Children splash and play in a river in rural France. They ignore the nuclear power station towering over the water even though its outflow runs into the pool in which they swim. A watchdog group tests for contamination and finds tell-tale signs of radioactivity. Such findings bear little weight in France. People accept nuclear power, and so-called 'safe' levels of radioactivity are five times higher than international norms. As the French continue testing at Mururoa Atoll, we examine French attitudes to the nuclear test row. A former advisor to Mitterand, Jacques Attali, says France wants to produce small battlefield nuclear weapons. He says Jacques Chirac's desire to be a strong leader makes it impossible for him to back down on the tests. For every French national who supports Chirac's decision there are now three who would have it reversed. (