"Bon Vivants"

For the fifth year in a row, France has been chosen "the best place to live in the world" by International Living magazine, according to a set of criteria that measures quality of life based on major elements. High among them are health care and leisure time from work. In other words, the French take very good care of their people, both medically and from the standpoint of rest and recreation, with plenty of time to "stop and smell the roses." Although I've never lived there, my daughter does live in Paris with her French husband, so I have it on the best of sources.

The rest of the world would do well to take a few pointers from the French on how to enjoy life to the fullest. While the U.S., the richest country in the world, keeps debating whether they should have a decent health care system and how much it's going to cost, France is light years ahead of it, and enjoys fine food and wine, to boot.

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