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PODCAST: Has Uber changed France and will smoking ever be banned on café terraces?

PODCAST: Has Uber changed France and will smoking ever be banned on café terraces?

Local France05-06-2025
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the latest episode of the Talking France podcast.
The dispute between taxi drivers and ride-hail services like Uber is a long-standing one that flared up again this week - so will they ever reach an understanding?
You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple, download it
here
or listen on the link below.
The Talking France team also explores France's latest ban on smoking outdoors, and whether it will have any impact on those famous café terraces.
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We also hear about another effort by French authorities to keep the air clean, via low-emission zones. Recently, France's parliament voted to get rid of these low-emission zones, but the Talking France team discusses the obstacles in the way of that coming to fruition.
And after receiving guidance from French tax authorities, we wade into the notoriously tricky topic of remote working in France.
Stick around until the end to hear about whether or not French drivers deserve their negative reputation, plus a handy tip for what to do when you are being tailgated in France.
EXTRA READING
What you need to know about taking a taxi in Paris
Explained: France's new smoking ban rules
So you want to move to France and work remotely?
Is this the end of France's Crit'Air zones for drivers?
Swearing, honking and tailgating: French drivers ranked among worst in Europe
Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member
here
. You can also help us by leaving a nice review, sharing the podcast on social media, or just telling a friend about us.
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