Hello,
sam34 don't worry as a French I can tell that the french are very pretentious when it comes to the aviation we are the best pilots of the world (joke) and the DGAC doesn't play the JAA game it's just to protect the business.
It always the same thing plenty of planes coming from all over the world and as far as I know they don't get lost : ))) so an IR is an IR it's just the method or the way they focus on the subject who differs, for example in UK they do like NDB approach it's not the case in the US for example or maybe in Spain maybe also because of the facilities.
Me personally I will take the cheapest way and aerofan is cheapest for me than the UK even if I'm in the case of a conversion from a FAA licence, oh my god he has an american licence you know the licence we give you for free
Take care.