Stay informed, live with peace of mind in France

Welcome to the ELA - Expat Linguistic Assistance blog.

Your go-to source of information for English-speaking expats in France. We break down current events, laws, and regulations and publish links to English articles concerning life in France to help you keep up-to-date with news you may have missed!

 

From everyday news to major national headlines, our blog brings you the latest news from France that concerns you, to help you understand local and national issues and stay connected to your host country, even if French isn't your first language.

Through our blog, we aim to keep you up-to-date with current affairs in France including any changes regarding residence permit renewals, driver's licenses, and other administrative procedures. Our blog offers clear explanations and regular updates to ensure you are always compliant and informed about the regulations in France.

The Municipal Elections in France: How it works

                Municipal elections determine the members of a town's municipal council. The number of municipal councillors to be elected varies depending on the size of the town (from 7 councillors for communes of less than 100 residents to 69 for communes of 300 000+ residents) and are elected for a period of 6 years.

  • This year (2026) the municipal elections are to take place on the 15th and the 22nd of March.

             The mayor is then elected by and from within the municipal council, by secret ballot and by an absolute majority for the first two rounds of voting, and by a relative majority if a third round is necessary. The mayoral election takes place at the first meeting of the municipal council, no later than the Sunday following the last round of the municipal elections.

  • In Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, district councillors are also elected, in addition to municipal councillors. Their election takes place at the same time and according to the same rules, from the same list (Article L271 et seq. of the electoral code).
             Since the law of May 21st, 2025, aimed at harmonizing the voting system for municipal elections, the method for electing municipal councillors is the same in all municipalities, regardless of population size. It is a two-round proportional representation system.
  • In the first round, if a list obtains an absolute majority of the votes cast, it receives a number of seats equal to half the total seats to be filled, with a majority bonus awarded to the list that came in first. The remaining seats are distributed proportionally using the highest average method among the lists that obtained more than 5% of the votes cast.
  • If no list obtains an absolute majority in the first round, a second round is held, in which only lists that obtained at least 10% of the votes cast in the first round may participate. Amendments and mergers of lists are permitted. 

Source: ViePublique.fr  & ServicePublique.fr

Do I need to change my Drivers licence if I live in France?

Are you a permanent resident in France and still have your original drivers licence? Here are some things you should know. 

If you have an EU drivers licence issued before 2021, your licence is valid in France and you only need to change it if:

- It is nearing it's expiry date

- You have taken a new test and need to add a vehicle category to your licence

- You have committed a traffic violation that requires taking away points (according to French law), a restriction, a suspension or an annulment of your licence.

- If your licence has been lost, stolen or damaged. 

 

Since Brexit, British drivers licences are subject to the same laws as EU licences.

 

If you have a drivers licence from outside the EU and the UK, your licence is valid for a year, and must be changed for a French one by the end of this period.

 

Source: ServicePublic.fr  - Conduire en France avec un permis étranger

The UK and the Erasmus+ programme

The UK is back on the list of countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme!

Erasmus+ is a European Union initiative enabling people to study, teach,  undergo training and work experience in another country in Europe or around the World. 

 

Since 2021, the UK hasn't been a part of the Erasmus+ programme.  However, it has been announced that from the 1st of January 2027, the UK will once again be participating in this exchange scheme following a political agreement that took place on the 17th of December 2025. 

The specifics of the Erasmus+ programme between the EU and the UK  (financing solutions, types of exchanges, calendars...) have yet to be published and will be decided amongst the 27 member nations in the coming moths.

Source: ServicePublic.fr - Le Royaume Uni va réintégrer le programme Erasmus+

Published on the 16th February 2026

Motorways "Flux Libre", What are they?

As an ecological initiative to reduce France's carbon footprint, light pollution and to reduce users travel times and fuel consumption, the government has created what they call "Péages á flux Libre" which consists of sections of motorway that are toll roads without the barriers and toll booths. 

To date there are three sections of motorway that fall under this category:

- A79 in the Allier department

- A13 & A14 from Paris to Normandie

- A4 around Exit 36.

On these roads cameras are placed on the road to track your car and to automatically calculate the price of your journey. You then have 72 hours to make  the payment or you will receive a fine of 90€ (reduced to 10€ if you pay within 15 days). If you do not pay within two months the fine goes up to 375€. 

There are multiple ways to pay this fare:

- Online through the SANEF website with or without an account

- In a "Bureau de Tabac" equipped with the "Nirio" system

- Télépéage (In-car electronic toll badge)

 

The Motorway website SANEF also offers a  notification system that reminds you if there is a payment due so as not to be caught out.

The French government has  issued a warning concerning fraudulent calls and texts concerning these motorways urging people that urgent payments are due, they caution to always check your payments on the official website and never click on a link sent via Text or Email. 

 

Source: ServicePublic.fr - Péage "Flux Libre"

Carte de Séjour Renewal

For those of you that received their carte de Séjour in 2021 just after Brexit it might be time for it's renewal!

Many types of Carte de Séjour exist and another was created after Brexit specifically for British citizens living in France in accordance with Article 51 and the exiting of the UK from the European Union. 

Here are some tips for you after supporting a few clients through this procedure.

 

  •       Double check what kind of Carte de Séjour you have: Does it say Article 51 on it?, How long is it valid for? Is the information up-to-date?                                                                                                                      Different Titres de Séjours have different procedures and online portals concerning it's renewal. For EU citizens the procedure is different from British nationals!
  •           When starting your procedure online, make sure you are on the correct website.  Each prefecture has their own website!                                                                                                                                      To make your online application easier and stress free, make sure you are on the the website for the prefecture of your residence.
  •          The process of getting a new card is rather straight forward and you only need a few documents in order to complete your application (your current carte de séjour, your British passport, proof of residency (electric or water bill for example) and any proof of change of circumstance if applicable). Once these documents are sent to the correct office it should only take a couple of weeks for them to process your request and give you an appointment. 
  •         At this appointment you will have your fingerprints taken (as they were the first time you applied) and will be asked for a copy of all the paperwork you sent through online and for two uncut passport photos to complete your application. I strongly urge you to take multiple copies of all the documents and two different proofs of residency, as occasionally some types of documents aren't valid in certain circumstances.
  • Once this appointment is done, you will then receive an email or text to pick up your new carte de séjour at your prefecture. This process usually takes about a month but timeframes may vary depending on where you are situated in France and the number of demands you office is dealing with. 
  • The whole process takes about 2 months. I recommend making sure that you will be in the country for the duration of your application as you will receive an appointment slot without much notice and be expected to pick up your new card relatively quickly once it arrives. 

Information

If you have news/information that you think is important, that we may have missed, and  wish to share with the expat community on this website, please contact us with a link to your news source and we will publish it once verified.