France is today celebrated for her cultural exception, a rule that says French cooking is Top, and that French films and television ought to be. As a result the country is well-equipped with gourmet oenophiles called Michelin because they don't like burnt rubber or Gault et Millault, who don't like it either. Then of course there are the police, one of the few domains in which successive governments have encouraged active competition among official and unofficial organisations, although no-one is sure that the consumer benefits from improved service as a result. Many of them are in uniform although few today look like Louis Jouvet or even Jean Gabin. However, the average tourist is not likely to run across them very often.
Progress takes many forms, as the bureaucrat said to the citizen.
Here I should say that kindly, understanding and helpful civil servants are in fact as numerous as the pit-bull variety, and which you come across is largely a matter of luck. There also exists a category of cultured, tr s civilis and courteous senior administrators. Rather like Britain, really. And in between them and the rest of us there is a great gulf fixed, but of course, if you do know someone who knows the minister, then all paths are smoothed and doors open. Very like many other countries.