Common misconceptions and clichés about life in France

I have been going to south of France for over 20 years as i did have family there , and i always loved it so when my father died i moved my mum ,partner and my baby at the time to south west France and continued to love it but only recently have we had a few problems with money and our landlord has said she couldn't care less about my mum with dementia or my son she wants her money even though she has been paid without problems before and this is a one off . unfortatutely we have found a French female robot who does not care , but it has left us in complete stress and worry

I had thought France had excellent health care but having lived in Paris for the past four years and only recently had to use the Health Care system I have found it dire!  Doctor`s Office looked as though it had not been cleaned in months with dust covering the desk and files on the floor.  Bloods at Lab taking three weeks for results to be sent to me and all of this costing me a lot of money.  I pay my French Employment and Health Contributions but don`t get anything back from it - a real swizz!  Whereas in Britain you just get of the boat or plane and can have major surgery free of charge!  No wonder the UK had Brexit we paid into the EU and get virtually nothing from it.

It's clear from reading Spero's experience above and other people's on different threads here that in France "your mileage may vary".
For example, I go to a lab (that's at most a 10 minute walk from home) for my annual blood test, I provide the sample at 8.30am and the results are always available by 5pm that day.
My doctor's practice is spotless as is his office.
I've no complaints whatsoever about living here.. apart from the standard of driving on roundabouts! But that's another story!

Spero wrote:

I had thought France had excellent health care but having lived in Paris for the past four years and only recently had to use the Health Care system I have found it dire!  Doctor`s Office looked as though it had not been cleaned in months with dust covering the desk and files on the floor.  Bloods at Lab taking three weeks for results to be sent to me and all of this costing me a lot of money.  I pay my French Employment and Health Contributions but don`t get anything back from it - a real swizz!  Whereas in Britain you just get of the boat or plane and can have major surgery free of charge!  No wonder the UK had Brexit we paid into the EU and get virtually nothing from it.

Thanks for your sharing, and I am sorry to hear you had that kind of experience. I wish everything will be OK with you in the future. Do you have any bad experience about your job?

feeling sorry for rapid changes in ur life

I had a bad experience here in Paris at Saint Louis Hodpiral.  I had a real emergency last year and found the Hospital so filthy.  I had the worst care ever and ended up leaving with an IV In my arm and taking the metro home.  I showered immediately and had to pull my own I V out!  It was like out of a movie!  I have been to a couple of doctors offices too where it was very dirty.  It was cheap , but dirty. 
In the States it's a completely different health care experience but I guess that's why we pay so much there! Ouch! It's expensive!!!!!