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Tree

Environmentalists condemn Paris-Toulouse train route preparations

Around 150 large trees were cut down as part of work on the highly controversial LGV service

France’s most beautiful trees revealed - is one near you?

Three trees were chosen as winners with one going ahead to represent France in the European contest this February

PHOTOS: French town uses horses to collect old Christmas trees

A horse-drawn carriage picks up the trees which are then recycled and turned into mulch to use as protection from weeds

practical

These Christmas tree bags in France can help with more than housework

Charity bags fund services for disadvantaged children across world, as well as help disabled workers in France

Who must cut overhanging branches in French garden?

France’s civil code is strict and can be confusing to navigate

13 tree fairs and arboretums across France to visit this November

No matter where you live, there are events, exhibitions and markets centred around the cultivation of trees - we have listed several for your diary

Tax rebates, wood pellets, market overview: French property round-up

We look at four stories for homeowners this week in France, including an overview of the property market and problems with tax bills for property owners

Garden magnolia tree in France saved by children’s love letter

Owners of the property next door said tree blocked light to their new extension and wanted it felled

Hot weather to continue in France as more temperature records broken

Sunny skies and no rain is predicted for the days ahead

French law: Can I cut an overhanging branch from neighbour’s tree?

France’s Code Civil includes specific rules on encroaching branches and trees

Take a picnic beneath pink trees this spring as Paris turns Japanese

We explore the rich tradition of Hanami and explores the ongoing ties between Japanese and French gardeners in the capital

French app helps you identify flora and fauna

The French forests agency has developed an app which can tell you what tree you are looking at thanks to a few simple questions

France building laws: Do I need planning permission for a treehouse?

Much will depend on the size of the structure and whether your property is in a protected area

Putting down roots: French departments plant tree for each child born

The project helps cool urban areas during heatwaves and bonds families to the locality

Gardening in France: French history and care of Christmas trees

’Tis the season for 'sapin' tales, with gardening on hold during the darkest month in France we turn to magic and mystery

French nursery looks after Christmas trees for next year

Trees can be returned, stored, and reused the following festive period

Reforestation project begins in south of France after summer wildfires

This comes as the government announces plans to plant one billion trees across France by 2032, a measure described as a ‘smokescreen’ by critics

Gardening tips for growing and grafting apples in France

Grafting, rootstocks and growing from seed - advice on apple trees this autumn

French town gives residents trees to add greenery to the local area

The €30,000 project will also involve assistance with planting the trees and tips on helping them to thrive

Home energy rating problems and three other French property updates

We look at a court case surrounding the rules on asking neighbours to prune trees encroaching on your land and why Airbnb ‘key safe boxes’ are unpopular in Lille

Can I make my neighbour prune trees that overhang my garden in France?

Legally you cannot cut them yourself. We explain your options

More than half of France on red pollen alert after recent good weather

The highest alert level relates to birch pollen, but plane tree pollen levels are also moderate and oak and grass pollen are on the rise

Brexit makes 130-year-old Douglas fir in Loire tallest tree in the EU

The tree was re-measured by specialist climbers this week and claims the title which was previously held by a tree in Scotland

Savoie: Christmas trees collected with help of horse-drawn carriages

The towns of Chambéry and Aix-les-Bains say it is an eco-friendly solution. Organisers say it provides entertainment too and is appreciated by locals

Mimosas blossom in south of France as season begins

The bright, highly-scented trees bloom from January until the end of March, and are prized in the Alpes-Maritimes and Var for everything from perfume to candles to chocolate

Shade and chic: France’s history of planting trees in a row

French gardens are known for their quest for formal perfection and trees are no exception

Green news France: Pollution study plants city trees, Eco-hotels boom

Pollution study plants trees in Aix-en-Provence, eco-hotels see boom in France, publicity stunt in Loire to break tree-cutting taboo and more

More than 200,000 trees being planted for future forest outside Paris

New woodland, which will eventually contain one million trees, is being created to help fight against atmospheric pollution and climate change

Boss of logging firm arrested over theft of 350 trees in Occitanie

Police used a geolocation device to track a lorry which had been used to transport the trees, felled at night in a private forest, near the border between France and Spain

What are the pruning rules for trees near telephone lines in France?

Property owners in France must allow telephone companies to prune trees near phone lines

Hundreds of trees stolen from private woods in south France

A sawmill in the Catalonia region is suspected of cutting down the trees – some of which were hundreds of years old – and taking the trunks for timber

Harvesting the health benefits of French birch sap in spring

Have you spotted tubes attached to the trunks of birch trees recently? The season for collecting birch water - prized for its detoxifying properties - began earlier than usual this year

The rules of planting trees in your French garden

Rules for tree planting in France date back to 1804 and can be found in the Civil Code

France to plant 50 million trees to fight global warming

Almost €200million will be spent on the project to repopulate the nation's forests

Why it's not very Christmassy in Poitiers this year

There will not be a traditional Christmas tree in the town’s main square in 2020, writes Mick Sheahan, who blogs regularly about life in Poitiers

Go-ahead for sale of Christmas trees in France

A total 80% of the 6 million Christmas trees sold in France every year are 'homegrown' - but there were fears coronavirus health measures would mean producers could not set up shop

France’s first woodland site for cremated ashes is open

Elia Conte Douette is working with local mairies on developing their woodland sites into cemeteries

Bordeaux: Mayor cancels Christmas trees in city

The ecologically-minded mayor will not decorate Bordeaux with “dead trees” this festive season, he has said, claiming they go against his “concept of re-vegetation” for the city.

Bacteria deadly to olive trees found in southern France

The bacteria, xylella fastidiosa, was identified in a lavender sample in the southern Occitanie region in August.

France invited to count birds during confinement

People in confinement in France are invited to take part in the national bird counting campaign to help bird welfare group la Ligue de Protection des Oiseaux (LPO).

French couple look to Europe in fight for treetop home

A couple living in a tree house plan to go to the European Court of Justice to defend their right to continue living in their cabin.

Meet the creator of France’s newest national park

The Connexion speaks to Hervé Parmentier, director of the Public Interest Group that has spent the last five years setting up France’s newest National Park

Toxic processionary caterpillars in France already

The first very early sighting of poisonous pine processionary caterpillars - which are an irritant and particularly dangerous for dogs - has been reported by a Connexion reader in western France.

Advice given as olive harvest underway in France

Olive harvest season is in full swing in France, with the crop ready to pick at this time of year, and some advice being issued for anyone harvesting now.

A tree from each region - which one gets your vote?

Since 2011 France has held an Arbre de l’Année competition where people can vote for the nation’s favourite tree from a selection reflecting all the country’s regions.

Smart trees bring breath of fresh air to French cities

Smart trees that can water themselves and give out twice as much CO2 as normal trees are bringing a breath of fresh air – and shade – to French cities.

Heat hits olive farms in France

Olive farmers have seen a huge drop in crop yield – up to 60% in the Alpes-Maritimes – due to this summer’s heatwaves.

French public warned over edible chestnut confusion

The French public has been warned not to confuse toxic conkers (“ marrons ”) with edible chestnuts (“ châtaignes ”) - often used for “ marrons glacés ” - as autumn foraging begins.

‘Olive tree killer’ bacteria arrives in France

Two olive trees in France have been contaminated with the “olive tree killer” bacteria xylella fastidiosa, which cannot be killed directly, and which has already destroyed more than a million trees in Italy.

Macron’s tree dies on White House lawn

A ceremonial oak given to President Trump by Emmanuel Macron has died a year after the pair planted it on the White House lawn.

France homeowners warned on forest fire land clearing

Homeowners in France are reminded that in some regions and for certain properties, it is a legal requirement to carry out a “brush clearing” of surrounding countryside land, to help prevent forest fires.

Neighbours trees near french home are too large

My neighbours have several very large trees just over one metre from our property boundary, but they hang far over our property and block the view. I believe that we can ask them to trim back the tree – at least the part that overhangs our property – can you explain what we can do? M.T.

Leaves are falling – so get busy now

Autumn means leaf fall and it can quickly lead to a problem with a neighbour if leaves from your trees are ending up in their garden or in their gutters and you do nothing about it.

Gascony garden is French palm paradise

Jane Hanks visits the Palmeraie du Sarthou, where even in November the exotic arbres provide compelling viewing

French garden diary - November 2018

How to be ‘water-wise’ in winter? Do your bit by helping to save water in the garden, writes Cathy Thompson

Harsh French summers may affect future Christmas trees

The drought and heat of the summer in France this year and in 2013 may threaten the cost and availability of Christmas trees in Decembers to come, producers have warned.

Homeowners in France warned about overgrown hedges

When did you last check your hedges? Homeowners in France are warned that any hedges or trees that impede on public roads or viewpoints may prompt the local Mairie to cut them down, at your own cost.

Yew ‘cave’ is tree of the year

A ‘yew-cave’ or ‘yew-igloo’ in the Oise, was the public’s choice for Tree of the Year 2017

French agency advice on how to choose a Christmas tree

With six million Christmas trees sold in France every year, a French environment agency has issued advice on how to choose the right variety, and how to best look after and recycle your tree.

Mairie ‘troll’ explains Strasbourg Christmas tree saga

As Strasbourg replaces its Christmas tree for the second time in weeks, the city’s Mairie offered locals chance to take home part of the stricken pine, after its very own “troll” interrupted proceedings.

New tree protection scheme launches in Ile-de-France

A new scheme to protect “remarkable” trees in the Ile-de-France has been launched, to preserve both their environmental and historical significance.

Mighty oak among France's most remarkable trees

From a 2,000-year-old olive tree to an oak that hosts two chapels, remarkable trees across France are being recognised for their great age, size, and fascinating pasts.

May I pick fruit from a tree on a public road?

What is the law when a fruit tree hangs over a public road and you want to pick some fruit? M.P.

Rustling trees give power for offices, chargers and streets

Watching a leaf fluttering in the wind has led to a new type of wind turbine that can be scaled from 9m giants that produce 5mW down to tiny miniaturised models that will fit under the eaves of an ordinary house and, linked together, can power a fridge, house lights or charge a mobile.

Protection needed for old yew tree

Villagers in Normandy set out to discover what had poisoned one of their oldest trees, only to find that, despite their age and importance, yew trees have no special protection in France. Samantha David explains