Doctor shortages force recruitment drives and clinic closures in rural France

In the Alsace village of Drulingen, the municipal mayor recruited Melania Papuc, a 35‑year‑old general practitioner from Romania, to staff the newly opened multidisciplinary health centre. Papuc arrived in December 2025 after the mayor’s outreach via Facebook and completed language and credential verification before beginning consultations.

In the Lot department, persistent doctor shortages have led the private Clinique du Quercy to close its Beauséjour site in Mercuès at the start of June 2026 and warned that its main Bellevue facility in Cahors may also have to close by mid‑August if recruitment does not improve. The clinic now has only one permanent physician, and the regional health authority (ARS) is reviewing the situation amid financial strain caused by recent SMR reimbursement reforms.