France is one of the most diverse countries in the world and is well known for its cuisine, beautiful landscapes, fashion, culture and language. It is the most visited tourist destination in the world. The country is geographically very well situated and with the well developed transportation system you have an endless choice when it comes to travel destinations, national and international.
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Healthcare insurance in France is financed by both employer and employee contributions as well as by personal income tax and it allows 96% of the population to access entirely free health care. The insurance also gives French residents the right to choose between diverse health providers such as general practitioners, specialists, public or private hospitals and be reimbursed at a fixed rate for different procedures. The types of expenditures by the government include general practitioners' fees, specialists' fees, medical prescriptions, public hospitals, private clinics, nursing professionals and sanitary transportation.
The Ministry of Health organizes the French health system through central, regional and departmental services via two major organizations: General Health Management and Hospital and Healthcare Management.
In France private and public structures coexist and the patients can freely access the different types of hospitals.
French state education is well-organized, well-funded and with generally average to high standards in comparison to other European countries. School is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 16. The state system is complemented by a comprehensive network of private schools including international schools.
The French education system is highly oriented towards structured learning, with an emphasis on traditional teaching techniques designed to help pupils attain required standards and pass exams. With recent French government concern about basic literacy and numeracy standards among school-leavers, the emphasis on maths, reading, writing, science and French language is unlikely to change.
The French education system is divided into Nursery Schools (Ecole Maternelle), Primary Schools (Ecole Primaire) and Secondary Schools (commencing with College) until age 15 when the next step is decided by examination. The top students will be able to attend a High School (Lycée) to study for the Baccalaureat. Those who don't attain the necessary grades at this stage may follow more vocational educational options . Around 80 percent of children continue their schooling beyond the age of 16.