News Digest: 70% of France Flights Cancelled This Week & French Wealth Tax Reminder

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News Digest: 70% of France Flights Cancelled This Week & French Wealth Tax Reminder

Air traffic controller strikes are set to cause mass cancellations of flights in and out of France this Thursday, we’ve got some important reminders about filing your French taxes, and you can sign up for two of our free live webinars now. Here are the French news stories you need to know about this week.

1. Airport strikes

France’s SNCTA, the union that represents air traffic controllers, has filed a strike notice for this Thursday (April 25th) in response to what they consider “unacceptable” job role changes. While the strike could be called off if demands are met, it’s being referred to as a “journée noir” (black day) in the French press, and expectations are that up to 70% of flights across the country will be affected.

Other unions, including UNSA-UTCAC, are also taking part in the strikes, and SNCTA have told people to expect “major disruption and long delays” for at least 24 hours. If you have a flight booked for Thursday, then it’s essential to double-check that your flight is still running – cancellation rates will likely be high. If your flight is going ahead, prepare for potentially long delays and leave extra time at the airport – your transport provider should issue advice for how to proceed.

2. Tax reminders

We announced the opening of the French tax season two weeks ago, and it’s now less than a month until the first deadline for submitting your tax return. If you are resident in France, you must submit an annual tax return, even if you have no income to declare or no French taxes to pay. Find out the 2024 tax deadlines here and read our 12 Essential Articles to Get You Through French Tax Season.

Most French second-home owners who are tax resident overseas will not need to file a tax return (unless you receive rental income in France), but you must still fill in the new declaration d’occupation for your property if you did not file one in 2023 or if the status of your property has changed – see our article for more details.

Other property owners that need to file a tax declaration are those liable for wealth tax or impôt sur la fortune immobilière (IFI) – however, this only applies if the total value of your property or properties adds up to more than €1.3 million. Find out more here.

3. Zone B schools break for spring

France’s spring school holidays come to an end this week for schools in Zone C (which includes Paris, Toulouse, and Montpellier), who headed back to school yesterday. Schoolchildren in Zone A (which includes Bordeaux, Lyon, and much of central France) are still on holiday this week, while Zone B schools started their 2-week break this Saturday, April 20th.

Check out the full calendar of 2024 school holidays in France.

4. New webinar announcements

Hot on the heels of last week’s webinar (which was our most popular to date!), we’ve just announced two more upcoming FrenchEntrée webinars. Register now so you don’t miss out (and don’t worry, if you can’t make it, we’ll send you the link to watch the replay!).

What Americans Need to Know Before Buying & Moving to France

Thursday 30th May
18:00 Paris / 12:00 New York / 9:00 Los Angeles

I’ll be joined by a panel of experts to discuss the specific needs of American buyers in France. Whether you are purchasing a second home or hoping to relocate or retire to France, we’ll take a look at the property purchase process in France, tax implications for US buyers and expats, visa requirements, and how to save money by using the currency exchange market to your advantage.

How Much Does it Really Cost to Buy a Property in France?

Thursday 27th June
17:00 London / 18:00 France / 12:00 New York

I’ll be joined by a panel of experts to break down the real costs of buying a property in France. We’ll be taking a look at the French property market and investment opportunities in 2024, the legal process of buying in France and the associated costs, your potential tax liabilities as a French property owner, and how to maximise your budget by understanding the currency exchange market.

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FrenchEntrée's Digital Editor, Zoë is also a freelance journalist who has written for the Telegraph, HuffPost, and CNN, and a guidebook updater for the Rough Guide to France and Rough Guide to Dordogne & Lot. She lives in the French countryside just outside of Nantes.

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  •  Charlie
    2024-04-24 02:31:58
    Charlie
    Not Worth The Candle: As a retired Londoner I have been considering - yes for years - the possibility of buying a second home in France. Normandy has been my focus. However since leaving the EU it's clear that the French have shot their bolt by just putting obstacle upon obstacle to any English person buying a property in France. If it's not absurd passport limitations - where a passport may be more than ten years; long queues at Dover due to onerous export documentation (when exporters met standards the day before Brexit - but were slapped with onerous documentation the day after); the half-hearted attempts at stopping the boats despite being paid £illions; stupid requirements to carry breatherlisers in cars; the 90 day rule for potential homeowners - or obstacles to acquire longer stays; tax rules that punish second-,home owners and - just a general inertia of bureaucracy that is just unwelcoming. It has been noticed that property prices, say in Normandy, appear to have reduced - if only due to fiscal drag. And for homes that the French aren't too keen to buy either - if some of the 'unmoving' houses in this region are anything to go by. In addition - bureaucratic 'inertia' must be a factor for reluctance of the British to snap up these homes when you consider how close Normandy is to, say Londoners - as compared with Scotland, Wales and Cornwall for example. It also appears to be the case that since Brexit, second home owners in France appear to be bailing out. They've had enough? Of course France belongs to the French - but many of us are beguiled by the French culture, be it food or traditions. Entente cordiale was sadly ended but showed that the two nations respected each other at onetime. Brexit occurred as a travesty of EU relations. The UK were never full participants of the EU - General de Gaulle - with his sidekick Michel Barnier - saw to that. So sadly it's another 'Non' to buying a property in Normandy - it's just too much of a faff. So now many of us won't venture across the Channel - unless France gives us back Calais - which some here consider is still ours! Yes give us back Calais and we'd abolish all the bureaucracy and retrieve the Entente Cordiale - and live together in perfect harmony - well maybe! It's just so sad to see the Brits bailing out.

    REPLY

    • Zoë Smith
      2024-04-25 16:10:13
      Zoë Smith
      Hi Charlie, Sorry you feel this way. However, it is important to point out that rules such as the '10-year' passport rule are not new! This has always been the rule, it's just that it didn't apply British passport holders when the UK was part of the EU. As someone who, naturally, was against Brexit, I'm sorry to see these new boundaries to entry for Brits, however, rest assured, there are still plenty of Brits successfully navigating the process of moving to France or buying a French property, both of which are absolutely possible post-Brexit. Kind regards, Zoe

      REPLY