In most towns streets are narrow, so it's mandatory to ride the useless paths along the roads. Always very bad quality and passing sideroads was annoying with no right-of-way and constantly having to navigate big curbs. Finally, they were shared two-way bike/pedestrian paths, which never works because of the speed difference and both parties believing they have priority. While waiting at a light, a woman yelled at me because my pannier was a few inches across the line on the metre wide path - many French are too uptight and unfriendly the exception being cyclists...