The Local France

What The Local France does

The Local France (thelocal.fr) is the French edition of The Local Europe AB, a privately held Stockholm-headquartered digital media company founded in 2004 that operates nine pan-European country editions (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland). The France edition provides English-language news, practical guides, and information for expatriates and international professionals living in or relocating to France, covering topics including residency permits, visas, French citizenship, taxes, health, driving, property, and cultural content. Content is produced by a small editorial team (parent company headcount 11-50) and distributed through a multi-channel footprint spanning the website, dedicated iOS and Android applications, the "Talking France" weekly podcast, email newsletters (120,000+ subscribers across the network), and social media (1.2M+ followers combined).

The underlying technology is a digital news platform built on a content management system serving multilingual audiences; no proprietary AI/ML, APIs, or SDKs are documented in the available data. The product portfolio extends beyond editorial content to include the Talking France podcast, a job board (jobs.thelocal.com), property and rental listing services, and an in-house Creative Studio producing sponsored content and native advertising for enterprise clients.

The business model combines multiple revenue streams: tiered membership subscriptions (individual, student/educational, corporate), native advertising and sponsored content delivered through the Creative Studio for enterprise advertisers (including Lufthansa, Wise, London & Partners, ESCP Business School, Invest Stockholm, and Arlanda Express), and ancillary listings revenue from job postings and property/rentals. Audience scale across the network is reported at approximately 7 million monthly readers and 45,000+ paying members. Specific pricing is not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or external investors.

Name

The Local France

Legal name

The Local Europe AB

Website

https://thelocal.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Local France is the French edition of The Local Europe AB, providing English-language news, practical guides, and information for expatriates and international professionals living in or relocating to France, distributed via website, mobile apps, podcast, and newsletters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News Media

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

Keywords

• English-language news
• Expat news platform
• Digital news media
• Expatriate guides
• International news publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Local France is an English-language digital news and information platform targeting expatriates and international professionals living in or moving to France. The platform publishes original journalism on French news, politics, travel, lifestyle, and practical guides covering residency permits, visas, citizenship, taxes, health, and daily life, complemented by the "Talking France" weekly podcast, paid membership, a job board, and property/rental listings.

Product overview

The Local France operates as a single unified digital news and information platform providing English-language coverage of France. The product portfolio includes the main website/app delivering news and practical guides, the Talking France podcast series, membership subscription tiers (standard, educational, corporate), a job board (jobs.thelocal.com), and property/rental listing services. The core offering centers on curated journalism covering French news, politics, travel, residency, citizenship, taxes, and cultural content targeted at international professionals and expats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Local France News Platform English-language digital news website and mobile applications (iOS and Android) covering French news, politics, travel, lifestyle, and practical guides on residency permits, visas, citizenship, taxes, health, and daily life for expatriates and international professionals in France.
• Talking France Podcast Weekly English-language podcast discussing French news, politics, culture, and practical topics relevant to people living in or moving to France.
• Membership Program Paid subscription membership providing readers with enhanced access to The Local France's journalism and resources, with tiers including individual membership, student/educational access, and corporate membership.
• Job Board Job listings platform at jobs.thelocal.com allowing employers to post job advertisements and job seekers to find employment opportunities in France.
• Property and Rental Listings Property sales and rental search services integrated into the platform, allowing users to find rentals and property listings in France.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Invest StockholmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvertising client utilizing The Local's platform to reach international professionals considering Stockholm as a destination for work or relocation.
• Arlanda ExpressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirport express train service advertising on The Local's platform to reach travelers and international professionals arriving in Stockholm.
• LufthansaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor airline advertising partner targeting The Local's audience of international travelers and expats.
• TransferWise (now Wise)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services company advertising international money transfer services to The Local's expat audience.
• London & PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial business promotion agency for London advertising to professionals interested in the UK market.
• ESCP Business SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean business school advertising educational programs to The Local's international professional audience.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Local Germany: The Local Germany is the German country edition of the same The Local Europe AB network — directly comparable in editorial format, audience targeting, and monetization model as a sister brand.
• FrenchEntrée: FrenchEntrée provides English-language property listings, practical guides, and editorial content for anglophone buyers and residents in France — a direct competitor in the practical-info and property verticals.
• Expatica: Expatica is a leading English-language information platform for internationals moving to and living in Europe, covering multiple countries with news, guides, and services — directly comparable to The Local's value proposition, audience, and product mix.
• Wanted in Europe: Wanted in Europe operates a portfolio of English-language city/country editions for international residents across Europe, with similar advertising-supported news and lifestyle content targeting expats.
• EasyExpat: EasyExpat operates a multilingual expat information network with country guides, forums, and job listings across Europe — a comparable platform serving internationally mobile professionals with overlapping editorial and service offerings.
• The Connexion: The Connexion is an English-language newspaper and website focused on news and practical information for English-speaking residents in France — directly comparable in target audience and editorial scope to The Local France.

Broad incumbents

• International Living: International Living is an established global publication covering retirement, relocation, and lifestyle abroad — a broader incumbent operating at greater global scale but with a similar expat/lifestyle audience and monetization model.
• France 24 English: France 24 is a major international 24/7 news channel broadcasting in English covering France and global events — a broader incumbent offering English-language news about France to international audiences, though not focused on practical expat guides.

Others

• Babbel: Babbel is a leading language-learning platform with a substantial customer base of internationally mobile professionals — an adjacent ecosystem player with overlapping audience targeting and complementary partnership potential.

Emerging players

• Schengen Visa Info / VisaGuide.World: Schengen-focused visa and immigration information sites serve a partially overlapping audience of internationally mobile users seeking administrative guidance, competing for some of the same traffic and advertising dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheLocalFrance
• Facebookfacebook.com/thelocalfrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thelocaleurope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Local France