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Income Tax in France

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Inheritance Law and Wills in France

Visas and residency cards for France

Did you know

150 years of the shower – the revolutionary French hygiene invention

The modern shower was first used to improve hygiene in a Rouen prison

Did you know? Lille installed France’s first street heating system

The 1954 experiment was prompted by a severely cold winter that killed many and led Emmaüs founder, Abbé Pierre, to appeal for help

Did you know? Strasbourg was France’s first Christmas market

Strasbourg has been known as 'The Christmas Capital' for nearly thirty years and for many years after its debut in the early 16th century, it was the only one of its kind

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Did you know? A decoy Paris was planned in WW1 to trick German bombers

The elaborate plan was to use lights to recreate famous landmarks a safe distance from the capital and lure away German aircraft

Did you know?: VAT was invented in France

For people in France, May is associated with declaring taxes so in that spirit we look into the history of one of the world’s most-known taxes

Why is French tabac sign carrot-shaped?

Did you know? Roll up, roll up, we are about to tell you!

Iconic Parisian fountains donated by generous Brit

Did you know?

Did you know? First system for canning food was invented by French man

Nicolas Appert dethroned previous methods of food preservation with the breakthrough in 1795. It was later discovered that this new invention also eradicated bacteria

Did you know? First WW1 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has French origins

After world war one, the first ever Tombs of the Unknown Soldier were created in both London and Paris, with the United States following shortly after

Did you know? French monarchs and emperors were exiled

As soon as the law was repealed on June 24, 1950, the exiled monarchs and emperors started to come back to France

Word on a shell as seen by St-Jacques hikers in France

Did you know?

Disfigured French soldiers denied pensions set up Loto

France’s national lottery has a long history.

Mill worker’s wheel expertise broke Monte Carlo’s bank

Similarities between mill and roulette wheels allowed a working-class Yorkshireman to break the bank – legally – at Monte Carlo almost 140 years ago.

France has world’s only chapel dedicated to rugby

Did you know? The only chapel dedicated to rugby in the world is at Larrivière-Saint-Savin in the Landes.

Why French pharmacy crosses are always green?

Did you know?

Argentine town created by Aveyron adventurers

Did you know? Pigüé is a town in Argentina, south-west of Buenos Aires which would never have existed had it not been for a group of 180 people from the Aveyron who decided to set up home there in 1884.

Did you know? France invented metric system

A weighty issue

America got its name from a French town

Did you know?

Did you know? Why the ‘0’ in Peugeot?

The names of Peugeot cars are distinctive by the 0 in the middle of the name of nearly every car they produce; so we have the Peugeot 104, the Peugeot 202, the Peugeot 305, the Peugeot 908...

Did you know? Le Figaro is named after opera man

The names of most newspapers relate to a geographical region, a time of day or have some relevance to giving out the news of the moment. An exception is France’s oldest national daily and one of the top selling papers, Le Figaro , which takes its name from literature.

Did you know: why is the rentrée in September?

The beginning of the school year logically follows the longest break from the classroom.

First ever wrist watch was French invention

Did you know? The wristwatch was most likely invented in France, though there are several contenders for the title.

Did you know: First French woman to get a degree

Julie Victoire Daubié was the first woman to be awarded a degree in France.

Over 500 French words have an Arabic origin

Did you know: Plenty of everyday French words have Arabic origins, including that most typically ‘French’ of drinks, coffee

Why is illegal work called ‘travail au noir’?

There are different theories explaining why non-declared work is called working “ au noir” or even “ travail au black” in France

Belfort remained French thanks to heroic locals

A look at the cultural history of a French region bordering on Switzerland and Germany

Plum Village, a Buddhist retreat... near Bordeaux

Spiritual refuge named after the pruniers growing on the land

UK Trade unions have more members than France

Data from the European Trade Union Confederation shows the UK has more trade union members than France

How a Paris brain drain ban boosted Oxford Uni

A ban on British scholars going to study in Paris helped shape the history of Oxford University.

Did you know: A string vest by any other name...

The Marcel is an iconic piece of French clothing with a name which is far more evocative than the English term, string vest or singlet.

The fuchsia: intense colour honours French victory

Magenta was invented by a French chemist and named after a clash during the Italian War of Independence

The Stan Smith tennis shoe had a French name

The French Grand Slam Roland Garros takes place this month, but DID YOU KNOW — that Adidas’ Stan Smith trainer actually started life in 1964 as a ‘Robert Haillet’?

Military thinking behind yellow headlights

For nearly 50 years, vehicles in France were obliged by law to have yellow headlights - but no one appears to know why

Mercedes - straight out of Côte d’Azur

The origins of the famous German car brand lie in Nice... and the daughter of an Austrian businessman.

French navy ship flies pirate Jolly Roger flag

One of the French navy’s ships flies the Jolly Roger...

France honours parents who raise large families

Did you know that France awards medals to parents who have raised large families?

Fleet-footed ambassador advised five US presidents

Being able to keep up with Theodore Roosevelt on a country walk cemented American-French relations at the start of the 20th century

Champignon de Paris left capital years ago

The famous champignon de Paris is in abundance at this time of year – however the mushrooms are no longer grown in the capital but 300km away in Saumur, in the Loire valley.

Camera phone was invented by a Parisian

Did you know the the first camera phone was invented by the Parisian Phillipe Kahn?

'Mayday' emergency call originated from m'aidez

English may be the international language of travel and aviation but did you know that the key emergency words are French in origin?

Châteauneuf-du-Pape extends UFO ban

Why the maire of Châteauneuf-du-Pape has no plans to end the 62-year ban on UFOs in the commune.

Did you know

150 years of the shower – the revolutionary French hygiene invention

Did you know? Lille installed France’s first street heating system

Did you know? Strasbourg was France’s first Christmas market

Did you know? A decoy Paris was planned in WW1 to trick German bombers

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Snow arrives: opening dates of French ski resorts

Strikes and protests intensify in France: flights, trains and roads impacted this week

Briton applies for French residency card and finds he was adopted - and has siblings

Farming couple must move, first people displaced in Normandy by climate change

French ski station voted as best in the world

Learning French: what does n’importe quoi mean and when should it be used?

How much do people in France spend on Christmas on average?

Did you know?: VAT was invented in France

Why is French tabac sign carrot-shaped?

Iconic Parisian fountains donated by generous Brit

Did you know? First system for canning food was invented by French man

Did you know? First WW1 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has French origins

Did you know? French monarchs and emperors were exiled

Word on a shell as seen by St-Jacques hikers in France

Disfigured French soldiers denied pensions set up Loto

Mill worker’s wheel expertise broke Monte Carlo’s bank

France has world’s only chapel dedicated to rugby

Is a French gendarme same as an agent de police?

New York originally took name from which French town?

French names immortalised in history

Why French pharmacy crosses are always green?

Celebrating Citroën’s centenary of innovation

Dustbins are named after French recycling innovator

Did you know? French film to win most Oscars is silent

There is a replica of Colmar... in Malaysia

Why is French flag, blue, white and red?

Argentine town created by Aveyron adventurers

Did you know? France invented metric system

America got its name from a French town

Did you know? Why the ‘0’ in Peugeot?

Did you know? Le Figaro is named after opera man

Did you know: why is the rentrée in September?

First ever wrist watch was French invention

Did you know: First French woman to get a degree

Over 500 French words have an Arabic origin

Why is illegal work called ‘travail au noir’?

Belfort remained French thanks to heroic locals

Plum Village, a Buddhist retreat... near Bordeaux

UK Trade unions have more members than France

How a Paris brain drain ban boosted Oxford Uni

Did you know: A string vest by any other name...

The fuchsia: intense colour honours French victory

The Stan Smith tennis shoe had a French name

Military thinking behind yellow headlights

Mercedes - straight out of Côte d’Azur

French navy ship flies pirate Jolly Roger flag

France honours parents who raise large families

Fleet-footed ambassador advised five US presidents

Champignon de Paris left capital years ago

Camera phone was invented by a Parisian

'Mayday' emergency call originated from m'aidez

Châteauneuf-du-Pape extends UFO ban