France in focus

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An in-depth look at the political and social events shaping France. Monday at 3:45pm Paris time.

  1. 6 HRS AGO

    Toxic beginnings: Babies exposed to pesticides in the womb

    The number of children diagnosed with cancer in France is on the rise. Other serious medical conditions – birth defects, neurodevelopmental disorders and reduced IQ – are following the same alarming trend. Scientists are increasingly pointing to pesticides as a major risk factor. Yet France remains Europe's leading consumer of pesticides and ranks third worldwide. Across the country, parents and doctors are speaking out about the use of pesticides and their impact on the health of children.  The scientific evidence is mounting. In its latest report published in 2021, France's public health institute (Inserm) established a link between pesticide exposure – particularly during pregnancy and early childhood – and a higher risk of childhood cancer. "I believe we have enough evidence to consider a ban on pesticides," says Dominique Tripodi, head of the department of occupational health at Nantes University Hospital. The hospital recently launched a new programme dedicated to children whose illness could be linked to their parents' pesticide use. Tripodi is in charge of assisting patients who wish to file an official request for compensation. In 2020, the French government created a special fund for victims, effectively recognising the dangers posed by the chemicals. The fund was recently extended to infants in utero. Laure Marivain, a former florist, became the first beneficiary in 2023. The fund recognised that her exposure to pesticides while pregnant contributed to the death of her daughter. "Who could imagine there would be so many different substances, and that all those substances would enter my body and poison the daughter I was carrying?" she asks.  Emmy was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia when she was four years old. She passed away seven years later. Crossing the placental barrier Research shows that pesticides can cross the placenta, accumulate in foetal tissues – especially the brain – and trigger serious, often irreversible illnesses. "It's one of the few chemicals we produce specifically to kill living organisms," explains Karen Chardon, a professor of neurophysiology and deputy director at the Peritox Laboratory in Amiens. "From the start, it was reasonable to worry about its potential harmful effects on humans." Peritox is the only lab in the world to study how toxic environments disrupt vital systems in infants, from preconception through to the first days of life. Their findings are alarming: 85 percent of newborn stool samples studied contained at least one of the 20 pesticides tested. Protecting mothers and children Medical experts recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women limit their exposure to pesticides, for their own health and that of their child. Couples trying to conceive are also advised to take precautions, avoiding pesticides at work and opting for a varied organic diet. "Knowing the link between pollutants and paediatric conditions, and seeing children every day with a cleft lip and palate, I feel compelled to inform parents," says Pierre Corre, a maxillofacial surgeon at Nantes University Hospital.

    11 min

  2. APR 29

    Abuse at French after-school programmes: Parents sound the alarm

    In Paris, parents are now dropping their children off at school in a climate of anxiety. For several months, reports of physical and sexual abuse involving nursery school children have been mounting. These cases are said to have taken place during after-school care and lunch breaks, when the children are supervised by non-teaching staff. In 2026 alone, 78 youth workers were suspended in Paris, 31 of them on suspicion of sexual abuse. Warning: viewers may find this report disturbing. Watch moreNew Paris mayor vows to tackle systemic abuse in after-school programmes While much media attention has focused on the scandal in Parisian schools, the abuse is a nationwide issue. Amid a culture of silence, denial, inadequate training for employees and flawed recruitment practices, how can such serious failures be explained? Parents' warnings ignored In April 2026, several dozen parents gathered for a demonstration in front of Paris's City Hall. Shaken by reports of the physical and sexual abuse of children during lunchtimes and after-school care, they were calling for decisive action from their representatives. "What we'd like is to restore trust as soon as possible so we can all get back to normal," said Lyna, a concerned mother who decided to withdraw her children from the after-school programme. Since this scandal came to light, Nathalie has been plagued by guilt. Her son, now eight years old, attended one of the dozens of schools involved. "At the time, he was having very violent outbursts. We couldn't understand why. He wasn't well. He was always saying, 'I hate them. I don't like it. I don't want to go to the after-school club.'" Like other parents, she had tried to raise the alarm. But her concerns fell on deaf ears. Olivier knew nothing about the situation at the school when his children started there last September. Soon, his daughter began having serious trouble sleeping, and his son would regularly come home with bruises and scratches. In January, Olivier and his wife recognised their children's school in video clips circulating from a report on violence in after-school care. When the children returned from school, they questioned them. The family's life was turned upside down. "They obviously told us about the violence and the shouting, but they also told us about the sexual abuse, the behaviour, the inappropriate touching," says Olivier, who is devastated. Several months after coming forward, the two children are still suffering from severe psychological after-effects, typical of victims of abuse. Children's accounts often doubted That trauma has been revisited and triggered by the inefficiencies of the justice system: the children had to repeat their accounts several times due to a lack of appropriate procedures. In France, doubt is still too often cast over children's accounts. "These opinions go against the scientific data. Numerous studies show that in less than 1 percent of cases, the child is lying," explains Luis Alvarez, a child psychiatrist. Overwhelming accounts of violence in after-school care have been flooding into the founders of the 'Afterschool programmes in crisis' association. Created by Anne and Elisabeth, this collective put out a call for testimonies in 2021. "We received over 80 testimonies in 10 days. That's when we realised it was systemic," explains Elisabeth. Inadequate training and flawed recruitment processes The majority of accounts reveal physical and psychological abuse, often downplayed by the adults in charge of the children. The whistleblowers point to a deeply flawed system. Inadequate recruitment, unsuitable training, precarious working conditions and the absence of a clear national framework: these are the main issues that, in their view, explain the violations. Given the scale of these revelations, the City of Paris has launched a €20 million action plan to better protect children in after-school care. Measures include improving reporting procedures, training staff and setting up support groups for children who have been victims of abuse. Initiatives to raise awareness of consent are also emerging, in order to better equip children to deal with violence. More broadly, this scandal highlights the urgent need to listen to children more carefully, to protect them and take their accounts seriously.

    12 min

  3. APR 15

    Montparnasse Tower: Paris's most unpopular landmark gets a facelift

    France's controversial Montparnasse Tower is entering a new era. A stark symbol of post-war modernism in the heart of Paris, the skyscraper inaugurated in 1973 is set to get a facelift. Work is expected to begin this summer and continue until at least 2030. We take a closer look in this edition of France in Focus. Rising 210 metres above the French capital, the Montparnasse Tower has never left anyone indifferent. For many, it remains an anomaly in the Parisian skyline, "a huge block with no expression whatsoever". Over the past five decades, it has even earned nicknames like "the wart", "the eyesore" and "the tombstone".  Yet despite its reputation, the edifice continues to draw crowds. More than 30 million visitors have gone to its rooftop terrace to admire sweeping views of the city. Up there, criticism often gives way to awe. "It's massive!" exclaims one visitor, seeing the Louvre and surrounding landmarks for the first time from above.  A €600 million transformation  Since March 31, 2026, the Tour Montparnasse has been closed to the public to make way for construction work. The project, estimated at over €600 million, is backed by private investors, including the asset manager LFPI, the health insurer MGEN, the insurance company AXA and businessman Xavier Niel.  Plans include a complete redesign of the façade, the addition of green and recreational spaces, a luxury hotel and improved energy performance. The aim is to make the skyscraper both more attractive and more environmentally sustainable.  However, these promises have failed to convince everyone. Some local residents and heritage groups remain sceptical, arguing that the environmental measures fall short.  "Only about 30 percent of the surface area will actually be made greener," says Patrice Maire, head of the Monts14 residents' association, who sees the project as more of a marketing stunt than a genuine ecological transformation. In his view, the future tower will continue to be an "eyesore" in the world's most beautiful city.  A long-standing controversy  The debate surrounding the tower is nothing new. In the late 1960s, authorities sought to modernise the Montparnasse district, even if that meant breaking with its artistic and bohemian identity. They dreamed of turning Paris into a modern, Manhattan-style skyline.    Yet from the moment it was completed, the tower divided opinion so sharply that just four years after its inauguration, the city introduced strict height limits, banning buildings over 37 metres (around ten floors).  Although these rules were eased in 2010 in response to overcrowding, the renovation of the Tour Montparnasse has reignited this long-running debate.  Complicating matters further are ongoing negotiations between co-owners and public authorities, which have dragged on for more than a decade and have repeatedly delayed the project.  "Paris imposes certain conditions, but it's not their project," explains Robert Benchetrit, who has worked within the Montparnasse complex for over 30 years. "It's a private initiative, led by co-owners with the financial means to carry out renovation and improvement works. If the city had its way, it would all be social housing."  An ageing complex  In all, three buildings are set to be refurbished. Work on the main tower and its smaller counterpart, the Tour CIT, is due to begin this summer, while the shopping centre at their base is scheduled for renovations in 2028.  Once a thriving retail hub, the mall is now largely deserted, dark and smelly. A handful of businesses remain, including Western Corporation, a long-standing cowboy boot shop. Its owner, Daniel Verdure, acknowledges that renovation is overdue: "It should have been done a long time ago. We've been working in these conditions for 53 years!"  Yet uncertainty looms for independent retailers, faced with the prospect of rising rents. "It's like having a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads," says his son, Raphaël Verdure. "Also, will they still want multi-brand shops with a more traditional approach? Nowadays, everything is very standardised; it's all Zara, Mango, H&M."  The redevelopment of the shopping centre is subject to public consultation, meaning the project could still evolve.

    12 min

  4. APR 1

    The invisible victims: Why workplace deaths persist in France

    Every day in France, two to three people die at work. Why are workplace fatalities still occurring in 2026? Which sectors are most affected? And what can be done to reduce the toll? We met the families of victims and the labour inspectors who, despite limited resources, are working to prevent these deaths. On July 15, 2025, Matis Dugast, a 19-year-old day labourer, died after being buried under 30 tonnes of tarmac at a road resurfacing site in southwest France. “He was trapped for 15 to 20 minutes under tarmac heated to 180 degrees Celsius. Emergency services were unable to save him,” says his mother, Murielle Dugast. The investigation is still ongoing, and the legal process has been slow. Today, she is speaking out to break what she calls a persistent silence. “We don’t talk enough about workplace accidents,” she says. “Yet work kills.” Victims often young and in precarious jobs As a history and geography teacher, Matthieu Lépine has spent the past decade compiling data on fatal workplace accidents using local press reports. The author of "L’Hécatombe invisible: enquête sur les morts au travail" (The Invisible Massacre: An Investigation into Workplace Fatalities) says victims are predominantly men, often young and in temporary or insecure employment. “When you are young or in a precarious situation, you are more likely to accept dangerous working conditions because you are in a position of inferiority,” he explains. The sectors most affected are construction, heavy industry and transport. In 2024, France’s national health system recorded 764 deaths linked to workplace accidents. That figure excludes civil servants, farmers and the self-employed, suggesting the real number may be significantly higher. A safety culture that falls short In France, labour inspectors are tasked with enforcing safety standards. Yoann Journaux, a labour inspector in the Paris region, says he frequently encounters breaches. “Safety is not a priority, which helps explain France’s poor record on fatal workplace accidents,” he says. A declining number of inspectors has made oversight more difficult. Across the country, nearly 300 positions remain unfilled, limiting both site inspections and preventive work. Families fighting for justice Sylvie and Fabrice Pertet lost their 21-year-old son, Jules, on July 26, 2023. He worked for the recycling company Paprec in Nîmes. While cleaning a bag-suction machine, it was restarted by another employee. Jules was pulled in and died instantly. “Three days before the accident, he told me he wanted to resign because he didn’t feel safe,” says his mother. According to the labour inspector, “the accident should never have happened.” It is illegal to operate non-compliant machinery; the machine involved had 79 safety breaches, at least two of which were decisive. Paprec rejects liability. “Some of these non-compliances existed, but they are not linked to the accident,” says the company’s lawyer, Fanny Colin. “The accident was caused by other employees failing to follow safety procedures.” Are penalties too lenient? For Jules’s parents, shifting blame onto workers is unacceptable. Like many families, they are calling for tougher penalties for companies that fail to ensure safe working conditions. Véronique Millot, vice-president of the collective Familles – Stop à la Mort au Travail, argues that fines should be proportional to company turnover. “In 2021, the average fine was €30,000. That is an extremely light penalty for being responsible for someone’s death,” she says. On March 26, Paprec was found guilty of manslaughter and fined €225,000. The manager of the Nîmes site received a three-year suspended sentence and a €10,000 fine. Both have appealed. Two further trials involving the company are due in the coming weeks. In April, a court in Montpellier will hear the case of Paul Masselin, who was 23 when he was caught in a similar machine. He survived but with severe, permanent disabilities. In May, Paprec will again appear in court in Nîmes over the death of Andres Cotonda, a 61-year-old logistics manager crushed by a bale of waste on May 23, 2025 – at the same site where Jules Pertet died two years earlier.

    12 min

  5. MAR 16

    Why French mayors are throwing in the towel

    As French voters head to the polls for municipal elections, would-be mayors are presenting their programmes for the next six years. Yet with multiple pressures weighing on these local representatives, many step down before the end of their terms. Resignations among mayors are currently at an all-time high. We take a closer look in this edition of France in Focus. According to a recent report by Cevipof, conflicts within the municipal council are the leading cause of French mayors' resignations. Jean-Jacques Noël was mayor of the village of Cirey-lès-Bellevaux in Haute-Saône for 15 years, but he resigned in 2023 "due to a profound disagreement" with three town council members. He says the political climate is increasingly harsh and often polarised: "Before, the atmosphere was friendly in council meetings. Now, it's a fight. What we see at the national level – when they tear into each other in the National Assembly – is being replicated at the local level. It's awful."   The weariness of elected officials in rural areas For Noël, it's a family tradition: his father, grandfather and great-great-grandfather were also mayors of Cirey. But over the generations, shops and public services have disappeared from the village centre. "The mayor used to chat with residents at the local bar; we'd tackle issues head-on and sort out problems. Today, there aren't really any places for people to gather in the villages anymore, and things just get blown out of proportion on social media." The former mayor laments the increasing lack of human interaction, which has been replaced by administrative tasks: "Mayors spend too much time on paperwork; we fill out tons of it. It's a bureaucratic nightmare, and the rules are always changing." Prioritising health and family life Helping an elderly person who's fallen in the middle of the night, cutting down a tree after a storm… Noël was always there for his constituents. "A mayor's workload is just huge. By resigning, I was looking out for my health. I'd already had a stroke in 2011; I didn't want to have a second one."  Sophie Rivens was the first female mayor of the village of Les Adrets in the Alps and, like Jean-Jacques, she juggled her mayoral duties with her job – a managerial position at a hospital, working nights. She resigned in 2022 just two years after she was elected, exhausted by the role: "I was missing out on so many family moments, and even when I was there, I was always preoccupied with some municipal issue. I felt like I was drifting away from my daughters' lives – that was unthinkable to me." The mayor's allowance alone was not enough to allow her to quit her job and devote herself entirely to her municipal duties. But since December 2025, mayoral allowances have been increased thanks to a new law.  Among other things, it allows these allowances to be combined with maternity or paternity leave benefits. New legislation on the status of local elected officials was adopted on December 22, 2025.  Incivility and violence Local representatives are on the front line, well within reach of angry citizens. As such, they are often subject to harassment and even violence. In 2024, 82 percent of attacks on elected officials were directed at mayors and councillors, compared to 13 percent directed at members of parliament and senators.  Jean-Claude Nevers was elected mayor of Montfleur in 2014, and in subsequent years he received threatening letters. In October 2022, he even discovered these words spray-painted in the town cemetery: "Nevers, you're going to die." Three vehicles belonging to council members were also set on fire. For the former mayor, the most traumatic event remains the fire at the town hall on the night of January 26, 2023. "There were two separate origins of the blaze, and we found an accelerating agent, used to make the fire as intense as possible. That's proof it was arson." Nevers did not resign immediately so as "not to give in to those who commit this kind of thing". A particularly brutal council meeting in late 2025 was the last straw. In December 2025, he submitted his resignation, which was accepted by the prefect in January 2026, two months before the end of his term. In 2023, the shocking resignation of the mayor of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins following an arson attack on his home led to several measures: the creation of the Center for Analysis and Prevention of Attacks on Elected Officials (CALAE) along with certain protective measures. In 2024, a new law increased penalties for those who attack elected officials.

    12 min

  6. MAR 10

    The Louvre heist: Security flaws and deeper cracks at France’s top museum

    An emblematic monument of French culture, the Louvre Museum embodies nearly 9,000 years of history and houses more than 600,000 works of art across over 70,000 square metres of gallery space. It is the most visited museum in the world, welcoming around nine million visitors each year – well beyond the capacity for which it was originally designed. In recent years, the institution has been shaken by a series of crises, including a major robbery, fraud and labour tensions. On October 19, 2025, the unthinkable happened: robbers entered the museum through a window in the Apollo Gallery and stole the French Crown Jewels, worth an estimated €88 million. The theft exposed serious security weaknesses within the institution. Five months later, David Desclos returned to the scene. The former burglar had been invited to the Louvre in 2020 to record a podcast. Standing near the balcony used by the thieves, he expressed his frustration: “Bars have been installed on that single window, but when you look around, the place is like Swiss cheese. There are no bars anywhere else, every window is accessible. That’s reckless.” According to Desclos, the windows are not the only weaknesses at the Louvre. He also points to the so-called “gutter cats”, thieves able to move quickly across the rooftops of Paris and who are virtually impossible to catch. France 24 put his assessment to the police. “He’s absolutely right,” says Axel Ronde, spokesman for the CFTC police union. “There are genuine commandos capable of deploying quickly and in large numbers. That’s why some sensitive sites have installed barbed wire along their rooftops. But the Louvre is a listed monument – you can’t just add anything to it.” Major structural problems Louvre employees are also raising concerns about ageing infrastructure that goes far beyond security. “For years we’ve been warning about the building’s obsolescence and outdated technical systems. Security has been widely discussed since the robbery, but the problem is far worse than that,” says Gary Guillot, secretary of the CGT union at the Louvre.

    12 min

  7. FEB 23

    Avalanches in the Alps: Embedded with France's mountain rescue teams

    This week, France in Focus takes to the skies to follow the perilous work of French mountain rescuers. This year, unusual weather conditions have led to a deadly winter with far more avalanches than usual. Tragically, 28 lives were lost in the French Alps between late December and mid-February – far exceeding typical seasonal averages. FRANCE 24's Jonathan Walsh and Joanna Cockerell head to the Savoie region to see how highly skilled teams are responding to the challenge.

    12 min

  8. FEB 20

    2030 Winter Games: Will France rise to the challenge?

    After lighting up the streets of Paris in 2024, the Olympic flame will be making a return to France in 2030, when the French Alps are set to welcome the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Organisers have promised financially and environmentally sustainable games, where 93 percent of pre-existing infrastructure will be reused. However, with only four years to go and a number of criticisms, will France be able to deliver on time and on budget? Read moreFrance gets conditional approval to host 2030 winter Olympics The organisers of the 2030 Winter Olympics are facing a governance crisis, following a string of high-level resignations. The official event map is yet to be published, after several delayed deadlines. Meanwhile, environmental groups and locals are raising the alarm over fears the Games will leave an irreversible mark on the Alps, which are already on the front line of the climate crisis. We take a closer look in this edition of France in Focus.

    12 min
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An in-depth look at the political and social events shaping France. Monday at 3:45pm Paris time.

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