French Property Exhibition this weekend: News Digest

Fuel aid has been announced for high-mileage workers, driving licence exchanges now come with a €40 fee, and a new online service aims to make address changes easier for residents in France. Property owners are also being reminded about declaration rules and rising taxe foncière bills, while travellers can note a new ferry route between Ireland and northern France, a planned rail strike in June and a final chance to get tickets for this weekend’s French Property Exhibition in Birmingham. Here are the France headlines you need to know this week.

Last chance to get tickets for the French Property Exhibition this weekend in Birmingham

We’ll be at the French Property Exhibition at the National Conference Centre Birmingham this weekend, on the 16th and 17th of May, and there is still time to get your free tickets. The event brings together French property agents, legal advisers, tax specialists, relocation experts, currency specialists and other professionals to help buyers at every stage of the journey.

We’re especially looking forward to the seminar programme and expert forums, with sessions covering where to live in France, visas and residency, healthcare, legal and inheritance issues, tax, the buying process, renovation, property management and the real costs of buying in France. Seminars are free to attend, with places bookable on the day, so it’s worth arriving early for any sessions you don’t want to miss.

Come and say hello if you’re attending. We’d love to meet readers, hear about your plans and answer any questions you may have about buying, owning or moving to France.

Income tax declaration deadlines approach

Anyone resident in France (and non-residents with French-source income such as rental income) must file. The paper deadline is 23:59 on Tuesday, the 19th of May, including for those filing from abroad. Online deadlines are staggered: 21st May for departments 01–19 and non-residents, 28th May for departments 20–54, and 4th June for departments 55–976. Two procedural changes worth flagging this year: if you file online, paper avis d’imposition notices will no longer be automatically posted out unless you actively opt in via your personal account on impots.gouv.fr, and the micro-BIC ceiling for unclassified holiday rentals has been cut to €15,000 with a 30% allowance, while classified rentals and chambres d’hôtes keep the €77,000 ceiling and 50% allowance. The CSG social charge has also risen from 9.2% to 10.6% on non-professional furnished rental income and on capital gains on shares from 2025, with bank interest and share dividends caught from 2026 income onwards.

€50 fuel aid announced for high-mileage workers

France has announced a €50 fuel allowance to help workers affected by rising fuel prices. The support is aimed at people living and working in France who use a personal vehicle for professional purposes, including commuting, and who meet income and mileage conditions. Eligible drivers must either travel at least 15km each way between home and work, or drive at least 8,000km per year for work-related journeys. Applications are set to open on the 27th of May via impots.gouv.fr, with payments expected around 10 days after approval.

Driving licence exchanges now cost €40

Drivers exchanging a foreign or European driving licence for a French one must now pay a €40 tax stamp, following a change that came into effect today. The charge applies to licence exchange applications and is intended to cover the cost of producing and sending the new French licence. Non-EU licence holders who become resident in France generally need to exchange their licence within one year, provided their issuing country has a reciprocal agreement with France.

New online service makes address changes easier

Residents moving home in France can now use the “Je change de coordonnées” online service to notify multiple organisations at once. The free, secure service allows users to update their address, phone number or email with more than 30 national bodies, including the tax authorities, Assurance Maladie, France Travail, France Titres, pension funds and some energy suppliers. It can also be used for certain administrative changes, such as renamed streets or communes following mergers.

Gas prices set to fall slightly in June

After a sharp rise in May, France’s benchmark gas price is set to fall by 4.8% including tax from the 1st of June. The energy regulator CRE says the decrease reflects lower wholesale gas prices in April, although it will only affect households whose contracts are indexed to the benchmark price. CRE estimates the average saving on June bills at €1.26, so the reduction is modest rather than a major fall in household costs.

Property tax bills rose in 2025

New figures show that homeowners in France paid an average of 2.4% more in taxe foncière in 2025 than the previous year. The average bill was €1,117, although costs vary significantly by department and commune. The increase was partly linked to the annual inflation-based adjustment to rental values, with local authority rates adding further variation. For buyers and second-home owners, it is a useful reminder to factor local property tax into annual running costs.

EES queues cause delays

Since the EU’s Entry/Exit System became fully mandatory on 10 April, non-EU passport queues at French airports have lengthened noticeably, with delays at Bordeaux, Beauvais, Marseille and Nantes reported well over an hour, and several flights departing without dozens of stranded passengers. Holders of French residency cards remain technically exempt from EES enrolment, but the rules on which lane they should use are being applied inconsistently. The safest practice is still to follow signage, have your titre de séjour ready, and allow extra time. Aéroports de Paris says it is installing 90 extra biometric kiosks and will pilot pre-enrolment pods at CDG terminal 2E from June.

New Cork to northern France ferry route to launch in June

A new direct ferry route between Cork and Boulogne-sur-Mer is due to launch in mid-June, with six crossings a week in each direction. Bookings opened on the 7th of May, with the route expected to serve cars, campervans, cyclists, foot passengers and freight. The crossing is expected to take around 21 hours, offering another option for travellers between Ireland and northern France.

French rail strike announced for the 10th of June

Four major French rail unions have called a one-day national strike for the 10th of June, which could affect SNCF services. The strike notice covers all types of rail workers and is linked to working conditions, restructuring and wage demands. Travellers planning train journeys in France around that date should check services closer to departure.

Uber Boat to launch in seven French cities this summer

Uber is launching Uber Boat in France from mid-June, allowing users to book leisure boat rentals through the app in Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Marseille, Toulon, Paris and Annecy. The service, run in partnership with Click&Boat, will be for leisure excursions rather than water-taxi journeys, with trips operated by certified professional skippers.