Must be doing just fabulous things for the local economy via the tourism industry, not to mention the residential real estate market.

I owned a home on the Dutch side for about 10 years until 2004 and was glad that I was able to sell it at a decent price and leave the Island. I gave some thought at one point to staying there and buying on the French side, but decided against it for other reasons, but as a general matter, the proclivity of the French to go on strike for just about any reason was part of what motivated me. Protest, rebellion, and just general disruption are all elements of the Zeitgeist there.