France’s healthcare system is facing a crisis despite having more doctors and nurses per capita than the UK. The pressure on hospitals and general practitioners (GPs) has continued to mount, making their work impossible and threatening the French health system. The country’s aging population and a shortage of medical staff are key factors in the crisis, with almost half of French doctors above the age of 55 approaching retirement. Many younger medics are put off by growing professional and financial pressures that are also taking their toll on a workforce exhausted by COVID-19. The lack of minimum staffing numbers outside intensive care units is putting patients and staff in danger, with some hospitals reporting up to 90% of their staff on “sick leave protest.”