Blog

Each December, bulletins are revealed within the French press about the entire modifications that shall be taking impact within the coming 12 months, together with the whole lot from new driving legal guidelines and the newest improve in minimal wage, to cost hikes on the Submit Workplace and diet labeling on processed meals. A few of the modifications solely have an effect on residents, however there are additionally a couple of modifications that common guests will discover, too.

Adjustments that Have an effect on Residents and Guests

Ticket Costs Larger for Versailles and the Louvre

Two of France’s hottest vacationer sights are elevating their costs in 2024. Beginning January 1st, the Palais de Versailles is growing its common château entrance from €19.50 to €21, and the Passport tickets from €21.50 to €24 (or €32 in the course of the days of the Grandes Eaux Musicales and Jardins Musicaux). The Louvre Museum introduced that the full-price entrance ticket will improve from €17 to €22 starting January fifteenth, the primary value hike since 2017. When you already bought tickets in 2023 earlier than the costs modified, they are going to stay legitimate.

These value rises are largely as a result of rise in vitality costs in France over the previous two years, in addition to the various renovations these buildings continuously want. However I don’t assume it’s a giant deal. They’re each nonetheless cheaper than the Catacombes (€29) and the Eiffel Tower (€28.30 to take the elevator to the highest; €21.50 when you take the steps midway), and so they’re cheaper than most museums in New York Metropolis, just like the Met ($30/€27). French museums are additionally 100% free to anybody beneath 18, and European college students beneath 26.

Slight Improve for Metro Tickets

Public transport tickets and passes creep up a bit of bit annually, and 2024 is not any exception. The only paper tickets are up €0.05 to €2.15 (€1.73 for e-tickets on a Navigo card), and up €0.40 for a carnet of ten tickets to €17.30. All-zone passes have additionally risen barely: €20.60 for the day, €30.75 for the week, €86.40 for the month, and €950.40 for the 12 months. This isn’t the identical because the particular metro tickets and passes that shall be bought in the course of the 2024 Summer time Video games from July 20-September eighth. For more information on that, see the article Paris Metro Costs Rise, Olympics Go Unveiled

Stamps & Transport Proceed to Rise

When you stay in France you’re already acquainted with the sticker shock of sending packages to the US or Canada by La Poste, which have virtually doubled over the previous 5 years. In 2024, Colissimo goes up once more 5.6% throughout all locations exterior France and the purple “Marianne” stamps for a 20g letter despatched exterior Europe shall be €1.96 (or €4.79 if you need it tracked). The Massive “Colissimo Prêt-à-Envoyer Monde” pre-paid postage field for objects as much as 5kg is now €52, or the Additional-Massive at €72 for 7kg (they removed the smaller choices in 2023). Ouch. Inside France, the inexperienced “Marianne” stamps go from €1.16 to €1.29 for standard-size letters (solely €1.26 when you print them your self). Tracked letters are going up from €1.66 to €1.79.

Cigarettes As much as €12.50

The truth that that is front-page information in France is telling. Even at €12.50 per pack of cigarettes, you’ll undoubtedly be shocked at what number of French individuals nonetheless smoke. And I’m unsure the worth improve – between €0.50 and €1 relying on the model – will make a dent in that. Laborious guilty the French fully, since the preferred bands by far are from the US; Marlboro Reds are the best-selling in France in keeping with tobacconists. The costs of rolling tobacco should not spared.

New Calculation Methodology for Nutri-Rating

The Nutri-Rating is a label you’ll see on all packaged/processed meals in France since 2017 that scores their dietary worth from A to E (inexperienced to pink). In 2024, a brand new model of the Nutri-Rating will prioritize complete meals, wealthy in fiber, in comparison with refined merchandise akin to white bread, pasta, and rice, specializing in the degrees of fats, sugar, and salt in merchandise. Merchandise that comprise plenty of fiber, protein, or oils with a low fee of saturated fat ought to acquire a couple of factors of their rating, whereas pink meat, ready-to-eat meals, and sodas will see their rating drop. Firms may have 24 months to adapt their labeling.

Residing in France

Slight Lower in Pure Gasoline Costs

When you’ve acquired gasoline cooking or heating in your Paris condo, you’ll know 2023 was brutal. Supposedly a little bit of aid is coming in 2024. Costs in January shall be barely decrease than December, with cooking gasoline on common €0.12284 per kWh (VAT included), and heating gasoline on common value €0.09990 per kWh. The annual subscriptions stay the identical.

Sorting of Biowaste Turns into Obligatory

One-third of the content material of French family trash consists of meals waste, i.e., 83kg of residual waste per inhabitant per 12 months. To chop down on this, the French at the moment are implementing the gathering of biowaste (kitchen and backyard waste). This shall be completely different relying on the place you reside. In Paris, there are numerous choices in case your constructing doesn’t but have a compost bin, together with assortment bins at most open-air market areas, many public parks, and in addition some personal teams like Les Alchimistes. One of the best ways to search out out is to go to your arrondissement’s city corridor (Mairie). I really acquired a lombri-composteur (composter with worms) totally free from my Mairie within the thirteenth (however gave it to a neighbor with an even bigger balcony). Then I used to be taking my bag of kitchen waste (from a bit of hermetically-sealed bucket I hold beneath the counter) to a park close to me that has composting bins. Lastly, two years in the past the out of doors markets began placing out bins on market days, and at last these turned everlasting bins (proper throughout the road from me, I’m spoiled). Many buildings have compost bins subsequent to the waste and recycle bins, and I assume most bigger condo buildings will begin getting these now (you want at the least 8 individuals in your constructing to agree to make use of it earlier than the town would supply a bin, however that must be default now that the brand new laws come into impact). Observe that some biowaste assortment is for backyard compost, and a few is was biogas. Make sure you search for indicators on any biowaste bin you utilize to know precisely what may be included and what can’t (meat and bones are much less of an issue for municipal assortment than in neighborhood backyard compost bins, for instance).

Equipment Restore Bonus Expanded

Extra excellent news for the atmosphere! The federal government’s restore bonus shall be doubled in 2024 to encourage you to restore your home equipment as a substitute of throwing them away. Some examples: €40 for a vacuum cleaner; €50 to restore a washer, a dishwasher, or a tumble dryer; and €60 for a tv. Twenty different gadgets akin to scorching water kettles will see a rise of their bonus by €5. And the variety of gadgets eligible for the bonus has gone from 49 to 73 merchandise, and contains sure utilization breakdowns (e.g., unclogging a drain pump). Right here’s a helpful pictogram with the quantity you will get reimbursed for every merchandise. Discover extra info on the Ecosystem web site (in French), together with the hyperlink to seek for a certified restore service (with the QualiRépar label).

Curiosity on Financial savings Accounts in France

French financial savings accounts are fairly nice (at the least in comparison with what I get on my US financial savings account). The tax-exempt Livret A financial savings account will stay at 3% rate of interest all through 2024. When you’ve hit the €23k threshold, you can even get a Livret de Développement Sturdy et Solidaire (LDDS, a sustainable and solidarity improvement financial savings plan) for a similar fee of three%, as much as €12k (not counting the curiosity). Each can help you withdraw your funds at any second. When you’ve stuffed that one, too, and you propose on sometime buying property in France, the fastened rate of interest on the Plan d’Epargne Logement (PEL, or Dwelling Financial savings Plan) will improve from 2% to 2.25% in 2024. In contrast to the opposite two plans, you’re locked into this fee till you money out and you must pay taxes on it, however the restrict it can save you is far larger at €61k. Observe that in 2024 you’ll be able to now not open a PEL for youngsters beneath 18 (and if you have already got one for them, you’ll be able to’t add extra funds to it till they’re 18).

Progressive Revenue Tax Brackets Raised 4.8%

When you’re paying taxes in France, the brackets have been raised for inflation by 4.8% in 2024, so in case your revenue didn’t go up greater than that in 2023, your taxes shall be decrease.  Right here’s the2023 Marginal Revenue Tax Fee (for a single family):

As much as €11,294: 0%
€11,294 € to €28,797: 11%
€28,797 € to €82,341: 30%
€82,341 € to €177,106: 41%
Greater than €177,106: 45%

Driving in France (for Residents)

FYI, when you’re a French resident (ie declared France your main residence), you’re required to get a French driving license after one 12 months of dwelling in France. You would possibly be capable to get away with utilizing your international one…till you could have an accident and your insurance coverage firm refuses to cowl you (I’ve seen it occur).  

No Factors Misplaced for “Barely” Dashing

If you have already got your French driving license, then it is best to know that in 2024 you’ll now not lose factors in your license for dashing tickets the place you’re going lower than 5km/h over the restrict (however you do get the superb, from €68-€135). When you’re unsure what which means, every French driving license comes with 6 factors, you then get 2 factors added every of the primary three years (once you’re on “probation”) for a complete of 12. You lose 1-6 factors any time you commit an infraction (extra factors for extra severe infractions, as much as 8 for a number of ones). When you’ve misplaced your whole factors, you lose your license. Contemplating how speed-happy the French are, I can see how widespread this new legislation shall be!

Driving License at 17

If in case you have youngsters, they will now take the driving examination at age 17 (it was once 18 in France). That is to make it simpler for younger individuals to get to work, particularly in rural areas with out public transport. Lastly, if for some motive you’ve acquired some outdated tires readily available you’re attempting to do away with, people can now deposit as much as eight used tires per 12 months totally free at any tire distributor or retailer promoting tires (of at the least 250m²) with out the duty to buy new tires.

Reasonably priced Authorities Leasing Program for Electrical Vehicles

To encourage wider adoption of cleaner modes of transport, the federal government is beginning a brand new leasing program to lease (with a purchase order possibility), electrical automobiles for €100 monthly for these making lower than €15,400 per 12 months and who must journey 15km or extra to get to work. On the flip facet, authorities subsidies for the acquisition of electrical automobiles will go from €5000 as much as €7000 for these with low incomes, and go all the way down to €4000 for the wealthiest French residents. Some cities are already proscribing the circulation of diesel automobiles constructed earlier than 2006, together with Strasbourg, Lyon, and Grenoble (Paris is subsequent).

Working in France

Minimal Wage Will get a Tiny Increase

From January 1st, the SMIC (minimal wage) will improve mechanically from €11.52 to €11.65 gross per hour. Month-to-month, the authorized minimal wage will subsequently be raised to €1,766.92 (€1398.69 internet), a rise of €19.72. That is its eighth improve in three years, to account for inflation, and impacts 3.1 million French employees (or 17.3% of the workforce, not counting agriculture).

Extension of the Use of Meal Vouchers for Grocery Purchasing

Many French employees get sponsored restaurant vouchers, or tickets eating places, as a part of their pay package deal, which they will use to eat lunch. Usually they’re not allowed for use to purchase meals you’re not going to eat straight away (a grocery store packaged sandwich is okay; a field of dry pasta and a jar of sauce will not be, for instance). However as a part of their efforts to ease the inflation burden, the French Parliament has prolonged till the tip of 2024 the proper to make use of the vouchers to purchase all meals merchandise, not simply these which are instantly consumable.

Higher Paid Internships

The stipend for internships in France will improve from €4.05 per hour to €4.35, or about €10 extra per week. This can be a minimal quantity, so it’s potential to be paid extra. As a reminder, the stipend is required in France for any internships in an organization exceeding two months, consecutive or not, over the varsity or college 12 months.

Pôle Emploi Turns into France Travail

When you’ve ever been unemployed in France, chances are you’ll be acquainted with the Pôle Emploi, or the unemployment workplace. In 2024 it’s altering a bit, with a brand new title — France Travail – and a extra complete provide of assist and companies, to “simplify procedures for job seekers”. One of many greatest modifications is that anybody receiving unemployment advantages of any form will now be mechanically registered and guided by the employment system. Based on the Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, every job seeker should signal an “engagement contract” that requires anybody receiving advantages to finish at the least 15 hours of coaching or integration per week. “Our goal is that each one those that can work accomplish that, and that for all those that can not as a result of one thing is standing of their method, we assist resolve these issues.”

Retiring in France

Retirement advantages are adjusted yearly in France in keeping with inflation, and in 2024 they are going to go up 5.3%. The federal government can be launching MaPrimeAdapt’, which can assist finance 50-70% of any adaptation work within the properties of the aged or these with disabilities (for instance, the substitute of a tub with a walk-in bathe, the set up of a stairlift, or the widening of doorways). Apparently, you get to decide on who you’d love to do the work, not required to make use of an “authorized” artisan.