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Free fraud service for UK homeowners living in France
Owners are encouraged to sign up for a free monitoring service from HM Land Registry to reduce risk
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New civic tests for foreigners in France launch amid criticism
Applicants for some types of residency cards must now take 45-minute test
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Workers in France can take 17-day break using only eight days of leave in 2026
Favourable calendar for public holidays makes extended May break possible, with five guaranteed long weekends throughout year
New French contrôle technique gives diesels hard time
A new version of the contrôle technique MOT test is being brought in from the start of July despite being delayed twice due to fears of reaction from gilets jaunes protesters.
The main target is vehicles putting out a cloud of dark smoke and industry analysts say it will be difficult for diesels more than 15 years old unless they have been well maintained and regularly decoked.
Changes last year saw the number of recalled vehicles rise by 5% to 24% as a number of new criteria were applied.
The new test sees testers pressing harder and longer on the accelerator and vehicles must be within 25% of the factory pollution settings.
