In France, people love to say that the administration is slow. Very slow. The kind of slowness that makes you wait three months to get a document, six months for an appointment, and sometimes an eternity for a file to be processed. But there’s one area where everything works like clockwork: paying fines.
In Nantes, where the speed limit keeps dropping to 30 km/h thanks to our beloved administration, you see signs everywhere. Honestly, I wonder how much it costs to produce them… Maybe I missed my true calling and should have opened a “30 km/h” sign factory. Guaranteed success!
Of course, one day I ended up going over the limit. The result: a lovely letter, delivered to my mailbox with military precision.
And here’s the surprise! While renewing a health card or getting an official document sometimes requires sacrificing half a day and a few nerves, paying a fine… is smooth as silk. The website works perfectly, the instructions are crystal clear, and the payment goes through faster than an Amazon order. With just one click, my money left my account straight to the State.
It’s beautiful, such efficiency. You almost think that if France were managed with the same rigor as its speed cameras, we’d all live in a country where administrative procedures are simple, fast, and hassle-free. But no: all the energy is focused on the one service that costs me the most.
So yes, I complain… but deep down, I’m impressed. Because if one day I really want to be sure something works in France, all I have to do is drive a little too fast in Nantes.