Imagine the horror: returning to your villa in France after going out for dinner, only to find unwelcome occupants watching TV and making themselves dinner in your kitchen. Or while you’re relaxing in your apartment or villa, a window is pried open, allowing a man to enter and become a rent-free roommate. Or you simply open your front door and the person enters without your permission then refuses to leave. You’d think you can just call the police and they will handle it for you, right? Nope. Not in France.
Home Invasions: Police Response and its Limits
While the French police are supposed to protect public safety, their response to home intrusions is rarely forceful removal. Their actions are guided by two key principles:
