France has changed a great deal since I was last here in 1998:

• All grocery stores in France outlawed plastic and paper bags in grocery stores. You must bring your own reusable bags, if you don't have any, you can purchase them for about one Euro.
• The image of the average French person purchasing bread at the Boulangerie, meat at the Boucherie, fruit & vegetables at the Farmer's Market, and cheese at the Fromagerie are sadly, a thing of the past.
• French grocery stores contain more packaged, microwavable, frozen, canned, and pop-in-the-oven food than American stores. Many families are spending less time cooking fresh food.
• Obesity is clearly rising in France, as are the presence of McDonald's and other fast food chains like Quick. Many French are adopting more American habits of eating in front of the television and eating on the run.
• Giant malls and chain stores like Wal-Mart, Big Five, and Costco are all over French suburbs, but they are called Decathalon, Auchan, and L'incroyable.
• Most French have an automatic espresso machines in their kitchens called Tassimo.
• Most French recycle paper, plastic, glass, cans, and receive government refunds for installing solar heating systems.
  
• On the negative side, you still have to pay to pee in public places.
• The French still love their pharmacies and their drugs and you can find a pill, syrup, and drops for anything that ails you. The syrups actually taste great, like caramel and lemon tart.
• Border crossings are also a thing of the past and entering Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg are no different than living in Washington D.C. and driving through Maryland and Virginia. No more collecting stamps in your passport!
  
• France copys American TV shows. American Idol is called Nouvelle Star, 60 Minutes is called 66 Minutes, Super Nanny is called Super Nanny, The Amazing Race is called Pekin Expres. French children are dangerously obsessed with American All Star wrestling, called Catch.
  
• No matter how often I am in France, I am stunned by how much better everyday products such as shampoo, shower gel, face creams, and home cleaning products smell. Vetiver. Ocean. Sandlewood. Vanilla. Savon de Marseille. Cedar.