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"The Government of France
The French government itself, and its ministries, resides in Paris. In formal terms it is an absolutist system with most of the power resting in the hands of the King (France's Salic Law still applies, so only men can inherit the throne), who is of the House of Bourbon. However, since the reforms made under the guidance of Joseph Francois Dupleix in 1767, and the concessions made in 1833 in the wake of the Economic Collapse the French government has effectively become an informal constitutional monarchy. However, it is still quite dictatorial, although with many social and political reforms and changes over time - such as the abolition of feudalism in 1833 - which have benefited the general populace.

Although the King of France is nominally an absolute monarch, in reality one of the long-established principles of the French monarchy is that the king cannot act without the advice of his council, and that the king should make decisions only after 'good and careful deliberation'. In general the Kings of France have held to this principle, and very rarely go against the advice of their councils [much as in the real world where, for example, Louis XIV only went against the advice of his council six times in a 72 year reign].

Although in no sense a democracy, the Societal Wars very much drove home the realisation that the government of France rules on the sufferance of the people of France. As such the French government attempts to at least consider the views of the French people when making decisions. This is done by a process of continuous anonymous opinion polling that samples the views of people across the French Empire and feed the results back to the government for analysis and, possibly, action.

France has been run according to the tenets of Physiocracy and its successor philosophies since the eighteenth century. Physiocracy is an economic theory that considers that the wealth of nations is derived solely from agriculture that originated in France in the eighteenth century and was perhaps the first well-developed theory of economics. The Physiocrats dislike cities for their artificiality and instead praise more natural styles of living, celebrating farmers in particular. They see the true wealth of a nation as being determined by the surplus of agricultural production over and above that needed support agriculture itself by feeding farm labourers and so on. Other forms of economic activity, such as industry and manufacturing, are viewed as taking this surplus agricultural production and transforming it into new products. While these manufacturers and other non agricultural workers may be useful, they are seen as 'sterile' in that their income derives ultimately not from their own work, but from the surplus production of the agricultural sector. Physiocracy is strongly opposed to mercantilism (which emphasises the trade of goods between countries), as it views the peasant society as the economic foundation of a nations wealth.

The main modification to the French system has been the development, in time, of what is known as the Bipodiste system, which sees both agriculture and industry alike as essential for the well-being of the state.

The Conseil du Roi
The King of France is advised by his Conseil du Roi [King's Council], which forms the administrative and governmental apparatus around the king. However, because of the need for consideration of different matters by different people, the Conseil du Roi has long been sub-divided into a number of more specialised councils. This means that the structure of the French government at its highest level consists of a series of interlocking councils which together make up the overall Conseil du Roi and encompass all of the executive, legislative and judicial functions of the government. The various governmental councils are linked by the members they share with one another, from the King himself, down through the Grand Office de la Couronne [Great Officers of the Crown] to the lowlier members. The number and makeup of these councils have evolved over time as the needs of the state have changed [so that its structure is based on that of the Ancien Régime before the French Revolution (which was, of course, avoided in this world), but has developed from it over time as (for example) the present day British government has evolved from that of the 1790s, but is not the same as it]. All of the Conseil du Roi meet in the Palace of Versailles.

Below the Grand Office de la Couronne the French government is made up of a complex and convoluted hierarchy of lesser Officers of the Crown stretching from the deputies of the Grand Office de la Couronne down through the departments of the government and civil service to the lowest levels of the bureaucrats who perform the everyday work of government.

The councils making up the overall Conseil du Roi are as follows:

Conseil d'en Haut [High Council]. The most 'senior' of the Royal Councils, the Conseil d'en Haut is concerned with the most important matters of state. As such it deals with political and diplomatic issues of all kinds, including war and other crises. It meets regularly, but in general (when no major issues arise) not for long. The Conseil d'en Haut is composed of the King, the Dauphin [Crown Prince], the Chancelier de France, the Contrôleur Général des Finances, the Secrétaire d'État aux Affaires Étrangères, and the two Représentant du Peuple.
 
Conseil des Dépêches [Council of Messages]. The Royal Council concerned with the administration and internal affairs of the French Empire, the Conseil des Dépêches deals with matters arising from all parts of the Empire, including France-Outre-Mer and those nations (mostly in India) of which it is Suzerain. As such it is made up the King, the Chancelier de France, all of the Secrétaire d'État, the Contrôleur Général des Finances, the two Représentant du Peuple, and other members invited according to the issues being discussed. Note that if some matter becomes sufficiently serious it may well be taken over by the Conseil d'en Haut for consideration at a higher level.
 
Conseil Royal des Finances [Royal Council of Finances]. Concerned with the economy and finances of the French Empire, the Conseil Royal des Finances is a highly important council within the French government, and because it normally holds the purse-strings has a great deal of influence over the rest of the government. It is composed of the King, the Chancelier de France, the two Représentant du Peuple, the Contrôleur Général des Finances, the six Intendant des Finances [Intendants of Finance] and six Intendants du Commerce [Intendants of Commerce] who, under the Contrôleur Général des Finances, run the departments within the Ministry of Finance. The departments under the Conseil were the ones most affected by the reforms of Joseph François Dupleix in 1767.
 
Conseil Privé [Privy Council]. The largest of the royal councils, the Conseil Privé leads the French legal and judicial systems, being the highest court of the land and arbitrating financial disputes of all kinds. It consists of the Chancelier de France, all of the Secrétaire d'État, the Contrôleur Général des Finances, the two Représentant du Peuple, those Dukes with peerages, and at least one hundred councillors of state and other lesser members of the government.
 
Conseil de Conscience [Council of Conscience]. The newest of the governmental councils of France in its current form [as opposed to its original form which existed between 1720 and 1733 and was involved in the suppression of the heretical Jansenist movement in France], the present day Conseil de Conscience was created in 1902. This followed several generations of eugenics policies in a number of nations. The Conseil provides moral and ethical advice to the King and government of France, particularly in relation to new developments in science and technology, and especially in relation to genetic science and related fields of knowledge, and how they might directly and indirectly impact humanity. This includes advice on such things as eugenics policies within the French Empire. As such, in addition to the King, it is made up of the Secrétaire d'État of Science, Health and Foreign Affairs and the two Représentant du Peuple. In recent decades the Conseil de Conscience has also provided advice on matters relating to human-caused climate change, the French response to it, and what they believe should be done to mitigate it, as well as on nuclear weapons and nuclear technology generally. The Conseil de Conscience is in favour of the French development of nuclear technology, despite its risks, simply because if France does not it will be highly vulnerable to those that do.
 
États Généraux [Estates General]. The États Généraux is a set of three advisory bodies, one from each of the different classes (or estates) of French subjects (the nobility, the clergy and the commoners). These are called and dismissed by the King and debate matters of all kinds to provide advice on them and on policy from elsewhere in the French government to the King. As such it has equal standing with the other councils that form the Conseil du Roi [this is very much changed from the case in the eighteenth century; see also here, when it no true power in its own right].
 
Although there are nominally three assemblies for the three estates of the people of France, the assemblies of the nobility and the clergy have not been called since the time of the Societal Wars in the late nineteenth century. That of the commoners, on the other hand, has been continuously in session for at least that time. Before the Societal Wars (that is, before the late 19th century) the États Généraux had been in essentially permanent session since the beginning of the Economic Collapse in 1831 to provide advice to the King and government; however, it had very little real power, and was viewed in quite a cynical light by many people in France, particularly as the nobility and clergy paid it little mind.
 
The Societal Wars brought a great need for the French government to meet and consult with the common people of France in order to resolve the causes of the Wars, and the États Généraux was the obvious choice for this. As such, the commoner delegates to the États were able to use the États Généraux as a neutral meeting place between the various factions, and to act as arbitrators between them. Needless to say, this garnered the États Généraux a good deal of power and influence within the French government.
 
This was used to elevate the status of the États. Firstly, by reforming the commoners assembly so that it represented all of the people of France through its Procureurs [unlike the case before the Societal Wars, when these only came from certain privileged towns and were elected via a very limited franchise]. These Procureurs came to be elected on a five yearly basis by the universal suffrage of the entire adult population of the area they represent. Secondly, they were able to have two representatives of the États Généraux, selected by lot from the entire assembly, given seats on all of the Councils making up the French government, and status as new Great Officers of the Crown of France, with equal formal standing to all others there. These are known as the Premier [First] and Deuxième [Second] Représentant du Peuple [Representatives of the People]; note that the numbers do not indicate ranking among them given the councils of the French government the much-needed view of the common people, something that they lacked before, and which many consider responsible for the increased stability of the country since then. To outsiders it might seem that the États Généraux now form a French Parliament, though this is not strictly true.
 
Although there have been problems with corruption and nepotism in the États Généraux [much as in any other large political body!], which have forced various changed to its organisation and its electoral system, in general it works well and provides a useful counterbalance to the powers of the state and the nobility.
 
As part of its efforts since the Societal Wars, the États Généraux has secured the people of France the rights to privacy, to strike and some degree of free speech. It has also been able to greatly reduce the level of secrecy in the French government by ensuring that details and transcripts of much of the business of the French government are published in Le Bulletin Royale [The Royal Bulletin; a publication roughly equivalent to the British Hansard of the real world]. It has also been able to achieve a prohibition on torture.
 
Other Councils. There are persistent rumours of the existence of one or more Conseil Invisible [Invisible Councils] or Cabinet Noir [Black Cabinet], which deal with the highest secrets of the French Empire. However, as far as it is known these do not in fact exist.
The Grand Office de la Couronne
The Grand Office de la Couronne [Great Officers of the Crown] make up the most important Officers of State within the Royal Court and government of France. They are nominally appointed by the King of France, though in general this is not done without the advice of the Conseil du Roi. With the exception of the Chancelier de France and the Premier and Deuxième Représentant du Peuple, these appointments are for life and are not transmissible or hereditary in any way. The Great Officers serve on one or more of the councils making up the overall Conseil du Roi and provide advice and information to the King as required to shape the policy of the French government.

The chief minsters of France, that is, generally, the more powerful of the Secrétaire d'État (precisely which of them this is can vary with time and the people in the different positions) are considered to have power second only to the King, and in times where the King is weak or incapacitated effectively run the French government.

The Grand Office de la Couronne, and a selection of their subordinates, are listed below:

Secrétaire d'État aux Affaires Étrangères [Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs]; this is, as the name implies, a post responsible for the foreign affairs of France, including international negotiations and so on. As such they are the head of the Ministère des Affaires Étrangères [Foreign Ministry]. The current holder of the position is Bernard Duvauchelle. In addition to their other roles, the Secrétaire d'État aux Affaires Étrangères is responsible for overseeing the non-military French intelligence services, and also for liaison with the CPMM. Because of rearrangements of the French government over time, this position has come to partly subsume that of Secrétaire d'État à la Guerre [Secretary of State for War], along with the Secrétaire d'État de la Marine and Secrétaire d'État de l'Armée.
 
New French colonies and ones where a great deal of unrest is taking place are usually ruled by a military governor appointed by the Secrétaire d'État aux Affaires Étrangères. Most of the Indian states are more trusted than this, but not to the level of becoming part of France-Outre-Mer. As such they are ruled by France under a system of suzerainty. That is, they are tributary states of France, which controls their foreign affairs while allowing them a degree of domestic autonomy that varies from state to state. French interests are represented in each state via a Résident who lives there, with their staff. Résidents are normally diplomats or military officers and effectively run the state via indirect rule through the native government. Under each Résident there are normally a number of Commissaire [Commissioners] who are responsible for different aspects of French interests in the state.
 
Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur [Secretary of State for the Interior]; one of the Secretaries of State created when the Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi was stripped of much of their powers in 1894, the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur is, as the name implies, a post responsible for matters internal to the French Empire, which are overseen via the Ministère de l'Intérieur [Interior Ministry]. This includes those of France's colonies and other overseas possessions that are considered to be more developed and peaceful, which are ruled by French nobles as parts of France under the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur. These form what is known as France-Outre-Mer [Overseas France]; examples of these are Hispaniola and Algeria. The current holder of the position is Élodie Valadon. As part of their role, the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur is responsible for the French transportation systems, the policing of the French Empire via the Maréchaussée and also for internal security. As such the Lieutenant Général de Police reports to them.
 
The Maréchaussée [the Marshalcy; the French Police]. Law enforcement within the French Empire is the responsibility of the Maréchaussée [see also here, here and here], headed by the Lieutenant Général de Police [Lieutenant General of Police], who is the head of policing for all of the French Empire under the political control of the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur. This post is currently held by Gustave Lenormand.
 
Since 1720 the Maréchaussée was officially attached to the Household of the King (the Maison du Roi). By the time of the Societal Wars, the activities of the Maréchaussée, and in particular the undercover Mouchards [secret police and spies], made France was a very highly surveilled nation, with spies everywhere, to the point that perhaps one in four French people were paid to spy on everyone around them [much as in the real world at one point]. This level of surveillance, and the expense of maintaining it, was one of the drivers of the Societal Wars in France. Most of the records of the Maréchaussée were destroyed during the Societal Wars, and since then the nation has been much less spied upon, with legal rights of privacy and so on, and much more review of what spying and intelligence gathering does go on. As part of this, since the Second Societal Wars the Maréchaussée was moved to be under the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur.
 
Since then the Maréchaussée has evolved into a true police force rather than the tool of state surveillance and oppression it was before. Though the transition was not without its difficulties it handles all aspects of civilian law enforcement, and is far more open and accountable than it was, with only a very limited level of covert activities permitted. It is divided into two main branches:
 
The first of these consists of the Compagnies de Marechaussée [Marshalcy Companies], groups of Marshals assigned to a given area and dispersed through it in small detachments operating out of Station de Marechaussée [Marshalcy Stations; basically police stations]. These handle reports of crime and deal with its investigation and the apprehension of suspects. The Compagnies de Marechaussée are run by Commissaires de Police, officials holding both local administrative and judicial authority in the district for which the company is responsible. Under these are Inspecteurs de Police, investigators responsible for collecting and collating information from each of the districts. They supervise the Exempts de Police, officials responsible for maintaining order who in turn are supported by Sentinelles [foot soldiers] dispersed throughout the district and who perform the everyday policing of France. All Compagnies de Marechaussée also have a small number of Mouchards, irregular spies or secret police, who covertly obtain information on the activities of suspect citizens. However, in the present day the numbers and activities of these are very tightly regulated by law.
 
Separate to this are a number of specialist units. Most of these provide security for specific people or places, such as the Royal Family and royal and strategic sites such as palaces and the mint. Others provide forensic and other specialised support services to the Marechaussée as a whole.
 
All members of the Maréchaussée are armed, with the standard sidearm being the Saint Etienne P1999C automatic pistol produced by the government-owned Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne.
 
In its early days, the uniform of members of the Maréchaussée Sentinelles varied from place to place, although it would be consistent within a local area. With the development of the French economy and government in the nineteenth century the uniform of the Sentinelles across France was standardised to the same uniform, a Royal Blue coat and breeches, with black knee bots and a silver military-style helmet. The uniform was changed in the aftermath of the Societal Wars to indicate the reforms of the Maréchaussée and to distance it from its pre-Wars incarnation. Since then Sentinelles have worn a uniform of scarlet tailcoat and trousers with brown knee boots and gloves. On their heads they wear a golden galea [a helmet in the style of a Roman soldier] with a scarlet crest running front to back. This may appear archaic but is made of modern materials and provides a high level of protection. At their belts they wear a radiant [radio], pistol and baton. In locations where higher security is required, such as Versailles, they may also be equipped with more powerful firearms, such as a submachine gun.
 
A number of the best of the Marechaussée are invited to join the Gardes de la Manche as part of the personal guard of the King.
 
The Garde Ministérielle [Ministerial Guard]. Also under the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur is the Garde Ministérielle, one of the most elite units of the French Military. It was founded during the Societal Wars as a non-Royal equivalent of the Garde du Corps to provide protection to the officers of government and their families and property. This is a duty they retain to this day. There is a certain degree of rivalry between them and the Garde du Corps.
 
Fire officers in France are known as Pompiers [Pumpers]. They originated with the French Navy and, later, the Army and as such are still officially a branch of the Army, being organised, supervised and trained by it. However, in terms of responsibility for and direction of their actions they fall under the control of the Ministère de l'Intérieur. As in the real world, the Pompiers make use of a number of types of fire engines in the course of their work. These are all painted a highly visible bright orange colour, with yellow trim.
 
Chancelier de France [Lord Chancellor of France]; the chief judge of France, responsible for the judiciary of the French Empire, the post is currently held by Maurice Rouget. The Chancelier is responsible for ensuring that laws are implemented and used correctly, and is the final legal arbiter for the Empire as a whole. It is one of the three Grand Office de la Couronne to which is holder is not appointed for life. For practical reasons, the deputy of the Chancelier, the Garde des Sceaux de France [Keeper of the Seals of France], also shoulders a great deal of responsibility for the French legal system.
 
Le Pouvoir Judiciaire [The Judiciary]The last act of Joseph François Dupleix in 1773 was the reform and simplification of the French legal system [something attempted unsuccessfully in the real world in 1771]. Although there have been problems with it since then, and in particular a number of instances in its early days when those who opposed the changes attempted to reverse them, the system has remained in place and evolved into its modern form. This consists of a network of courts across the French Empire, from those at a local level up though more senior regional courts to the highest court in the land under the Chancelier de France. The judges who sit in them are appointed by the King, but cannot be removed by him to avoid political pressure, and are paid by the state to make them less susceptible to bribery. In general all cases are tried by one or more judges, with lawyers presenting the prosecution and defence cases; there is no system of trial by jury in France [not unlike the real world]. There are four groups of courts within the French Empire, each of which has its own judges and facilities, though there is overlap and crossover between them:
 
The Tournelle; this is by far the largest group of courts, and is the one that tries cases in which the accused are commoners.
The Cour des Aides [Court of Aids]; the second largest group of courts, and the one that deals with financial disputes of all kinds.
The Cour d'Honneur [Court of Honour]; a much smaller set of courts, which tries cases involving the nobility. Because of the small number of crimes tried within the Cour d'Honneur their judges normally work in other courts most of the time, and their courtrooms are likewise shared with other court groups.
L'Officialité [the Officialdom]; the smallest group of courts, which tries cases involving the clergy. As for the Cour d'Honneur, L'Officialité shares judges and court facilities with the other court groups.
 
The procedures and punishments used vary between the four groups of courts. For example, in the rare capital cases, members of the nobility are beheaded rather than hung as commoners are, though in both cases where possible the bodies are disassembled after death to allow the organs to be transplanted into those who require them.
 
Contrôleur Général des Finances [Controller-General of Finances]; a position currently held by Noemie Arthus-Bertrand, it is responsible for the finances of France and the French Empire. As such the Contrôleur Général des Finances has a very broad remit and is involved with all of the sub-councils that make up the Conseil du Roi.
 
La Banque Royale [the Royal Bank] The central bank of the French Empire, founded in 1716, and one of the major responsibilities of the Contrôleur Général des Finances. La Banque Royale produces and issues the French currency via the French Mint, regulates the money supply of the Empire, controls French interest rates and regulates the overall banking system of the French Empire. The Mint also produces currency for those states within the French Empire which retain their own monetary systems, such as many of the Indian states.
 
Secrétaire d'État pour les Sciences [Secretary of State for the Sciences]; the other of the Secretaries of State created when the position of Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi was stripped of much of its powers in 1894, the Secrétaire d'État pour les Sciences is, as the name implies, a post responsible for science and technology within the French Empire. The current holder of the position is Professor Hippolyte Idrac. As part of their role, the Secrétaire d'État pour les Sciences is responsible for the French education system and also for its electronic communications systems of all kinds. It is also responsible for scientific links with the CPMM.
 
Conseil de Telecommunications Français [French Telecommunications Council; the CTF]; the organisation responsible for overseeing the French communications network, and in particular the telephone, radiant and television systems under the control of the Secrétaire d'État pour les Sciences.
 
Secrétaire d'État de la Marine [Secretary of State of the Navy]; the political head of the Navy, who oversees the Amiral de France, the Secrétaire d'État de la Marine oversees the strategic direction of the Navy, as well as its funding and general position within the French political arena. The current holder of the position is Gerard de Tassigny.
 
Amiral de France [Admiral of France]; the head of the French Navy under the political control of the Secrétaire d'État de la Marine. The position is currently held by Beatrice d'Évreux. The Amiral de France is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the French navy and merchant fleet. As such the Amiral is also responsible for all naval aviation, and for the naval intelligence service.
 
The French Navy is divided into a number of regional commands based in a given region of the French Empire. These include both defensive forces and offensive forces intended for use in that area, but which can be reassigned to other areas if required. The largest command (and the largest fleet) is the Atlantic, based in France itself, as well as a number of bases in Spain. The Mediterranean and West African commands that are located nearby are smaller and depend on the Atlantic Fleet for much of their strength. The second largest command is the Indian Fleet, based at a number of locations in the sub-continent. It adjoins and supports the smaller Gulf and Far Eastern Fleets; the latter of these provides protection for the Suez Canal in association with the navy of the OSU. Three smaller fleets, the Caribbean, South African and Australian protect these more isolated regions of the French Empire.
 
Secrétaire d'État de l'Armée [Secretary of State of the Army]; similarly to the Secrétaire d'État de la Marine, the Secrétaire d'État de l'Armée is the political head of the Army, oversees the Maréchal Général de France, and is responsible for the strategic direction, funding and general position of the Army. The current holder of the position is Yves Sertillanges.
 
Maréchal Général de France [Marshal General of France]; the head of the French army under the political control of Secrétaire d'État de l'Armée. The position is currently held by Trehouard de Rethel. Similarly to the Amiral de France, the Maréchal Général is responsible for the upkeep and operations of the armies of France. This includes the operation or oversight of many of the armaments suppliers who provide their equipment. In addition the Maréchal Général is responsible for all army aviation and intelligence gathering.
 
The French Army is distributed in a similar way to the Navy. The main difference is that its bases are distributed across the whole of the Empire rather than just along its coastlines.
 
The French army includes a number of units descended from ones made up of foreign troops serving the French crown. These include the Brigade Irlandaise [Irish Brigade] (along with other Irish-descended units), the Gardes Suisses [Swiss Guard] and the Royal Suédois [Royal Swedes]. Although nominally of the nationalities implied by their names, by the present day most of these units consist entirely of French subjects, although normally ones whose ancestry includes the appropriate nationality.
 
Secrétaire d'État à la Santé [Secretary of State for Health]; the newest of the Secretaries of State who form part of the French government, the post of Secrétaire d'État à la Santé was created, as the name implies, to oversee the health of the French nation and all of its people, and in particular to ensure the safety of the nation against the threat of biological warfare. As such it was split off from the Secrétaire d'État pour les Sciences [Secretary of State for the Sciences] in 1938, when it became clear that it was a role demanding the full-time attention of the person filling it. The current Secrétaire d'État à la Santé is Doctor Pierre-Marie Verlaine.
 
The Secrétaire d'État à la Santé is the head of the Ministère de la Santé [Ministry of Health]. As such they are responsible for public health and welfare within the French Empire, and sets the standards expected of those bodies that provide it, including those that support the unemployed and disabled. However, the actual provision of this care is not directly through the French government, but instead is done through other organisations, in particular the Catholic Church and a number of trusts funded by philanthropists and/or public subscriptions of various kinds, though there are also a number of privately funded hospitals for those who can afford them. As such the exact means by which the different forms of care are provided varies a great deal across the Empire, though all are obliged to meet the standards set by the government. A number of these hospitals have been working under versions of these arrangements for centuries.
 
As with hospitals, emergency medical services, including ambulances, are not provided by government, but are subject to standards imposed by the government. They are white, to indicate their medical status, and normally have some form of lights and/or siren to alert others to their coming [all for much the same reasons as in the real world]. Many of them are funded by voluntary donations and legacies, that pay for equipment and training, but in most of them the actual ambulance crews are unpaid volunteers, some drivers, some paramedics, and some medical doctors [this is not unlike the functioning of the British RNLI in the real world].
 
Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi [Secretary of State of the Household of the King]; originally responsible, as the name of the post indicates, for the upkeep and maintenance of the buildings and household of the King, and for the military, domestic and religious entourage around the royal family in France, over time the post of Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi came to include many other areas of responsibility within its remit. By the late eighteenth century these included policing, religious affairs, including Protestant affairs, and the administration of Paris and all of the non-border regions of France [as in the real world], and by the time of the Second Societal Wars had expanded further to include policing, governmental scientific research, government-run schools and universities, telephony and public communications generally. All of this made the Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi by far the most powerful and influential of all of the French Secrétaire d'État. Because of the power and influence of the role, the Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi was among the least popular parts of the French government and as such the Département de la Maison du Roi under his control suffered particularly heavy attacks and instances of arson during the Societal Wars. With the ending of the Second Societal Wars the post of Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi was stripped of those of its powers unrelated to the household of the King (that is, most of them) and a number of new Secrétaire d'État posts created. These included the Secrétaire d'État à l'Intérieur [Secretary of State for the Interior] which took over regional administration and policing, and the Secrétaire d'État pour les Sciences [Secretary of State for the Sciences], which took over governmental scientific research, government-run schools and universities, and telephony and public communications generally. As part of this, the post of Grand Maître de France [Chief Steward of France] was merged with that of the Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi. The current holder of the post is Gisèle de Custine.
 
Département de la Maison du Roi [The King's Household]. This department, the responsibility of the Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi, makes up the military, domestic and religious entourage around the French royal family.
 
The military part of this entourage is the Garde du Corps [French Army Lifeguard Brigade], a highly skilled elite group who have fought with distinction in many wars, over and above their duty with the royal family. They provide military protection to the royal family and to royal palaces and so on and are divided into four Companies. The best of the Garde, along with some of the best of the Maréchaussée, form the Gardes de la Manche ['Guards of the Sleeve'], an elite squad formed as the personal guard of the King.
 
The Garde du Corps share the guarding of the Royal Family with a corps of Swiss Guards, mercenaries known as the Cent Suisses [Hundred Swiss] who have served the French royal family for centuries. A second corps of Swiss Guards serve outside the Royal Palaces guarding the entrances and perimeter. Other Swiss guard units form part of the French Army as a whole.
 
The domestic entourage of the King is divided into a number of departments including the Bouche du Roi [Kings Palate] that oversees the meals of the king, the Chambre du Roi [King's Chamber] that oversees the King's rooms and personal escort, the Menus-Plaisirs [Revels] that oversee court entertainments and Cérémonies [Ceremonies] that is responsible for royal public ceremonies of all kinds.
 
La Chapelle du Roi [The King's Chapel] forms the ecclesiastical element of the entourage and is headed by the Grand Aumônier de France [Grand Chaplain of France], most often a bishop. It is responsible for the Mass and other religious ceremonies for the sovereign and the royal family, as well as the king's alms and public charities.
 
Premier Représentant du Peuple [First Delegate]; one of the two representatives from the États Généraux who sit as equals in the Conseil du Roi. They are responsible for ensuring that the King and his councils are at least aware of the views of the common people of France. The current holder of this post is Élisée Trezeguet.
 
Deuxième Représentant du Peuple [Second Delegate]; the second representatives of the États Généraux who sits in the Conseil du Roi; note that the Premier and Deuxième titles do not indicate ranking among the Delegates. The current holder of this post is Maximilien Prévost.
Because of the influence of the Physiocrats in the French government, and despite the growth of the influence of the Bipodistes, France was slower in industrialising than other nations, such as the Union.

The French absolutist system has led to a somewhat strange division of transportation between the public and private sectors. French trains are nationalised, efficient and eco-friendly. Private transport, on the other hand, tends to be (among the common people at least) either velos [bicycles] or powered by animals as this is what the King and government considers best for people. So in the country there are velos or animal-drawn vehicles bringing people to and from stations where they board efficient and sophisticated electric trains. Likewise there are efficient public transport systems in most French cities. However, machine-powered vehicles are common there for mess-reduction reasons, although velos tend to be widely used as well. Most French roads are quite good, partly because they are used for military purposes.

The overall greater Paris region in this world - which includes Versailles - has a population of some six million people [considerably smaller than the real world, where it has some twelve million people]. Even taking this into account it covers a significantly smaller area than the Paris of the real world. This is a side effect of the French laws on land usage, which, given the Physiocratic slant of the French government, are heavily biased towards agriculture and the preserving of the countryside over industry and urbanisation. This has strongly limited urbanisation and the outward growth of cities for a very long time. This in turn has driven the growth of skyscrapers in most French cities, so that all French cities have many more tall buildings than in the real world. Another effect of French government policy has been to spread the growth of cities across France rather than concentrating it in a few places, so that there are more large towns and cities (with skyscrapers) but no very large ones as is the case in many other nations. The same effect is seen across the French Empire. With rising populations and increasing problems from climate change, local and increasingly regional governments within the French Empire have begun to mandate the creation of vertical farms within cities, either purpose-built or via the full or partial conversion of existing structures. This is intended to increase the self-sufficiency of cities and reduce the amount of food transportation required.

Because there was no French Revolution, French cuisine gained its world-wide reputation later than in the real world. French cuisine has absorbed many Indian influences, as has French fashion and style.

Also because of the lack of a French Revolution in this world, the Bastille still exists within Paris. No longer a prison, since the Societal Wars it has instead been used as a highly secure repository for official documents of all kinds.

France still has its Crown Jewels, which are kept very securely in Versailles. They are not generally visible to the public, only being used for state occasions. The French Crown Jewels are not as extensive as they have been in the past; a large fraction of them were sold during the Economic Crisis, and some were stolen during the Societal Wars. The remaining jewels include the French Blue, the Regent Diamond and the Koh-i-Noor.

There is a long-term fashion in France for Indian styles in terms of food, architecture and so on, as people working there send or bring ideas home.

Related to this, there is a significant Indian-descended minority in France and across its Empire, with 'India-towns' in many cities. Because of the French holdings in the rest of the world there are also significant numbers of Africa-, China- and Japan-towns across the French empire.

Because of the dominance of France in much of the world, the structure of many of its governments, particularly those in the more heavily French-influenced parts of the world such as India, show significant French influence in terms of their structure and functions [much as in the real world many former British possessions have governments with structures influenced by that of Britain], though of course the names of the different councils and so on within the government may vary.

The Mediterranean Sea is a Franco-Ottoman lake.

There are a number of national and local newspapers in France. The most popular of these include:

La Gazette de France; the longest-running French newspaper, published since 1631 [and which existed in the real world until 1915].
Le Temps [not the same as the real world newspaper of the same name].
Le Monde [also not the same as the real world newspaper of the same name].
Le Moniteur.
Mercure de France; published since 1672 [a newspaper that existed in the real world until 1825].
Le Bulletin Royale; a specialised publication, but one of significance as it publishes the details and transcripts of most of the activities of the French government."

How would laws be passed in the French Empire?