Fine

French police fine cyclist €400 for riding while wearing headphones

Fine more than tripled due to late payment but student says he never received a penalty notice

France looks to fine people who miss a doctor’s appointment

New prime minister says people must pay for ‘no-shows’. The UK reviewed a similar measure last year but dropped it

French dog owner gets €10,000 bill over rescue of pet stuck in pipe

The Jack Russell had been missing for two days but was eventually found by another dog

practical

How can I check if speeding fines were sent to my French second home?

Fines will usually increase if they are not paid within 45 days

French court orders creators of Canadian pirate website to pay €489m

The sum equates to the estimated revenue lost by the film and music industry due to illegal downloading via the site

What are the rules for using drones in France?

We look at how you can fly and stay within European regulations

Man fined €6,000 for cutting down neighbour’s tree in northern France

He claimed the 70-year-old tree impaired his sea view

Warning to drivers over scam parking fine tickets in France

Tickets feature a QR code to a fake website that looks very much similar to the official one for paying penalties

Do I need to change address on my French licence to receive fines?

We look at what you need to do when you move house in France to ensure you receive any speeding fines at your new address

Man who saved French church from ruin sued for breaking building rules

Olivier Fury’s renovations of a 16th-century monastery were praised by Brigitte Macron. But authorities say the work was unauthorised

French supermarkets fined a total of €4.5m for uncompetitive practices

Casino, Intermarché and Monoprix were given financial penalties by the Court of Appeal in Paris

What to do if you fall victim to number plate fraud in France

We explain the steps to take after a recent case involving a man who received more than a dozen fines for driving infractions despite not having a car

Airbnb found liable for illegal sublet of Paris home

The holiday rental platform should have checked if the tenant was allowed to sublet, the Court of Appeal ruled

French MPs vote for tougher anti-squatting rules to protect homeowners

The new law, which must now be voted on by senators, widens the definition of squatting and increases penalties

Is it illegal to make hands-free phone calls while driving in France?

Four-fifths of people in France say they use their phone to carry out a task while driving, a 2022 poll shows

Suspended sentence over antisemitic sign at anti-health pass protest

Teacher and ex-Front national member Cassandre Fristot was also ordered to pay compensation to anti-racism organisations

Shepherd in south of France fined after his guard dogs bite hikers

Unions say multiple attacks were not the shepherd’s fault as he has to keep guard dogs to protect his flock from wolves

French email scams threaten speeding fines and arrest for sex crimes

Official looking emails have been sent out to extract bank details from motorists and encourage recipients to download malware under guise of criminal dossier about them

€8,370 fine for beeping wedding procession in southeast France

Participants had a combined 108 points taken off their driving licences, and 62 tickets were issued for breaking the highway code

Alpes-Maritimes: Driving licences seized for using phone at the wheel

Five drivers including a lorry driver watching a video on his phone have been disqualified for at least one month as gendarmes applied France’s new road safety law

Members of infamous ivory trafficking gang face French court judgement

If found guilty, the men face up to 10 years in jail and €750,000 in fines, in an international case dating back to 2015

21 drivers fined €135 for filming road accident scene in east France

Gendarmerie in Marne called the behaviour ‘risky and inappropriate’

Normandy travelling salesman fined €135 for urinating on country road

He has questioned what people in his position should do when there are no publicly available toilets along the road

French health pass: Cafes, restaurants risk €45,000 fine if no check

Restaurants, cafes, cinemas, theatres, shopping centres and more could be liable for fines and one year in prison under proposed laws

French town imposes minimum €1,000 fine for dog mess or littering

The mayor of Obernai said ‘enough is enough’ and introduced the minimum fine for anyone caught illegally dumping rubbish, especially dog mess. He has called on other mayors to do the same

Man fined for travelling at 98kph on e-scooter in south of France

The electric kick scooter had been modified so it was able to travel almost four times faster than normal

Covid France: Fine overturned for worker who went out without form

Man showed police his work timetable with a meeting scheduled during curfew. His lawyers argued a form in addition should not be needed

France lockdown: What form is required to go out?

Attestation forms for leaving the house return as France goes back into confinement tonight. This time there are three different forms

Covid-19 France: Fines for wearing plastic face visors

Masks and visors do not offer the same level of protection against Covid-19, health authorities say, and you can be fined in France for wearing a visor instead of a mask.

Drivers in France can now contest parking fine before paying

Drivers who receive a parking fine in France are now legally allowed to contest the fine before paying it, in a U-turn on the previous law.

France introduces €200 spot fine for drug use from today

The measure, which has been tested in some French cities since June with over 500 fines issued, is now being rolled out across France.

Small anti-mask protest in Paris ends with mass fines

An anti-mask demonstration in Paris this weekend (Saturday August 29) attracted just 200 - 300 people and ended with 123 people being fined by police for not wearing masks.

Facebook France to pay €106 million in new tax settlement

Facebook France is to pay €106 million in tax adjustments after an investigation found it had not properly declared revenue generated in France before 2018.

Rise in mask-related violence in France as rules imposed

There has been a rise in the number of violent incidents linked to new requirements for people to wear masks in public places across much of France, as more and more towns introduce the measure.

When and where you must wear a mask in France: Checklist

Anyone who flouts new requirement to wear a mask in enclosed public spaces can be fined €135

Mandatory masks: France sets €135 fine for non-compliance

People who do not wear a mask in enclosed and indoor public spaces in France from today (Monday July 20) now risk a fine of €135. We review the new rules and possible sanctions for non-compliance.

France fines charcuterie industry €93m for price fixing

France has issued a fine of €93 million in total to 12 French “ham cartel” groups that have been found guilty of price fixing their charcuterie products in supermarkets, and working together to buy cheaper cuts.

France 100km limit: Fines issued ahead of long weekend

Police in France have completed 200,000 checks and issued almost 1,000 fines to drivers attempting to travel beyond the 100km deconfinement limit, as authorities urge caution over the coming Ascension long weekend.

France sets €135 fine for no mask on public transport

People who do not wear a face mask on public transport in France - including the Metro, trains, buses, taxis and even planes - after confinement lifts on May 11 will risk a fine of around €135, the government has said.

Police Covid-19 checks in France: What is allowed?

Police and gendarmerie in France have the power to challenge people outside the home during this period of Covid-19 confinement - but how far does that power go? We answer some key questions.

Confinement in France: Can I contest an unfair fine?

Confinement fines in France may be contested if you believe they were incorrectly given, it has emerged, as we answer a question from a Connexion reader who believes her friend was unfairly charged.

France warned on fake gendarmerie Covid-19 form checks

Drivers in France are warned to stay alert to fake police and gendarmerie officers, who have been demanding illegal on-the-spot fines for alleged breaches of the Covid-19 confinement rules.

France confinement fine rises, €135 and €375

The fine for people going out without a form during home confinement has today been raised from €38 to €135, and €375 when it is not paid in the next 45 days.

People flouting confinement rules in France fined

The police have begun issuing fines for people who they check and find to be outside without authorisation papers.

French mayor ‘returns’ 10 tonnes of illegal waste

A man in northern France who illegally dumped 10 tonnes of rubbish in a local field has had the items returned by the mayor less than 48 hours later.

Debate: Will fine for users stop drug abuse in France?

Anyone caught using drugs in a public space, from smoking cannabis to taking other drugs such as cocaine, faces fines in Rennes, Reims and Créteil

SNCF fines French man €100 for giving beggar 70 cents

French train company SNCF has admitted that it was “clumsy” and “went too far” after a man was fined €100 for giving 70 cents to a begging woman in a train station in Toulouse (Occitanie).

€900,000 fine for French energy supplier

Engie 'flouted customer canvassing rules'

Drug users in French city of Rennes face €450 fine

People who smoke cannabis or take other illegal drugs in the French city of Rennes (Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany) will soon be faced with a €200 fine, rising to €450 in some cases, in a new trial to “attack demand”.

Crackdown on noisy motorbikes in Paris

Authorities in the capital plan to introduce anti-noise radars once permitted by the loi mobilité - but efforts to cut noise pollution have started already

French gendarmes stop flying unicorn on way to beach

Giant inflatable blocked view out of rear window

Drink-drive levels in France and UK

Your May article on drink-driving ( Margin of error must now be given ) states “the current drink-drive limit in France is a maximum of 0.5g of alcohol per litre of blood (0.8g in the UK)”.

French town sets €135 fine for idling vehicle engines

Drivers in one French town now risk a fine of €135 if they leave their vehicle engine running when the vehicle is stopped or parked..

France's speed limit u-turn "will not affect fines"

Road safety officials reject lawyer's claim that 'hundreds of thousands' of speeding cases could be cancelled after government u-turn on 90kph speed limits

Woman fined for killing rescue pig for meat

40-year-old prosecuted for "breach of trust and complicity in slaughter outside a slaughterhouse under illegal conditions"

French group Intermarché fined €375k for Nutella offer

Supermarket group Intermarché has been fined €375,000 for its 70% super-promotion of chocolate spread Nutella in January 2018, after the group was found to have broken discount rules.

Van driver fined €368 for littering on French road

A driver on a French road has been required to pay €368 after being caught on film throwing fast food packaging out of his van window.

Drivers in Paris face €90 fine for blocking junctions

City's cameras will catch drivers who block traffic at busy intersections in capital

Protesters face €135 ‘yellow vest’ fine threat

Gilets jaunes demonstrators in Normandy, where President Macron visited for the first meeting of the grand débat national with mayors, were threatened with €135 fines if they wore their yellow vests.

Polluting cruise liner in Marseille fined

A cruise liner captain and his bosses have been fined €100,000 for polluting the air in Marseille by using heavy-sulphur oil.

French drivers must pay for gilets jaunes ‘free péage’

French motorway company Vinci Autoroutes is to send a bill to every driver that passed through a motorway péage that was supposedly “free” during the gilets jaunes protests.

France introduces fixed fine for drug use

The French Assemblée Nationale has voted to introduce a fixed €200 fine for the use of narcotics - and cannabis in particular - in an effort to step up the fight against illegal drugs.

Families warned on French bike rules to avoid fines

As summer continues and families take to their bikes for days out, cyclists in France are warned to pay attention to the state of their bikes and rules of the road to avoid fines of up to €375.

Fly-tippers may get the bill in France

Anyone caught fly-tipping or illegally dumping rubbish could face fines of €450 plus a bill for clean-up costs as mayors can order them to clear the mess or pay to have this done.

French state pays woman €190k after Hep B jab issues

A French state medical agency has been ordered to pay over €190,000 in compensation to a medical secretary after the woman developed complications following a vaccination for Hepatitis B.

Fined €5,000 over UK bank accounts

A reader from the Dordogne has contacted The Connexion over what he considers to be an “unjust” fine of €5,000 after he failed to declare the existence of two British bank accounts (at the same bank) for the 2014 and 2015 tax years.

Norman speeders first to face privatised fines

Drivers in Normandy will later this year be the first to face speeding fines from cars driven by private drivers not police.

No speeding fines, yet, for UK drivers

French speed camera fines soared 18.5% in 2016 to bring in €920million for the state with a large part of the increase due to a rise in the number of cameras but also because of a 40% rise in fines issued to foreign vehicles.

Regulations on collecting for a charity

What are the rules and regulations regarding collecting for charity? Does one need a permit from the police? B.J.

Phantom fire checks find faults

Last week we had a visit (although despite being home all day, we saw no one), from inspectors from the Défense de la Forêt Contre les Incendies (DFCI).

‘Wild geyser street pools’ anger local authorities

The practice of opening fire hydrants has drawn ire from mayors and fire services alike, who say it puts people in danger and wastes water

Guide pays €414 tram fine for tourists

A tour guide in Nice has had to pay a €414 fine after failing to composte (validate) the tram tickets for the 12 tourists in her party. She paid by bank card.