What changes in France from January 2016

The start of the New Year in France brought in a flood of changes, including a complete reworking of France's map and the introduction of compulsory doggy bags in restaurants. Here's everything you need to know.

• French taxman second greediest in world (04 Dec 15)
• Where the French do and don’t want to live (26 Oct 15)
• France names capital cities for new regions (31 Jul 15)

A new French map

 

It's 2016 and France now has 13 regions - down from 22 - thanks to a major rework of the regional map.

 

The new map, pictured below, saw some regions like Brittany unchanged, but the fusion of two or even three regions in some other cases. The move is an effort to streamline regional councils and to run the country more efficiently.

 

The names of the new regions remain unannounced, and for the moment are just a combination of the names of the previous regions. 

 

If you want to see an interactive map detailing the changes, head over tothis page on the official government website, or click here to read more about the new regions and their capitals. 

 

Paris gets bigger

 

January 1st sees the official launch of Grand Paris, or "La Métropole du Grand Paris" to give it its full name.

 

Essentially, the project means that the large Parisian suburbs of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne - as well as a handful of smaller communes - will now become much closer integrated with the capital in the aim of inter-communal cooperation. 

 

Grand Paris will see over 200 councillors working together on everything from environmental issues to economic development. 

 

Increase in minimum wage

 

Those on minimum wage in France can expect an ever-so-slightly fatter wallet - with a six-euro increase per month. The minimum hourly wage is now €9.67 an hour, or €1,466.62 a month. 

 

Tampon tax drops

 

The tax on women's sanitary products has dropped from 20 percent to just 5.5 percent. This has been a hot topic in France, seeing protests from women's groups around the country who argued that tampons should be taxed like condoms, or food. 

 

The government initially opposed changing the rate, saying it would reduce tax receipts in 2016 by €55 million. 

 

Drop in gas prices

 

For the fourth consecutive month, France's gas prices have fallen, this time by an average of 2 percent. The prices have dropped by an average of over 10 percent since January last year.

 

Doggy bags introduced

 

Restaurants now officially need to provide doggy bags for customers who want to take their meal home. The law applies to any restaurant that serves over 180 meals per day.

 

It's a move by the government to cut down on the 7 million tonnes of food wasted in France each year - but it remains to be seen if the French will adopt this typically American custom. 

 

Get paid to cycle to work

 

Those who cycle to work are now eligible for a little extra pocket money, with a new plan rolled out to pay cyclists 25 cents for every kilometre they cycle between their home and their office. Payment is capped at €200 a year. There's more information here (in French)

 

Pay less taxes

 

France is set to get a simplified tax system this year which will see income tax (Impôt sur le revenu) taken automatically at source rather than the following year after the individual annual declarations.

 

It is estimated that 8 million people in France will pay less tax this year than they did in 2015, with new "one stop shops" opened around the country to make bill paying easier. 

 

Story continues below…

More from The Local

Ten reasons you should visit France in 2016

French-US art dynasty in multi-billion squabble

Wife of Bataclan shooter 'proud' and 'happy'

Increase in bank fees

 

The average fee to have a bank account in France is set to be €16 this year, compared to €12 last year. 

 

January will see several jumps in these maintenance fees, notably at the Banque Postale, which will leap from €4.20 to €6.20. 

 

And even though there were no fees in recent years, January will see the implementation of new fees at BNP Paribas, Société Générale, and Caisse d'Epargne Ile-de-France - which will charge an annual €30, €24, and €15 per account. 

 

Extra "terrorism taxes" 

 

Those with home or car insurance will pay a bit more "terrorism tax" - meaning the total will jump from €3.30 to €4.30 from January on. 

 

This money will go towards helping the families of terror victims and those who have been injured in terror attacks. 

 

 

The key to the creator is your heart.

"Judge nothing, you will be happy.
Forgive everything, you will be happier.
Love everything, you will be happiest." ~Sri Chinmoy

Your heart speaks the truth. It's as simple and sacred as this. No one knows your heart better than you do. Your heart speaks to you every day in the language of love.

It speaks to you with kindness and hope. It never speaks of fear and doubt, and it will never betray you. Your heart honors you, and when you listen to the guidance of your heart, your peace and happiness is restored.

Your heart holds the key to your life. Your dreams, wishes and desires are all imbedded in your heart. Whom your heart choses to love, your life's work and your purpose all reside in your heart.

We spend so much of our energy looking outside of ourselves for answers and solutions. We believe that someone else has the answer; that they are experts, and they know more than we do. Granted, there are people who are leaders in their respective fields who can offer expert advice; however, when it comes to what is right for you, your heart has the answer -- if you simply quiet your mind long enough to hear it.

We spend our lives trying to live up to others' expectations of who we are meant to be. This is a betrayal of your inner truth. Who you really are is not defined by the external world but by your internal sanctuary.

Deep within you lies the very essence of love, strength and joy. To trust your inner self is to trust your heart. It does not mean that you will not make mistakes or make a wrong turn; this is all part of your heart's journey. If you trust and embrace the journey, your heart will get you back on the right path.

In my practice with my clients, I work from the perspective that each client has all the internal resources they need inside of them to make changes in their lives. I provide the space for them to come to the realization of their own inner power and strength.

I have found the most significant shifts are always heart-based. When the light shines on the darkness they have been feeling, a lightness of being occurs. The heart opens up like a flower, ready to be nurtured with love and care. Trusting in their hearts and themselves is pivotal in living a joyous and peaceful life.

Through my own journey, I have come to realize that life is not about pain and punishment. The essence of life is about joy, happiness and love. This can only occur if you trust and look after your heart.

Your heart's energy can be felt from a distance. What you radiate out into the world can be felt by other people's hearts. Whether you come from a loving space or a fearful space, your heart's energy is constantly emitting a vibration.

Imagine this, for just a moment: you're stressed constantly, you live with fear and sadness and feel suffocated due to the economic downturn. You work a job you hate but stay at it due to your mortgage and mounting bills, or perhaps you are in a relationship that does not nurture your heart. You doubt yourself; you seek refuge in anything that will numb your feelings of inadequacy and loss of freedom. You think that you are stuck in this way of living because your mind tells you it's too hard to change things. Other people reinforce the idea that it's difficult to change the circumstances of your life based on their life experience. The unfortunate truth is that this is not just a made-up story but a reality that many people experience.

There is a way out of this, and each of us have the answer within. You are the creator of your life. You have the means to make or break your life. You hold the key to your freedom and happiness. You have the ability to free yourself; no matter what stage of life you are in, it's never too late to change the situations that you have created. All it takes is trust in your heart, because it knows what is right for you. Our heart deserves the best gift from us; it is asking to be heard and revered.

Take a moment now and sit in silence, close your eyes and focus on your heart. Feel the warm energy of love coming from your heart. You can place your hand over your heart as it may help you to connect more easily. Take a few deep breaths, and when you're ready, ask your heart whatever question you need an answer to. Be patient for the response as it may take some time. The answer may not come to you here and now, but it could come much later when you are involved in another activity.

What comes through may surprise you. It may not make sense to your logical mind, however, you can trust it. You will learn that your heart will lead you right where you need to go.

Often the answer comes in a form of a feeling. This is your heart communicating with you; it is your real self telling you something, and it comes from a deeper place within you.

We can all think, believe and know things. The moment you feel you are communicating with your inner being -- your heart -- which is expressing itself in the form of a feeling.

In a world that is dominated with boundless data, information overload and the fast pace of life, it is much harder for us to stop for a moment and to really listen to what our heart is telling us.

The answer is not outside of ourselves. Rather, our heart and inner being hold the key. Think about this: your fear, doubt and stress have been created from the inside out. You may think that your external environment is responsible, but this is not the case. Events have occurred, but how you react and feel is an inside job. Your feelings are telling you something. They are revealing to you what you need to take care of, and by listening to your heart and following what feels right you will find your equilibrium again.

What is exuded from your heart is simple and timeless. A light feeling in your heart is your indicator to follow through as your heart is happy and at peace. A heavy feeling in your heart is your indicator that the decision or thought does not align with what is true for you.

Your heart wants only the best for you. It is up to you to trust your beautiful heart because it ultimately means that you are trusting yourself. By trusting your heart, you are validating your inner voice, affirming that you have the answer to what is best for you. Treasure your heart and treasure yourself. Know that you hold the key to your happiness and joy; no one can give it or take it away from you. It's been with you all along, and it resides in your heart.

Let the magic of your heart guide you towards love, joy and happiness.