Since I start writing this blog, I've mostly concentrated on the negative aspects of living in France. Of course there is not only negative thing - otherwise I wouldn't live here :)
I guess I more easily see all the negative when I am here - and when I'm back in Sweden I complain about the Swedes... :)
On the contrary I will write about one of the best things with France this time: the TGV. Yesterday's headlines in all French newpappers was the new speed record made by a train: 574.8 km/h. The news even reached Swedish Media (DN and SvD) - a B-nation in high-speed train technology.
The current high-speed train record set by a Japanese MagLev train (magnetic levitation) is 581 km/h. But as the PDG (CEO) of SNCF (the French railways systems) proudly claims -MagLev is not a real train. What he means is that since TGV runs on rails which already are in use, for using the MagLev trains expensive magnetic tracks are needed. In fact the only MagLev trains in use today is the Shanghai Airport Express (built by the German MagLev consortium). Except for airport lines and between two dense city I think it will be hard to finance building MagLev trainlines - at least during the following 10 years. However the MagLev trains have a good potential of reaching speeds over 1000 km/h so I believe it could be the transport system of the future. Until then I gladly cross "la hexagone" from Grenoble to Paris under 3 hours (in 320 km/h which is the actual maximum speed today in France). Considering the actual (average) speed between TGV and MagLev also talks in favour of the TGV - 260 km/h vs 245 km/h.
So how about the Swedish "high speed train" X2000. Comparing the line Paris-Lyon (460 km), which takes less than 2 hours (1h55) with TGV, with Stockholm-Gothembourg (465 km), which takes less than 3 hours (2h57) with X2000. One hour - and I quite important one. Whereas a business man in Stockholm still considers to take the flight to Gothembourg, noone from Paris is even thinking about taking the plane to Lyon (there are even a direct line between the airport in Paris and the airpot in Lyon).
X2000 has a top speed at 276 km/h, however Swedish regulations limit the maximum speed to 200 km/h which gives an avarage travel speed at 150 km/h. The problem is that in Sweden, in contrast to most other EU15 countries, no high-speed rails are built. And no high-speed rails are planned before 2015. However, going from Stockholm to Gothenburg with X2000 you get some advantages. You can have nice small pauses at the wonderful metropols: Alingsås, Skövde and Katrinholm. Aka Ingvar Carlsson-land, Bert Karlsson-land and Göran Persson-land. You don't get that with the TGV.
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Cheques and recommended letters
After a small pause in writting here, I've decided to continue my blogging. Since a year and half I now live in Grenoble where I persue my PhD with the French-Italian company STMicroelectornics.
The reason why I continue is because I want to share my experiences with the French system of using payable cheques and recommended letters which differs quite much from what I experience in any other country where I've been.
At my arrival in France, as I started a bank account at BNP Paribas, I was asked if I wanted a cheque book. I remember my father having a cheque note when I was 5, but I can't recall him ever using it. Actually as he bought a Ford Escort in the mid-80s I remember that he payed it cash. Since I though also in France cheques were something belonging to the past, I told the bank that I wouldn't need the cheque book.
Actually I managed six months in Paris without using any cheques. However, when I moved to Grenoble I directly discovered how indispensible the cheques are in France. The agent who helped me finding and installing my apartment asked for them, but I managed without. Worse was when I went to buy furnitures. I bought to armchairs at the furniture resale Fly and was promised that I could borrow a van for free since the armchair costed more than a certain amount. However, when I wanted to pick out the van, the ask me to leave a cheque as deposit. Since I didn't have any they refuse to give me the van, although I offered to leave a deposit in both with my credit card and cash. Since I've discovered how often people are using cheques. Although everyone have credit cards it seems that French rather use cheques while they are doing their shopping.
In Sweden when you want to quit a contract you simply go to the place where you signed the contract, and tell them that you want to quit it, or even simplier you can do it over phone or rarely by fax. In France often a "lettre recommandée" - a recommended letter - is required. My neighbours are moving - they need to send a letter to the rental agency. I want to quite my contract with the fitness gym where I'm going; I first went there told them I want to quite; they told me that I need to write a signed letter; I wrote a letter and gave it to them directly; they told me no, you need to send it by the post and it need to be recommended. I am afraid for the day I am going away from France, I will need to send a recommended letter to: the telephone company, the electricity company, the rental agency, the insurance company, the internet provider, my job, my school, my bank...
Talking about bank; a small advice if you are going to France don't choose BNP Paribas - I paid €8.50/month for having my bank account in their bank. Now I have LCL and pay €1.50. My bank account in Sweden is still for free.
The reason why I continue is because I want to share my experiences with the French system of using payable cheques and recommended letters which differs quite much from what I experience in any other country where I've been.
At my arrival in France, as I started a bank account at BNP Paribas, I was asked if I wanted a cheque book. I remember my father having a cheque note when I was 5, but I can't recall him ever using it. Actually as he bought a Ford Escort in the mid-80s I remember that he payed it cash. Since I though also in France cheques were something belonging to the past, I told the bank that I wouldn't need the cheque book.
Actually I managed six months in Paris without using any cheques. However, when I moved to Grenoble I directly discovered how indispensible the cheques are in France. The agent who helped me finding and installing my apartment asked for them, but I managed without. Worse was when I went to buy furnitures. I bought to armchairs at the furniture resale Fly and was promised that I could borrow a van for free since the armchair costed more than a certain amount. However, when I wanted to pick out the van, the ask me to leave a cheque as deposit. Since I didn't have any they refuse to give me the van, although I offered to leave a deposit in both with my credit card and cash. Since I've discovered how often people are using cheques. Although everyone have credit cards it seems that French rather use cheques while they are doing their shopping.
In Sweden when you want to quit a contract you simply go to the place where you signed the contract, and tell them that you want to quit it, or even simplier you can do it over phone or rarely by fax. In France often a "lettre recommandée" - a recommended letter - is required. My neighbours are moving - they need to send a letter to the rental agency. I want to quite my contract with the fitness gym where I'm going; I first went there told them I want to quite; they told me that I need to write a signed letter; I wrote a letter and gave it to them directly; they told me no, you need to send it by the post and it need to be recommended. I am afraid for the day I am going away from France, I will need to send a recommended letter to: the telephone company, the electricity company, the rental agency, the insurance company, the internet provider, my job, my school, my bank...
Talking about bank; a small advice if you are going to France don't choose BNP Paribas - I paid €8.50/month for having my bank account in their bank. Now I have LCL and pay €1.50. My bank account in Sweden is still for free.
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