LA VIE IMPOSSIBLE

摘要

FRANCE'S GOVERNMENT wants the world to know something. According to official figures, French citizens created a record 322,000 companies in 2005-and they're setting a similar pace this year. Is France, which invented the word "entrepreneur" but has been famously hostile to the breed, finally helping small-business people thrive? Yes and no. The state has been trying to sweep away many of the outdated laws and regulations that have made life complicated for small-business owners. But French entrepreneurs continue to face cultural, bureaucratic, and financial hurdles. Even the government acknowledges that most businesses created each year are tiny, with scant prospects for growth. Says Philippe Bloch, co-founder and former chief of Columbus Cafe, a chain of espresso bars in and around Paris: "You have to be crazy to be an entrepreneur in France."