Family ties are far more important to people in France than is the case in Britain.

Children and grandchildren visit their parents and grandparents on a regular basis and always seem to enjoy these visits. It never comes across as a chore.

On Mother’s Day, in particular, families expect to get together and have a party always accompanied by plenty of flowers for mum. Even in the case of the departed, graves are visited regularly and flowers placed.

On All Saints Day every cemetery in the country will have crowds of visiting people and again flowers are placed on graves, typically chrysanthemums. The French are a lot more tactile than the British.

When people meet friends or acquaintances they always shake hands and male and female friends will always kiss on the cheek. Children up to the age of about ten are expected to kiss the adult friends of their parents when they meet. These things go a long way to making the whole society friendly, more cohesive and definitely more laid-back than is the case in Britain.

Tied-in with the above is the lack of a yob culture throughout France.

French youths never go out with the intention of getting plastered or looking for a fight in the evenings. In Britain you can find this thriving not only in the big cities but in rural areas too. You can see graffiti and vandalism throughout the country, whether in big cities, towns or small villages.

Along with this is the ‘lager-lout’ culture that gets British youth such a bad name both at home and abroad. This does not happen in France. There are occasions when French youngsters get a bit tipsy but this always seems to be tied-in with a special occasion.

They may get a bit loud but it never seems to end in any sort of violence or yobbish behaviour, and very seldom do girls get involved.

Fraser Blake, 70, author of 'Dear Chips' and 'A Rant Too Far?' grew up in Africa, was at school in Scotland, and worked for the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia. He has taught English in Saudi Arabia and sold and renovated hundreds of properties in Northern France.

In 1998 Fraser was selling houses in the Mayenne department of the Pays de la Loire region and so was the obvious choice, when Cle France was started, to be their first agent on the ground in France. In retirement he writes, blogs, cooks, drinks wine, and hosts to dinner unlimited numbers of ex-pats.

Always on hand with a viewpoint, Fraser is going to share his views on France, the French and the British, and other people who buy in France. Sometimes informative, sometimes funny, painfully true, outrageously opinionated but always entertaining so we hope it adds a slightly different dimension to the usual normality of searching through the fantastic properties for sale on the Cle France website.

If you want more? then follow the links above where you can buy Fraser's published books.

Patriotism plays an important part in French life. It seems as though British politicians are trying to instil a bit of this into the British population.

In France, major dates such as Armistice Day [November 11], Victory in Europe Day [May 8], Bastille Day [July 14] are each marked by placing the tricolour around every war memorial in the country. For the war commemorations there will often be a small parade of veterans followed by a church service.

On Bastille Day, towns and villages put on fetes, pageants and usually a wonderful firework display at night. The smaller towns and many villages are also great at organising interesting events that pull in the crowds and which also give the locals a wonderful feeling of togetherness.

These events can be as disparate as something connected to local history in which the people all participate by dressing up, to a simple pig roast followed by a dance. A very small and quiet little village had eight births in one year. This was so exceptional that the local mayoress organised for eight oak trees [of the evergreen variety] to be planted in the little park in the centre of the village. On the day the supplier attended in order to demonstrate how they should be planted and the whole village turned out to watch. The local senator was also present and after the planting, which each family undertook for itself, there followed coffee and biscuits in the community hall, all paid for by the village.

It is such attention to detail that gives the French their feeling of togetherness and solidarity. Any foreigners present are made to feel totally welcome and part of the community.

Fraser Blake, 70, author of 'Dear Chips' and 'A Rant Too Far?' grew up in Africa, was at school in Scotland, and worked for the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia. He has taught English in Saudi Arabia and sold and renovated hundreds of properties in Northern France.

In 1998 Fraser was selling houses in the Mayenne department of the Pays de la Loire region and so was the obvious choice, when Cle France was started, to be their first agent on the ground in France. In retirement he writes, blogs, cooks, drinks wine, and hosts to dinner unlimited numbers of ex-pats.

Always on hand with a viewpoint, Fraser is going to share his views on France, the French and the British, and other people who buy in France. Sometimes informative, sometimes funny, painfully true, outrageously opinionated but always entertaining so we hope it adds a slightly different dimension to the usual normality of searching through the fantastic properties for sale on the Cle France website.

If you want more? then follow the links above where you can buy Fraser's published books.

Let us take a look at some day to day differences between living in France and living in Britain...

Parking is another area of great contrast...

All villages in France provide ample free parking as do a lot of the major towns. Where they do charge it is reasonably priced, in a town centre for instance, at one euro an hour. In main TGV stations it is maximum of five euros per day and in some places as little as 10 euros per week. Compare these costs with those charged in Britain where some councils have even started charging people to park in front of their own houses.

Then there is road tax...

In France this was abolished a few years ago and instead the tax was placed on fuel which although it did increase prices, is, nevertheless, a much fairer way of taxing motorists. However, fuel is still cheaper in France than it is in Britain where both it and road taxes seem to go up on a regular basis.

France is a far less consumerist society...

The French are much happier with their lot and would not dream of going out of their way to make a fast buck. In the aftermath of the 1999 storms in which a great many roofs were damaged, the roofers could have made a killing but they did not. Their quotes for repairs were no higher than they would have been for the same job under normal conditions.

Quotes normally stand for about three months before they are reviewed in Britain. However, in France you find that builders, roofers, plumbers and electricians will usually honour a quote a year later without any additions. Workers are expected to work their full hours. They may take between one and two hours for lunch but there are no further breaks for tea or coffee at any other time.

Customer satisfaction comes high on the French agenda...

At one end, having a meal in a restaurant will usually be accompanied by the waiter asking if everything is alright and if you are enjoying it. At the other end, buying a car or some other expensive object from a trader rather than a supermarket will always be followed up by a letter or at least a ’phone call to check whether everything is functioning properly.

Whilst supermarkets will be cheaper especially on items like fridges, freezers, washing machines and the like, any after sales service is hard to get and often almost nonexistent. In contrast, from a small trader it is usually excellent.

Fraser Blake, 70, author of 'Dear Chips' and 'A Rant Too Far?' grew up in Africa, was at school in Scotland, and worked for the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia. He has taught English in Saudi Arabia and sold and renovated hundreds of properties in Northern France.

In 1998 Fraser was selling houses in the Mayenne department of the Pays de la Loire region and so was the obvious choice, when Cle France was started, to be their first agent on the ground in France. In retirement he writes, blogs, cooks, drinks wine, and hosts to dinner unlimited numbers of ex-pats.

Always on hand with a viewpoint, Fraser is going to share his views on France, the French and the British, and other people who buy in France. Sometimes informative, sometimes funny, painfully true, outrageously opinionated but always entertaining so we hope it adds a slightly different dimension to the usual normality of searching through the fantastic properties for sale on the Cle France website.

If you want more? then follow the links above where you can buy Fraser's published books.

Continuing with our look at comparing France to Britain and visa versa one of the greatest differences between the two countries lies in the attitude of local government towards the individual.

In Britain it is very difficult to get past a reception secretary to see anyone in authority, or to have a complaint sorted out. It really is impossible by telephone so a visit to the town hall seems to be the only remedy. However, on arrival the problems begin. Actually seeing anyone face-to-face is purposely made difficult and all the best efforts usually lead to frustration.

In France, despite their reputation for bureaucracy it is still easy to see the person in charge for the relevant problem area. Then when he is seen, he will go out of his way to sort things out.

Although somewhat cumbersome, French local government is approachable and seems to want to help and usually has a friendly face. Another big bonus is that most local government services in France are free, because that is what the rates are for!

In Britain most, if not all, services have to be paid for as an extra, and you are left wondering where all the tax money goes! How can France give such good service on so little and Britain give so little service at such a high cost? By way of a small comparison, a little village in the French equivalent of rural Yorkshire provides mains drains, street lights, rubbish collection once a week from wheely bins, is swept regularly, has flowers planted in the summer, and generally is well-maintained.

For a three-bedroom terrace cottage with a good garden and garage and on all the ‘mains’, the rates are about £350 pa. A similar property in a Yorkshire village with similar services would cost in excess of £1000 pa., depending, of course, on which tax band the house is in.

In France these iniquitous bands do not exist, although it remains a bit of a mystery exactly how they compute the taxes, but they do keep them low. An example of band charges in an area in Yorkshire [supplied by the County Council] starts at the lowest which is property valued at up to £40k, which is band A, and the tax is about £900. Band D, is property valued at between £68 and 88k the rates are about £1350 a year. The top band, H, is property valued at £320k and over, and the tax is £2251.

The valuations were made in 1991 and are the latest the council had. As the value of property has risen considerably since then it is probable that there will be a revaluation in the near future and a concomitant rise in taxes.

These are the type of figures that you might expect in the centre of Paris, but not out in the sticks.

Fraser Blake, 70, author of 'Dear Chips' and 'A Rant Too Far?' grew up in Africa, was at school in Scotland, and worked for the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia. He has taught English in Saudi Arabia and sold and renovated hundreds of properties in Northern France.

In 1998 Fraser was selling houses in the Mayenne department of the Pays de la Loire region and so was the obvious choice, when Cle France was started, to be their first agent on the ground in France. In retirement he writes, blogs, cooks, drinks wine, and hosts to dinner unlimited numbers of ex-pats.

Always on hand with a viewpoint, Fraser is going to share his views on France, the French and the British, and other people who buy in France. Sometimes informative, sometimes funny, painfully true, outrageously opinionated but always entertaining so we hope it adds a slightly different dimension to the usual normality of searching through the fantastic properties for sale on the Cle France website.

If you want more? then follow the links above where you can buy Fraser's published books.

Rates, or Council taxes are another point of contention. These taxes in Britain are extortionate. You can only surmise whether councils and local government in general are incredibly inefficient, or if there is a great deal of corruption.

Britain certainly has a lot of grossly overpaid people in local government. It seems obscene that in Tower Hamlets in London, hardly a wealthy area, that there were nine council employees in 2007 earning over £100,000. Does anyone ever question what these people actually do for their money?

In London boroughs alone there are 194 people who are paid more than £100k and overall in England some 500 staff in local government receive over this sum. Mention this to a local government officer in France and you get whistles of total disbelief mixed with a lot of Gallic huffing and puffing. These are extraordinary salaries and they do not really match the job responsibilities.

In France they go out of their way to keep rates down to the barest minimum and yet they manage to provide as good if not better services than anywhere in the UK. The mayoral form of government in France works well. The mayor has the power, is usually well-known to his constituents, does not take freebies on the rates and in fact, gets a very small stipend.

Above all, the mayor is up for re-election every seven years so should he not get it right he is voted out. In most places the post is part-time and the mayor has to rely on his day job for a living, so helping the rates to be kept low.

In Britain the authorities are currently looking for ways to increase communal taxes, for example by charging for everyone’s view, which is, in all honesty, risible were it not so monstrous, but it could happen.

In France they prefer to look for ways to reduce the rates.

Fraser Blake, 70, author of 'Dear Chips' and 'A Rant Too Far?' grew up in Africa, was at school in Scotland, and worked for the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia. He has taught English in Saudi Arabia and sold and renovated hundreds of properties in Northern France.

In 1998 Fraser was selling houses in the Mayenne department of the Pays de la Loire region and so was the obvious choice, when Cle France was started, to be their first agent on the ground in France. In retirement he writes, blogs, cooks, drinks wine, and hosts to dinner unlimited numbers of ex-pats.

Always on hand with a viewpoint, Fraser is going to share his views on France, the French and the British, and other people who buy in France. Sometimes informative, sometimes funny, painfully true, outrageously opinionated but always entertaining so we hope it adds a slightly different dimension to the usual normality of searching through the fantastic properties for sale on the Cle France website.

If you want more? then follow the links above where you can buy Fraser's published books.