It's all French

The makings of another great little documentary podcast series - France versus the world - from BBC Radio looking at modern day France,

The French maintain that they - their culture, their social model and their foreign policy - are exceptional. But for how much longer? In this four-part series, Lucy Ash takes a forensic look at the position France occupies on the world stage, how it defines citizenship and the way globalisation is threatening to undermine its cultural heritage.

As someone who lives in France, I do wonder how sustainable the 'French system' is and how seemingly 'behind' the country is. Maybe that's always been the case. Of course, it's not just outsiders like me who are wondering and worrying. The French do that too. To paraphrase one conversation I had with a French chemist recently,

"All of this is new. France was never like this. It's the first time in French history we have problems like this."

I leave you to wonder what the 'this' is, but from where I'm standing 'this' could be directed at any number of issues.