Gendarmerie

Police warn drivers of car headlights rules in France

It is advisable to carry spare bulbs when driving

Fishing to be further controlled by police in south-west France

The gendarmerie has signed an agreement to help fight ‘many and varied’ fishing offences

Passenger killed as concrete block dropped onto French motorway

The national gendarmerie is appealing for witnesses and has launched a murder investigation

news

You can now report certain crimes anywhere in France using online tool

The new tool is now live, and aims to get a police officer or gendarme to review your report report within 48 hours

British Alps murders: new reconstruction to take place

The case of the Chevaline killings remains unsolved more than 12 years later

What update on hunt for prisoner who escaped four months ago in France?

The prisoner was travelling in a police vehicle when it was charged by armed men at a motorway toll

Gendarme's widow: ‘France’s lax approach killed my husband’

The driver who ran over the gendarmerie officer was previously known to police for traffic offences and refusing police orders

Gendarme killed by driver who refused to stop on motorway near Cannes

The deceased was a 54-year-old married father of two

Wooden statues stolen from French abbey 60 years ago are found

The statues were tracked down to two private homes. The 'owners' were unaware they had been stolen

Death of Emile, 2: what is known about new bone found in Alps hamlet?

Additional searches have been carried out after Emile’s clothes and skull were found

Man suspected of killing family reported to be at French convent

Sightings of the suspect come in regularly with the latest being taken seriously and police running DNA tests

Emile, 2: skull shows animal bite marks, says French prosecutor

New questions have been raised on the bone analysis, discovery of the boy’s clothes and why the remains were only found now if the area had already been searched

Bones found of Emile, 2: What French police say and what happens now

Investigations are focusing on the weather and detailed analysis of the soil near where the bones were found

Why police reconstruction in Alps village where boy, 2, went missing?

Investigators are focusing on witness statements, but the family’s lawyer has questioned why it is happening now

Appeal for help to find missing boy, 9, in south-west France

Helicopters are searching for him. His school bag and phone has been found in a ditch

Properties in six departments searched over missing boy, 2, in France

The searches are the latest development in a case that has mystified investigators since July

Normandy gendarmerie next to the sea up for sale as a home

The starting price at auction is €119,000

Explainer: what is the role of a French president?

We look at how much power the head of state who is also Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and a Co-Prince of Andorra has

House search continues in case of boy, 2, missing from French village

Sniffer dogs and drones have been used in the latest search after the toddler disappeared in July

MAP: discover where the 238 new gendarme bases will be in rural France

Two thousand gendarmes are to be deployed, mainly in mobile units, to address the changing face of crime

Why thousands more gendarmes are to be based in rural areas in France

We also look at the differences in the three main police services that operate in the country

Boy, 2, missing in French Alps: inquiry changes to kidnapping

Emile disappeared more than a month ago. No body has been found despite repeated searches

‘Final sweep’ for boy, 2, missing in French Alps since Saturday

Emile went missing while staying with his grandparents

Boy, 2, missing in French Alps: Chances of finding him alive narrow

Investigators are now focussing on searching homes and interviewing people in the hamlet at the time of Emile’s disappearance

Boy, 2, still missing in French Alps nearly three days on

The search for Emile, who went missing at the weekend while staying with his grandparents, resumed again on Tuesday.

Gendarmerie trace woman who dumped pile of items in field in France

Officers found her after months of investigation. She was moving home and had been denied access to a tip as had not sorted the items

Teens throwing eggs at motorway cars in France caught by the barcodes

Gendarmerie officers in the southwest tracked down the suspects who were arrested on the charge of ‘endangering the lives of others’ by using details on dumped egg boxes

Gendarmerie appeal to find owners of mystery lake jewellery in France

It is believed the almost 300 rings, necklaces, earrings and watches come from burglaries committed in Gironde, Charente and Charente-Maritime this summer

Brittany gendarmes rescue owl stuck in a wood pile

The bird had a broken wing and hypothermia and was unable to escape

Man investigated for Normandy murder, but no body or missing person

Police are appealing for witnesses over claims of a man hitting and then killing a cyclist

French mushroom-hunters asked to share where they are going for safety

Gendarmes hope informing friends will reduce the number of people getting lost but gatherers are not likely to reveal their secret picking posts easily

Passer-by drivers stop arsonist in field in south-west France

Three women are reported to have spotted the former volunteer fireman starting a fire in a field of maize. A British man living nearby then blocked the man’s car to stop him leaving

French mayor raised alarm over British ‘Puppetmaster’ conman in 2018

A man believed to be Robert Hendy-Freegard is still at large after driving into gendarmes. French villagers where he had a property say they had concerns for years

American man charged with murder of stepson in Brittany

The 16-year-old was found dead outside his home, having suffered serious head injuries

France to train new ‘green gendarmerie’ to fight environmental crime

The new teams will help to fight against issues such as wildfire arson, the interior minister has said. He also announced plans to combat urban and rural joyriding and delinquency

Explainer: how to get police to check on your home in France when away

The checks add extra security while you are on holiday and you can now sign up online for the free service

Man arrested after shining laser at aircraft in south of France

The man was found to have bought an illegal, powerful laser online. He said he had become exasperated at the training plane

France to open first training centre for police who attend protests

The interior minister says it will better prepare officers and that officers must ‘do everything to respect the constitutional right to protest’

Gendarmerie convert campervan to reach rural areas of France

Coming to a village near you? The roving campervan has been rolling into communes in Normandy to bring gendarmerie services to more isolated areas

GPS cat collar device used to catch burglars near Toulouse

The collar had been left in a car that was stolen during the incident

Poissons d’Avril spotted in French press today…have you been fooled?

Have you heard?! The president of France will parade in an electric Citroën Ami car for July 14, and gendarmes are to start training cats for their ‘feline brigade’...or are they…?

Cat raises alarm of toxic carbon monoxide at French mountain refuge

The animal and later a guardian began to feel unwell late at night, leading to a full emergency evacuation. Seven people were taken to hospital

Police warn of potential teenager abduction attempts in Haute-Savoie

Pupils from schools in the area have been approached by an individual and asked to get into his vehicle

France to simplify squatter eviction for second home owners

Evicting illegal squatters from your property is set to become easier in France as the government works to simplify and speed up the process for both main and second homes.

French gendarmerie officer who refused Covid vaccine must leave job

The man from Gironde was initially suspended for 10 days, but has now been moved to a role that does not require contact with the public

How to avoid petrol thefts and what fuel deals are on offer in France

Police have shared tips for deterring petrol thieves, while supermarkets extend discount deals for drivers

Petition condemns decision to shoot puma on loose in north France

Pas-de-Calais’ prefecture has authorised the killing of the animal if it cannot be caught and says it will be impossible to tranquilise it

Search intensifies for ‘big cat’ spotted near villages in north France

“We are not sure that it is a lion or lioness,” said the gendarmerie, “but it is certainly a ‘big cat’.

Campaigner calls for more legal protection for police dogs in France

Mistreatment against dogs working in the line of fire should be recognised more in law, an association has said, as they are ‘soldiers’, just like people

Les flics and what's a '22' alert got to do with the police?

The police are in the news today after President Macron announced wide scale plans for reforms. We look at some colloquial terms and expressions you might hear in talk about the police and gendarmes in France.

Macron announces 11 reforms for French police and gendarmerie

Measures include doubling the number of police on streets, giving all officers body cameras, and increasing police powers to give fines

Man fined for driving Citroën DS on motorway with only three wheels

Car stopped by police en route from Toulouse was type that saved President De Gaulle during assassination attempt, when bullets burst tyres but could still be driven away at speed

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’

Vulture saved from busy roadside in south west France

The bird of prey was spotted by several drivers, leading gendarmerie to mount a rescue with help from a local falconer

Covid France: Gendarmes must be fully vaccinated by September 15

Officers who have contact with the public are subject to obligatory vaccination. The new rule does not extend to civilian agents de police

Alpes-Maritimes: hunt for armed murder suspect ongoing

Police say the 33-year-old is armed and dangerous. Around 200 gendarmes and special forces are searching for him in a mountain area around 50km from Nice

Tour de France: Police search for woman who caused 50-rider pile-up

The unidentified woman who held the sign blocking the path of the riders risks a fine of up to €1,500 and may be sued by race organisers

Violent clashes as gendarmes try to break up rave party in Brittany

A 22-year-old man is reported to have lost a hand while five gendarmes have been injured

Normal life resumes in Dordogne village locked down in armed manhunt

Officials thank local residents as school and shops reopen after 36 hours of fear

Hunt for armed man in Dordogne; residents warned to stay at home

Gendarmerie are searching a wooded area after an armed man in his 30s was spotted following a domestic dispute last night

Driver in south of France fined for driving too slowly on motorway

The car was also found to be a non-licence vehicle, or a voiture sans permis (VSP), which are not allowed on motorways at all

France doubles penalties for people who do not obey police orders

The prime minister announced a crackdown on aggressive behaviour towards police amid rising anger in the force after the death of two police workers

Gendarmerie stop five tonne van overloaded with bikes in south France

The van was strung with bikes and tricycles and weighed two tonnes over the legal limit. Plus - we explain how vehicle weight and cargo limits work in France

Gendarmes appeal for information on jogger missing in Paris

Woman, 41, disappeared near a towpath beside River Oise

Walker found alive after hours under snow in Alps avalanche

A man has been found alive in the French Alps after being buried for several hours under 2.5 metres of snow after being hit by an avalanche during a walk with his family

French police to add extra data to intelligence files

The Conseil d’Etat has authorised police to collect data such as political opinions and religious beliefs, causing concern among critics of the new law

France shooting: Three gendarmes killed in domestic call

Officers were shot and killed after being called out to a domestic violence complaint in a small village in central France. A fourth is in hospital.

French gendarmes use humour online to deliver message

Officers use light-hearted approach on social media to hammer home important safety messages

Six arrested in eastern France after illegal boar hunt

Gendarmerie used a helicopter to survey an area of forest, and caught the poachers ‘in the act’ of hunting boar with dogs and 4x4 vehicles

French driver caught for insurance ‘valid to February 31’

Gendarmerie discovered the windscreen disc was a forgery after spotting that the “valid until” date does not exist

French driver found seven times over legal alcohol limit

The 58-year-old man had drunk 12 litres of beer, a bottle of pastis, and a bottle of rosé - and did not have a licence

All police in France will wear body cameras by July 2021

All police and law enforcement officers in France will carry body cameras as standard from summer 2021, the government has confirmed.

Corpse found in Alps village scene of 2012 British killings

Chevaline, a small village in Haute-Savoie, has been rocked by the discovery of another dead body a few hundred metres away from the site of the 2012 murders that killed four people, in a case still unsolved.

Horse attacks: Owners in France warned against vigilantism

Gendarmerie have called on horse owners in France “not to take justice into their own hands”, even as another horse is killed, and police warn that they believe the attacks to be by “more than one perpetrator”.