Yet across the Rhine the preference is for plodding progress rather than grands projets.

ECONOMIST: France, Germany and the European Union

Sir Rod advised using relatively small sums of money to alleviate individual transport bottlenecks, rather than blowing billions on grands projets.

ECONOMIST: High-speed rail

Since the heyday of imperial self-confidence in the 19th century, Britain has enjoyed neither the largesse of American-style private philanthropy nor the French-style state enthusiasm for grands projets.

ECONOMIST: Gambling with public money

Grands projets may be appealing to politicians.

ECONOMIST: The politics if not the economics are turning in favour