One reason is that the limited devolution of power from Paris to the provinces in the 1980s has increased regional politicians' powers of patronage: hence the fall into temptation in the 1990s of Alain Carignon, mayor of Grenoble, and Michel Noir, mayor of Lyons, both of whom went to prison.

ECONOMIST: France��s secret loves

While there's always the temptation to collect Social Security simply because it's there now, compare that guaranteed increased benefit to any investment available in the markets today.

WSJ: It's Never Too Soon to Start Planning Your Retirement