Day 3310 (Wednesday) 1st July 2026

This is Menton

and this is Eze.

It was another glorious day, the forecast said we were going to get a storm this afternoon but it came to nothing.

What changes in July 2026: birth leave, updates to the DPE, and school holidays...

Published by Cécile de Sortiraparis, Caroline de Sortiraparis, My de Sortiraparis · Photos by Margot de Sortiraparis · Updated on June 26, 2026 at 08:39 p.m.

New rules arrive every month. This July 2026, we list all the changes that affect how French people live. Savings, spending, health—and housing too—here’s what changes as of July 1 in France.

In France, laws, decrees and rules evolve regularly. In the event ofinflation, the minimum wage can be raised, energy prices can be frozen. To improve the health of the population, the government may choose to regulate the consumption of certain products, prohibit the use of various practices... Even internationally, new laws may affect the French and their way of life.

You’ve no doubt noticed that many factors are constantly changing in France, and keeping up with the latest rules isn’t always easy. To help you stay informed, here is a concise roundup of the key changes to note this month. From ecology and health to the economy, transport, energy, taxes or financial aid, consumer issues... the topics that matter to the public are broad.

So what can we expect for this new month? Starting from July 1, 2026, several changes are taking effect in France. Here's what you need to know about the news for the month of July.

Extra birth leave

The extra birth leave comes into effect on July 1. Each parent can take one to two months of paid leave, set at 70% of the salary capped for the first month and 60% for the second. This leave will be in addition to the existing parental leave.

New savings plan for young people

The Climate Futures Savings Plan can be offered to anyone under 21. This savings plan can be opened from the child’s birth and is capped at 22,950 euros. Its aim is to mobilise young people in support of the ecological transition: “The funds paid allow for the purchase of financial securities (stocks, bonds) that contribute to financing the ecological transition,” according to the government website.

Changes to the Energy Performance Certificate for small spaces

The energy performance diagnosis is changing for homes 40 m² or smaller. The goal is to remove the 'energy-sucking' label from many properties to make selling or renting easier. DPEs conducted between July 2021 and July 2024 can obtain a new DPE label.

Gas price benchmark on the rise

Once again, the benchmark price for gas sales is rising. Consumers are expected to pay an average of 2.7 euros more on their July bill, taxes included.

End of the summer sales

The sale season is drawing to a close: summer sales wrap up on Tuesday evening, July 21, 2026.

School holidays kick off

It's the time of year schoolchildren look forward to most: summer vacation kicks off on Saturday, July 4. The new school year begins on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

2026 Baccalaureate Results

The bac results are due to be announced on July 7, 2026: a pivotal moment for many young people as they decide what comes next in their education.

I found this fascinating article about strange French laws, it’s quite long so I’ll post it over a few days, enjoy.

19 Weird French Laws Thought Bizarre Even in France

Every country has its collection of strange laws but some weird French laws really should be struck off the books: they’re too ancient, too old-fashioned, or simply too stupid.

Some weird laws in France actually still make sense, despite their age, and it’s easy to see how or why their application might make life a little easier.

Others can be frustrating, like the one about frogs (#10 below).

And yet others will simply make you laugh at their implausibility.

But they're all... very French.

Many laws contained in the Civil Code, also known as the Napoleonic Code, date back to Napoleon Bonaparte, who died more than 200 years ago.

I’m not a lawyer and I can’t vouch for the existence or validity of these laws beyond the references I’ve added, should you doubt my word. Beware, though, these references are from French government websites and are, of course, in French. Sorry about that, but in this case, it’s French or nothing… I don’t expect you to read them, but they’re there to prove my point.

Weird French laws that time forgot

Time may have forgotten these laws, but perhaps it should make an effort to remember: they can be stuffy, antiquated, ridiculous, or simply useless.

Are they valid or are they just stupid French laws? Whatever we think, I’m sure some lawyer or bureaucrat somewhere would be quick to tell us just how essential these might be.

1. It is forbidden to speak anything other than French in France

This refers to the oldest law in France, the Edict of Villers-Cotterêts, issued by King François I in 1539. The law was wide-ranging, dealing with everything from justice to centralisation. All its provisions have been superseded – except Articles 110-111, which replace the then lingua franca, Latin, with French.

However well-meaning the law, it only applied to the elite in France, especially useful in disseminating administrative documents. As for the general population, it would take a while longer to abandon their Occitan or their Provençal…

These two articles remain in effect today and still used by the Cour de Cassation (France's highest court). French habits die hard.

2. You can marry your first cousin

In many countries, first cousin marriages would be considered incestuous. Not in France.

Here’s who you can’t marry in France:

Your father, mother, child, grand-parent, grand-child

Your brother or sister

Your half-brother or half-sister

Your uncle, aunt, niece or nephew

Do you see “first cousin” anywhere? No you don’t. It’s not there.

But what if you desperately want to marry your aunt or grand-father?

You can, under certain circumstances, but the President of France must first authorise it. What I haven’t been able to find out are what those “certain circumstances” are… (Article 164 of the Civil Code)

3. No kissing in train stations

It would appear (I haven’t been able to find this one) that a 1910 law forbids you from French kissing in a French train station.

Why?

It might delay the train.

4. You must always have hay at home

Of course, should the King come by… he’ll need some for his horses. I haven’t found a legal reference for this outdated law either, but others swear it exists. I could easily believe it existed, once upon a time.

Weird French laws that are just… weird

 

5. You don’t have to be alive to get married

This is truly one of those strange French laws and seems to apply only if the dead person had the intention of marrying you in the first place.

There’s a hitch, though: the President of France has to give his OK.

Here’s how Article 171 of the Civil Code lays it out. Say you were about to get married but your future spouse died before you had a chance to tie the knot. What then?

Well, if the President agrees, the surviving spouse can still get married, and the marriage will be dated the day before his or her death. I’m not quite sure how the ceremony would unfold… In truth, you can count a handful of posthumous marriages in recent years.

More to come tomorrow