Vee-Tail-1: Thinking about it, there is one occasion where the French seem to do a UK style overhead join / descent into the circuit & that is when doing a practice engine-off, which they seem to often like doing from the overhead.
At St Cyr l'Ecole, we used to do it from 1500' QNH & was about the only time we ever entered the "dead-side".
Think the French model also works well where there is a mix of gliders & microlights, who will usually be operating an opposite, non-radio, circuit, which was the case at several places I regularly flew from (Dreux, Chartres, Fayence...). Provides a more sensible arrangement than the hybrid type arrangement we have at places like 06/24 at Booker, well as that seems to work.
Remember places like St Cyr, which has a full ATC service (& very strict entry-exit routes) reverts to the circuit join I described after-hours or when ATC on strike (yip...you need a SOP!) /holiday.....
Sorry, but can't help but think this is something that EASA might do well to get involved in....!?!
BFA