-
French home energy bills to rise in 2026
Household electricity and gas bills will increase by around €50 per year
-
Social charges on UK government pensions: France residents report progress
Issue now drawing attention at the highest levels
-
Good news for many micro-entrepreneurs in France: plans to lower VAT threshold rejected by Senate
Vote reverses proposal to lower tax exemption thresholds for self-employed workers
France declares state of ‘catastrophe naturelle’ for early June storms
123 communes in 18 departments are included. If this involves your property you must make an insurance claim as soon as possible. We explain
A state of ‘catastrophe naturelle’ has been declared in 123 communes in France as a result of the violent storms that hit the country at the start of June. We explain what this means.
The communes concerned are spread across 18 departments (full list below), the from June 12 confirms.
It comes after severe storms hit from June 4-5, causing flooding and mudslides. One person died and 15 people were injured, while many farmers lost crops.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said that it was "the first time in 20 years" that such a vast part of the country had suffered a storm at the same time, with 65 departments affected.
The state of ‘catastrophe naturelle’ is an official state that must be declared by the government, including the Economy Ministry and the minister for public accounts.
It ‘unblocks’ specific insurance policies and enables people who suffered damage to claim. This special compensation covers serious weather events such as earthquakes, floods and landslides and can only come after a government decree.
Once a natural disaster is declared, those affected have 10 days to make a claim and should be compensated within three months of a claim.
Read more: France's 'catastrophe naturelle' insurance system: How to claim
Communes in the following departments are included:
Allier, Côtes-d'Armor, Creuse, Eure, Eure-et-Loir, Gers, Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, Loiret, Manche, Oise, Sarthe, Seine-Maritime, Yvelines, Deux-Sèvres, Haute-Vienne, Yonne, and Essonne.
A full list of the individual communes included in the declaration, as well as the incidents concerned, can be seen .
Related articles
Vehicles, homes: How to claim compensation for weather damage in France