Fodors - Fodors France 2011

It may be a clich to say the French fret over their place in the world, but they do. Faced with the ever-dominant Anglo-American axis and hobbled by the global economic crisis, the French are rallying to protect their institutions, their language and, above all, la vie franaise their treasured lifestyle. Still, polls show the French are optimistic about the futureand there's plenty of good news.

Tourism is thriving, with France maintaining its rank as the world's top tourist destination, with more than 80 million visitors each year. The French remain leaders in science and technology. France is the world's leading producer of luxury goods, and fashion remains the nation's birthright.

Once nicknamed LAmricain for his U.S.-loving ways, French President Nicolas Sarkozy isnt exactly waving the Stars and Stripes these days. Miffed that President Barack Obama has repeatedly snubbed his overtures for a close and personal relationship, Sarkozy has taken to dissing his American counterpart in private as wet behind the ears. Obama isnt the only world leader who has kept Sarkozy at arms length. The irreverent Sarko has watched as European heads of state have refused to go along with the brash Frenchmans view of himself as their self-proclaimed leader.

The price at home has been steep, moreover, with the Presidents popularity rating sinking steadily. In the face of noisy street protests, Sarkozy has backed off from many of his promised reforms. With the first whispers of the financial crisis came a hasty retreat from the free-market restructuring Sarkozy had trumpeted when he was elected in 2007. These days, in classic Gallic fashion, he has enjoyed tweaking his friends across the pond, even lecturing about the need to remoralize capitalism.

With an eye toward reelection in 2012, however, Sarkozy was looking to regain the upper hand. Among the feathers in his cap is a ground-breaking carbon tax on fossil fuels hailed by environmentalists. Once-sacred Sunday shopping rules have been eased, no small feat given Frances boisterous unions.

And Sarkozys legacy project Le Grand Parisa 21-billion plan to remake Paris into an economic and cultural mega-capitalwas creeping ahead as construction was set to begin in early 2013 on key components, including an 80-mi-long automatic subway system ringing Paris.

Lucky for Sarkozy his best asset may be his popular wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozythe supermodel-turned-singer-turneddemure First Dame, whose every move is slavishly tracked by French magazines. The former bad girl has made headlines as much for her turns in the spotlight (performing for Nelson Mandela; signing on for a part in a Woody Allen film) as for her philanthropy (shes an anti-AIDS ambassador; she has her own charitable foundation). The Italian-born Carla B holds considerable influence over her lovesick husband, and isnt afraid to wield it.

Despite a diet dripping in butter and fat, the French are among the worlds thinnest people, with one of the worlds longest life expectancies to boot. The so-called French paradox may help keep them skinny as clairs, but that hasnt stopped the French from obsessing about how to stay that way.

Warning bells were sounded, furthermore, after studies showed obesity rates creeping up. French health experts declared war against junk food. Ads for everything from candy to McDonalds cheeseburgers come with warnings to indulge modestly. Fizzy sodas are not allowed, and butter on bread is frowned upon (though cheese is not).

Even the Elyse Palace has gotten into the act. Avid jogging and a crash diet are said to be behind the slimmed-down figure of Nicolas Sarkozy. Much to the dismay of guests, even the Elyse menu has been pared down to Weight Watchers proportions.

And the winner of the global financial crisis was France? Not quite. But long criticized for maintaining a socialist economy out of step with the modern world, France found itself on the rare receiving end of praise for an economic model that helped the country weather the worldwide downturn more gently than its Anglo-American rivals. France-bashers were caught short as the economy they love to scorn enjoyed a slightly higher rate of growth coming out of the recession than other developed countries. With banks tightly regulated, French homeowners were spared an equivalent of the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis. Experts credited France for its long-term formula of economic fairness, with a less-pronounced gap between rich and poor than in other countries. Education is inexpensive; and the health care system, often called the worlds best, is available to all. President Sarkozy even floated the idea, however briefly, of adopting a happiness index to replace traditional measures of progress, taking into account quality of life factors.

The 2007 anti-smoking law came as a breath of fresh air in France, making meals in cheek-to-jowl bistros far more enjoyable for those who prefer their foie gras without their neighbors Gaulois an accompaniment. Since the rigorously observed law passed, cigarette sales have plunged to all-time lows in France, proof the French could live without their clopes. One tragic victim, however, has been that icon of French societythe neighborhood caf. Many French workers who would pop in for a smoke with their morning petit caf and their evening petit verre of wine simply stopped coming. Business was already declining, as modern life had chipped away at caf culture, with fewer young people having the time or desire to drink during the day. Predictions that business would rebound as smokers got used to lighting up outside have not been borne out. With an average of two cafs closing each day in France, caf denizens worry about the end of an era.