Alex Tabarrok writes about his Le problème du pain while in France. Lots of interesting comments on the subject over there but I would argue the problem is twofold.
1. The ingredients you have available in France are probably of a much higher quality, i.e. the grains are likely to be less processed, the butters and fats are likely to be richer, etc.
2. You’re in France, nearly everything seems better in France. The wine is better, the air is better, the hot pizza oil is better. (This is really an argument from my better half really, but one that I have some sympathy with). It is well-known that your state of mind greatly affects your perception of the world and being in France on vacation has to come into play. One of the interesting comments talks about how French housewives loved the American style Wonder bread for its ease of use and length of freshness. Again, your state of mind and perception of things are important.