The reason I, and perhaps many other people may prefer to have UK plastic pipe for plumbing in France, is that it is very easy to install and appears to be a far more advanced product than the range available in France. That is certainly my opinion. Fot DIY it is much much easier and faster than copper, and it is now becoming the norm for new build houses in the UK as well. The fittings prices appear high but are in fact only 10% higher than B&Q, 6% helps with shipping cost and the credit card payment system take the other 4% and they hold the money for up to six weeks. The high pipe costs include a significant part of the shipping cost because you are charged by volume not weight when something is light, and a coil of pipe is a lot of empty space. Overall, if I was faced with the choice of using French plastic or copper plumbing, finding a decent local plumber, or getting some UK plastic plumbing delivered directly to me and getting the bulk of the job done, then paying the shipping charge would seem a pretty good option. The above ground waste pipe in France is reasonable stuff ( but not to be mixed with UK ) and can be sourced locally along with other bits, but for the water distribution pipe, for the DIY installer, the PolyFit plastic pipe is ideal. Thats about it really.