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It is a big country (By European standards), and very varied.
I love it, but it depends where.
Overall though, the more relaxed atmosphere, the general disdain for authority, the food, the wine, the history, the scenery, the topless beaches, the art, what's not to like?
Overall though, the more relaxed atmosphere, the general disdain for authority, the food, the wine, the history, the scenery, the topless beaches, the art, what's not to like?
One size does not fit all. I love living in France, and I think that it is currently the best place in the world for me to live I love never seeing a bill for health care and getting immediate treatment whenever I need it, I love my 35 hour work week, I love my 10 weeks of annual vacation (yes, most people have only 6-7 weeks), I am very happy with my cheap utilities and excellent food, the fantastic transportation system, and I think it's great that the retirement age is still 60. I like little things like receiving an 8€ luncheon voucher for every day I work and all of the vacation vouchers that I can spend like cash and yet pay only 70% of the value. I like the fact that my company refunds 400€ of the money that I spend on cultural or sporting events every year and also refunds 30% of everything I pay for books or CD's up to 1000€ of expenses. It's one of the reasons that when people ask me "how much do they pay you?" the question is impossible to answer. Same thing for taxes, since I can deduct 50% of anything I pay for housecleaning, computer repairs, tutoring for my children or any other "personal services" up to a ceiling of 15,000€. If I give anything to charity, 60% is also deducted from my income tax.
However, there are lots of little constraints and annoying details that would drive a lot of people crazy, and they would probably hate living in France. In any case, that survey is of the readers of an extremely Europhile and affluent travel publication, so as far as I'm concerned it has no validity whatsoever.
Once I stop working, strange, but I am considering moving to Thailand, Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia to spend the remainder of my life and yet none of those is a paradise by any calculation (then again, my French benefits will cover quite a bit of anything I need in those countries in terms of health services or whatever).
It is a big country (By European standards), and very varied.
I love it, but it depends where.
Overall though, the more relaxed atmosphere, the general disdain for authority, the food, the wine, the history, the scenery, the topless beaches, the art, what's not to like?
The disdain for authority. I appreciate the French going into the streets to protest against unpopular policies. The remarkable part is that the groups are usually of all kinds of French people; workers, students, professionals, etc.
Another thing which I noticed about daily life is not so many stressed and uptight people. The scenery is great and so are the towns and villages. It seems the French value the appearance of their immediate surroundings.
Also, I like that they don't inquire what the other does for a living.
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