Doctors, drones, travel refunds, books: 5 practical French updates

Travel reimbursements

If you are unlucky enough to have had your train or plane journey affected by the strikes on Friday 13, you can probably receive a full refund.

Most train tickets can be switched for a ticket on the same route, however in some circumstances vouchers or a refund will be given instead.

A flight cancellation grants you a full refund, although only if it was cancelled less than two weeks before the scheduled departure date.

Read more: Travel: How to be reimbursed if affected by strike action in France

Seeking healthcare during GP strike

The healthcare sector faced shortages on Friday 13 due to strikes by doctors in hospitals and self-employed doctors, such as GPs and specialists - the latter of whom have begun ‘unlimited’ strike action that could last for weeks.

During this time, getting an appointment with a specialist or GP may be difficult. Our article covers the basic steps you can take to try and speak to a medical professional and what you should not do – such as visit a pharmacist with health questions.

Read more: What to do if you need doctor during strikes starting Friday in France

Resolving disputes with a conciliateur de justice

Neighbourly disputes, as well as those over payments less than €5,000, now need to be solved amicably before being taken to court.

The parties need to prove an alternative route was used in an attempt to end their dispute before going through the legal system – if they cannot do so, the court can throw the case out immediately.

For most situations, the amicable attempt will be made via an appointment with a conciliateur de justice – a volunteer law clerk who can assess the case and draw up an agreement the two conflicting parties can sign.

If you fail to agree on the terms set by the conciliateur, the unaccepted agreement letter is proof to the courts you tried.

There are over 3,000 conciliateurs in France, and it is free to use one in your attempts to settle a dispute.

Read more: How you must try to resolve neighbour disputes amicably in France

Online book order surcharge

Ordering books online now comes with a €3 surcharge, unless it is a certain type of book or the order is over €35.

The law is intended to encourage people to shop physically at bookstores, helping boost sales figures for the smaller businesses and cut down on the environmental costs of home delivery for a small product.

Despite Amazon being unhappy with the charges, and the EU being sceptical over its usefulness, the motion was enshrined into law on October 7.

If you go to your local bookshop and they do not have what you want, they may be able to order it in for you to pick up from the store, without the additional €3 fee.

Read more: Ordering a book online in France is now more expensive - here is why

Using drones in France

There are strict rules on using a drone in France due to European regulations on the topic.

Hobbyist drone fliers are subject to stricter regulations than professionals, who can use them for filming and entertainment purposes, and must comply with certain ‘no fly’ zones, even if they want to use the drone for a small scale event (such as a wedding).

We also look at the potential fines for breaking drone rules in France.

Read more: What are the rules for using drones in France?