French specificities In this page (under construction) I'll try to gather what exists in France and not in the US : specific institutions, traditions, etc...
 
France has it....    
  • A Minister of Culture in the Government. Few countries have a minister of Culture and none of them with such a high ranking in the Cabinet (André Malraux was #2 after the Prime Minister in de Gaulle’s governments). This member of the cabinet has an important staff of more than 30,000 (in State museums, castles, etc…), a significant budget (between 0.8 and 1.2% of the total budget), and important duties. He oversees State subsidies to maintain architectural heritage (for the 300,000 listed monuments), to encourage artistic creation (particularly for cinema) and many others. Among its most surprising activities (for Americans), the ministry of Culture owns and operate a theater (the Comédie Française), protects the French language (Académie Française), creates events (Fête de la Musique), distributes a highly appreciated medal (Médaille des Arts et Lettres), etc…. When a new cabinet is formed, the press comments the nomination of the Minister of Culture at least as much as the nomination of more important ministers (Finances, Foreign Affairs, etc…). Does that mean that French culture is alive and well ? Not sure (read more) but it means that it is considered important. Read about the "exception culturelle".
  • Viager : do you know what the "viager" is ? Americans do not use this particular way to buy a house but it is common in France. You buy a house for a life annuity and you can use it only when the seller dies. The buyer generally pays a flat sum (the "bouquet") representing 10 to 20% of the value of the property (but it can also be 0%) and an annuity based on the life expectancy of the seller. A "viager"sale can be on "one head" or "two heads" for a couple of sellers (in this case, you can use your property only when the second "head" dies...).This contract is rather common for people with no heirs (or people who do not like their children....). It is a contract which leads you to quite immoral thoughts : you feel bad when your financial partner looks good ! In French families everybody has a story about "viager" with the seller dying one week after the signing or, on the contrary, twenty years above his/her life expectancy. The funniest story is the story of Jeanne Calment , the oldest Frenchperson, who died at age 122, several decades after her buyer, whose children and grandchildren had to pay her the annuity....
  • "Garde à vue" : there is no habeas corpus in France and police can keep you, without any request by a judge, for 24 hours, extendable to 48 (or 96 hours in case of suspicion of terrorism). It is called "garde a vue" (literally "kept under sight"). It can happen to minors and people are generally kept is very shameful conditions in filthy places, with little sleep, no phone, little food, etc… It happened to more than 900,000 people last year and France is the only country in Europe (with Belgium) with such a system. France does not satisfy European rules regarding human rights and is constantly criticized by the European Court about "garde à vue". Only since recently, you can call a lawyer (but only after the first hour) and he/she is not allowed to witness the interrogation. Police do not have to remind you of your rights. The situation becomes "normal" and you benefit from the same legal protection as in any other civilized country only after the "garde à vue". More about French police.
  • More to come......
 
  • Do you know what an "intermittent du spectacle" is ? This French concept is unique in the world. It is a system which makes it possible for people who work for the entertainment industry and who, by definition, work intermittently, to be protected against unemployment. It applies to both technicians (electricians, etc…) and artists (comedians, dancers, musicians, decorators, …), in the whole field of entertainment (cinema, theater, television, circus, …). Under the condition of having worked more than approx. 500 hours in the past 10 months, they are entitled to a daily allocation which gives them a salary and the benefit of the national health program and a pension. Created in 1936 (under the government of Front Populaire) and extended in 1969, this very advantageous program is of course extremely costly for the taxpayer but it was created to help and support artistic creation in France. Artists and workers in the entertainment industry are very attached to it : in 2003 when the government tried to reduce the deficit, they went on strike all over the country and almost all the summer programs (concerts, theater,…) had to be canceled. There were125,000 "intermittents" in 2003 and the deficit of this program was already more than 800 million Euros in 2002. (Source : Centre d'Etudes de l'Emploi, Mars 2007). More about French movies.

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Harriet Welty Rochefort writes articles and books about France and the French. Order her books :

  • "French Toast, An American in Paris Celebrates The Maddening Mysteries of the French", St.Martin's Press, New York, 1999
  • "French Fried, The Culinary Capers of An American in Paris", St.Martin's Press, New York, 2001
  • "French Toast - Heureuse comme une Américaine en France", Ramsay, Paris 2005

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Together or separately, Harriet and Philippe speak about Intercultural Differences : click here for information.

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