Frances Passes Law To Protect The Sounds And Smells Of The Countryside

January 24, 2021

The "sensory heritage" of France's countryside will now be protected by the law.


French Countryside outside Amboise / Credit: Joe_USPG

Senators voted to approve the law, which passed through the lower house of parliament last year, on Thursday in the wake of several high-profile conflicts by village residents and vacationers.

One case involved a rooster called Maurice, who was put on trial in July 2019 after neighbors complained about his early morning crowing. Thousands of people signed a "Save Maurice" petition.

The court eventually rejected the neighbors' complaints and sided with the rooster.

The case came to symbolize growing divisions between rural and urban France.

"Living in the countryside implies accepting some nuisances," Joel Giraud, the government's minister in charge of rural life, told lawmakers.

In a similar case from 2019, a woman was brought to court by a new neighbor fed up with the babbling of the ducks and geese in her back garden. A court in southwest France also threw out that case.

Cow bells (and cow droppings), grasshopper chirps and noisy early-morning tractors are also now considered part of France's natural heritage that will be codified in its environmental legislation.


Click Here For The Most Popular On Sunny Skyz

feel good videoCouple Rescues Prairie Dog From Their Dog's Mouth, Then Decides To Adopt It

feel good storiesThese Are The Movie Scenes People Say Are Absolutely Flawless

feel good storiesHungry Elephant Casually Walks Into Grocery Store For Snacks In Thailand

feel good storiesWild Orcas Keep Giving Humans Gifts, Leaving Experts Puzzled

feel good storiesMy Girlfriend Gifted Me My Father’s Handwriting To Keep Forever

feel good storiesWe Can’t Stop Looking At These Adorable Baby Loon Photos Taken On A Lake

feel good videoThe Funniest Dog Reactions To Hearing 'Walk' — You’ll Be Laughing Out Loud

feel good videoHero Dog Named RAMBO Scares Off Masked Robbers To Save Woman

feel good video'Am I Allowed To Be This Happy?' The Moment A Nervous Foster Dog Finally Lies In A Dog Bed

feel good videoGrandma Thinks She's 60. Her Reaction To Learning She's 90 Is Priceless

feel good videoAutistic Son Says 'Bye Daddy' And Leaves Mom And Dad In Tears

Chris Filippou 12:17 PM (3 minutes ago) to me