The ATR is good fun to fly. I dont really have anything to compare it to but from what I have heard it is quite a challenge compared to a lot of 'the big' aircraft.
Definately not the easiest thing to land well!
I did my type rating in Toulouse and didnt find it to be anywhere near as difficult as the ATPL group school but there is still a lot of stuff to work through and the electrical system took me a while to get my head around!
The simulator sessions were a lot of fun. Challenging but certainly nowhere near as much work as the IR!