Vries, Joan Fontcuberta, and Paul-Armand Gette

Three-panel collage showing an outdoor lakeside scene and two indoor portraits of people at home.

My French is good — so why do I not understand when the French speak to one another?

There are a lot of differences between how the French talk to a non-native speaker compared to among themselves

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Jeanne Calment: Why France’s oldest person claim still stands

French woman remains the oldest person ever recorded at 122, despite repeated claims her age record is false

France street lighting debate: safety concerns vs light pollution

Many communes turn their street lights off at night

Explore France the Robert Louis Stevenson way... and not just by donkey

Follow in the footsteps of the famous Scottish author from Brussels to Paris along rivers and canals

Bidding fails to take off for building in Caen listed as Monument historique

Maison des Quatrans was sold after attracting just one bid at auction. The sale highlights the challenges of buying and restoring historic properties in France

It's a small world – five of the best miniature parks to visit in France

Plan a family day out with tiny villages, famous monuments and model railways across France

French interiors: choose blue for tranquil, versatile home environments

How to combine stylish fabrics, furniture and timeless colour schemes

European otter spotted in Hérault points to biodiversity boost and cleaner waters

Scientists say the rare sighting highlights healthier rivers and wetlands in Occitanie

When ‘to’ means ‘from’ in French

In many cases de translates to 'from' and à 'to' - but not always

Why young families are choosing rural France over city life

Young professionals explain why they opt for a more peaceful life

Nice cruise ship tourism row continues as restrictions ease

Environmental groups warn of pollution and local businesses fear reduction in visitors and revenues

How micro-forests are cooling French cities and boosting biodiversity

Paris, Lille and Lyon are among the locations that are planting Miyawaki micro-forests

Three-panel image with two portrait headshots and two people holding an American flag outdoors.

Americans in France on being asked 'are you for Trump?'

Democrats and Republicans tell of conversations ranging from rewarding to challenging

Why you should not say le Jour de Bastille

From fireworks to military parades, do you know these words related to France’s fête nationale?

Why does France's July 14 military parade split public opinion?

We look at how France reconciles republicanism with a seemingly authoritarian tradition

When and why do we say mettre des bâtons dans les roues?

As the Tour de France whizzes across France this month, we look at why people in France talk about sticks and wheels when things do not go to plan

Hauts-de-France locals flock to Belgian stores for cheaper fuel and tobacco

Nearly half of households in Hauts-de-France shopped in Belgium in 2024

Orphaned lynx released into the wild in Jura to boost fragile population

Animal has been released into the wild after rehabilitation by Centre Athénas

Meet the Lidl supervisor who also runs a French village as mayor

The 30-year-old mother of two is mayor of Berviller-en-Moselle

A view of the Olympic flag against a snowy backdrop

Can France repeat Paris 2024 success at the Winter Olympics in 2030?

Sports lecturer Dr Stuart Whigham looks ahead and unpicks lessons learned from Paris 2024

How running clubs help build community in France

'We wanted to create a safe space where women could connect', say organisers

French TV series review: B.R.I (The Brigade) Season Two

French crime drama returns with gripping new organised crime storyline

Crowded narrow street in Mont-Saint-Michel with tourists, shops and a Creperie Du Chapeau Rouge sign.

France’s unsung sights are better than tourist traps

Columnist Nick Inman says visitors should aim for the unknown

Megabyte error can cause mega embarrassment in France

Beware of presuming that this word is the same in French

Wine tourism in France: how oenotourisme has changed at French wineries

More wineries offer tastings, events and visitor experiences. Discover how oenotourisme is evolving, and why some vineyard visits are better than others

Five things they don’t tell you about wine tasting in France

There is more to it than simply swirling your glass

How mispronouncing French words can lead to awkward situations

Some slip-ups lead to confusion while others to pure embarrassment

Speed camera box beside a road as a blurred car drives past

Speed cameras in France: life saving or just money-makers?

Readers debate the usefulness of radar traps

Artisan cheese of the month, plus Provence speciality soupe au pistou

Enjoy the Burgundian fromage Claquebitou at this time of year

How climate change is helping yuzu lemons grow in south-west France

Discover how two Landes farmers produce yuzu fruit, jams and syrups for customers across France and Belgium

French peaches, nectarines and brugnons: how to tell these summer fruits apart

French markets are replete with fruit in July

How a British couple built a successful glamping and campsite business in rural France

The award-winning Corrèze site offers a secluded wild meadow, swimming pool and hot tubs

Cost of living: France has lower rent and cheaper, tastier groceries

Readers compare France to the UK, US and Canada

Recipe: whole baked Dover sole with blistered olives and tomatoes

From his new fish cookbook, Michelin star chef Nathan Outlaw provides expert tips on buying and storing fish and offers readers a classic recipe to try at home

Mangetout: the eel deal and revolutionary cakes

A foodie exploration, from jellied eels and pie shops in London to French Revolution cakes for Bastille Day

Radishes: crunch time on the menu

Butter and a dash of fleur de sel is the best way to serve fresh, peppery radishes – and they’re a perfect apéritif

Mais où est donc Ornicar? Inside France’s strange and memorable school mnemonics

French grammar is notoriously difficult, but children are given clever ways to help them conquer it

France’s heatwaves light up transatlantic debate on AC

This year has seen temperatures rising over 40C

Why are Tour de France cyclists called ‘runners’ in French?

The linguistic reason is long, arduous and surprising - much like the race itself

Les Lunettes de Romans: the French biscuit treat that revives childhood memories

The more sophisticated French equivalent of a jammie dodger comes from the Drôme

How to identify birdsong in France: robins, blackbirds, thrushes and tits

Discover when birds start singing and the key calls to listen for

Antique chairs and table in a decorative room beside a wooden cabinet displaying plates.

Buy and care for French antiques with confidence

In her new book, Sharon Santoni reveals what to collect, how to select, and where to find the French antiques of your dreams

Guess the French phrase behind this photo clue...

Can you work out which idiomatic expression is depicted below?

Jardin des Cinq Sens: Yvoire’s magical lakeside garden

A brief history of a special French medieval garden on the banks of Lake Geneva in Haute-Savoie

Baffled by the Tour de France rules? Read these four points

It is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world but do you know what the jersey colours mean and why riders are not only trying to finish in the fastest time?