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If I were to start flight training for a (EASA) LAPL and decide later (before completing the LAPL) that I wanted to do a PPL instead, is a switch possible?

Could the hours flown in pursuit of the LAPL count instead towards the PPL? Is there any penalty or things to consider when making this switch?

For context, I would be doing this training in France. I was meant to start doing a PPL with an instructor who is now having health issues, the only other teacher available can only teach LAPL.

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Yes you can, and no , there is no penalty, at least not regarding the number of training hours. But be aware, that you need more training hours for the PPL as for LAPL anyway: 45h vs. 30h. See https://leicesterairport.com/flight-training/ppl-lapl-comparison/ for a comparison. However I would recommend complete the LAPL first. And only later, if you feel it's necessary, upgrading to PPL.

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A flight instructor in France let me know that the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) aims to not have student pilots who have committed to doing a LAPL swap to a PPL (but is okay with swapping from a PPL to a LAPL). How strictly the DGAC enforces this was not clear, but anecdotally, the flight instructor was aware of other flight clubs that had been contacted by the DGAC because of students swapping to PPLs.

In summary I believe the answer is that you may not swap to a PPL from a LAPL in France - however the certification you are doing does not need to be declared up front if the instructor teaches both PPL and LAPL.

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