Worked in a 2nd-tier city in France for a while. And, yes, salaries are low in comparison but I found it a very livable place. The French just emphasize different things. Good quality restaurants are very affordable, I had 45 days of paid vacation, etc.
I just spent a few weeks in southern France. Lovely place, lovely food, lovely people...
...with one national flaw. All that lovely food is available strictly between the hours of 12 and 2 (for lunch) and 7 and 9 (for dinner). If you don't eat on the precise timetable as everyone else (say, jetlag) then you don't eat.
It's a small city thing. In Paris and Lyon at least, some establishments have very extended hours or are even 24/7. And you can get a kebab at ungodly hours in even small cities.
Even in small towns in the US, it's fairly rare for restaurants to have such limited hours. It's more commonly seen with high end restaurants in cities.
I certainly understand why, I'm not mad about it, just a disappointed. I really liked the food.
