France threatens hikers with paying for their own mountain rescue

Around 17 per cent of people rescued in 2024 were foreign nationals - (Getty/iStock)

Hikers whose “risky behaviour” gets them into trouble on French mountains may soon have to pay for rescue services under proposals from the country’s finance auditor.

An inquiry by the country’s spending watchdog, the Cour des Comptes, recommended “better measuring the effectiveness and costs of mountain rescue.”