As a matter of fact, France is one of the very few countries that don't charge extra fees for foreign university students. Our fees are very low,around 350 a year ($400), including medical insurance that gives you access to one the best health care systems in the world (says the World Health Organization). This is one of the areas where we are really trying to uphold our motto of 'Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité'. We have warts enough to make us far from perfect so at least give us our dues where they are deserved. Anyway, I think the columnist was referring to the charging of super fares on trains, planes, museum entrance etc... Something that is unknown anywhere else and is redolent of good old Intourist (the Soviet travel organization) when they were desperate to get their hands on hard currency...
