Genevieve Mansfield – genevieve.mansfield@thelocal.com
Published: 10 Feb, 2025 CET.Updated: Mon 10 Feb 2025 11:00 CET
A new study has shown how unpopular hunting is amongst the French public, with more than two-thirds of people supporting some restrictions on the days that hunting is allowed.
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A recent Ifop survey has found that the vast majority of French people are in favour of some restrictions on when hunting (ie shooting, known as la chasse in French) is allowed.
The survey found that 81 percent of French people supported a ‘break’ on hunting during the school holidays, and 79 percent supported not hunting on weekends and public holidays, French news site 20 Minutes reported.
Meanwhile, 78 percent said they supported Sunday being a ‘non-hunting day’, and 73 percent were in favour of combined restrictions – meaning no hunting during the school holidays, weekends or public holidays.
Overall, hunting does not have a lot of supporters in France, with 76 percent of the population in favour of banning it outright.
This may be related to the number of hunting-related accidents. On average, there are around 20 deaths as a result of hunting each year, though the majority of people injured or killed are hunters themselves.
Nevertheless, there have been some reports of bystanders being accidentally shot by hunters. In 2020, a young Franco-British man, Morgan Keane, was shot in the chest by a bullet from a boar hunter in the Lot département.
He had been in his garden chopping wood when the hunter mistook him for a boar.
Are there any restrictions on hunting in France?
There are several rules regarding hunting in France, including the fact that it is only allowed sanctioned during certain times of year.
France is divided into 94 hunting federations, and different federations have different start dates. Broadly, the season runs from September to February.
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Hunting is also restricted to specific areas – for example, you cannot hunt within 150m of a dwelling or private home. It is also a requirement to place signs around a hunting area, that way passersby are aware if they are entering the designated hunting area. Still, many complain that these signs are often not sufficiently visible.
In order to hunt, you must also hold a permit (permis de chasser), which involves passing a theoretical and practical exam.
The French government has also sought to bring in some new restrictions, discussing a 14-point safety plan in 2023. One change included a new fine of €1,500 for “being in a state of obvious intoxication while carrying a firearm or bow while hunting”, which would rise to €3,000 for anyone convicted more than once.
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