October Travel Strikes, Healthcare Costs and the Pope: News Digest

From travel disruption and rising costs to changes that could affect life in France, there is plenty making the headlines this week. Demonstrations have taken place across the country over a proposed police use of force law, while France and Canada are strengthening their economic and defence ties. We also look at how rising temperatures and increasingly frequent heatwaves could be changing where people choose to buy property in France.

For those travelling between France and the UK, October could bring further disruption with strikes affecting parts of the transport network. Healthcare costs are also in the spotlight, while the Pope is set to visit France in another major international event. We have the latest updates on these stories, along with news affecting French property, travel and everyday life.

French pilots and cabin crew call five day strike during October holidays

French pilots and cabin crew unions have called a five day nationwide strike from 17 to 21 October, coinciding with the start of the Toussaint school holidays. The action is linked to planned changes to France’s cumul emploi retraite system, which governs how people can combine employment and pension income. The strike could affect flights operated by crews covered by French labour law, although the exact level of disruption is not yet known. Anyone travelling during the October half term should keep an eye on their airline for updates.

Pope Leo XIV prepares for historic visit to France

Pope Leo XIV is due to make his first official papal visit to France from 25 to 28 September, travelling to Paris, Lourdes and Metz. It will be the first official papal state visit to France since Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2008. His packed programme includes meetings with President Emmanuel Macron and French authorities, a visit to UNESCO and services at Notre Dame and the Stade de France, followed by visits to Lourdes and Metz. The Pope is also due to meet survivors of clerical sexual abuse during the trip.

French healthcare costs set to rise as medical charge cap reaches €140

From 1 October, the annual ceiling for France’s franchises médicales and participations forfaitaires will rise to a combined €140, rather than the €200 originally proposed. Each category will be capped at €70 per year. These charges are amounts patients may have to pay towards certain medical care, medicines and treatments and are separate from the standard reimbursement system. The government has also confirmed further changes to healthcare reimbursements from 2027.

French healthcare reimbursements can now be sent digitally

A new service launched through the Compte ameli app allows people in France to photograph and submit certain paper medical forms directly to their CPAM using their smartphone. The service, introduced on 7 September, currently applies to paper feuilles de soins issued following treatment by a GP or specialist. It means patients who have been given a paper form no longer need to post it or deliver it to their local health insurance office.

Rising heat is changing France’s property hotspots

France’s increasingly frequent heatwaves could be starting to influence where people choose to buy property. Estate agents report that buyers are paying more attention to factors such as insulation, air conditioning and the local climate, with some traditionally popular regions facing questions about their long term suitability during increasingly hot summers. The impact is not yet dramatic, but property professionals say climate is becoming a more important consideration for buyers.

France and Canada forge closer economic and defence ties

French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met in Saint Pierre and Miquelon on 20 September, reaffirming the close relationship between France and Canada. The two leaders discussed strengthening cooperation on security, resilience and prosperity, as well as closer France Canada and EU Canada cooperation. They also directed their space agencies, defence ministries and industries to work towards sharing infrastructure, including launch systems and ground facilities.

Macron and Trump discuss Ukraine and rocketing oil prices

Emmanuel Macron met Donald Trump in New York on 21 September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, with Ukraine and the impact of the conflict on energy prices among the main topics. Macron said the two had discussed faster delivery of defensive weapons to Ukraine and the possibility of a moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine. The talks also touched on the wider energy situation and efforts to keep oil supplies moving through key shipping routes.

Lidl announces 30 new stores as it expands across France

Lidl is continuing its expansion in France, with 31 new stores planned between September 2026 and February 2027, according to reports. The first two are due to open on 24 September in Bordeaux and Paris’s 18th arrondissement, with further openings planned across the country in the following months. Lidl has said it wants to expand its French network significantly, with an ambition to exceed 2,000 stores by 2035.

Demonstrations held across France over proposed police use of force law

Thousands of people took part in demonstrations in Paris and other French cities on 20 September over a proposed law concerning police use of force and legitimate defence. Critics of the legislation argue that it could make it easier for officers to use their weapons, while the government presents its wider security reforms as measures intended to strengthen public order and the ability of police to respond to crime. The demonstrations come as debate continues over the balance between police powers and safeguards around the use of force.