[Bevdeforges]

I suppose it depends on precisely why you are taken to a French police station - but AFAIK there isn't the same right to having a lawyer present in France as in the US.

Part of it may be that the police in France have a somewhat different function than do the American cops. The other is that the job of an attorney is somewhat different. (I have rather bad experiences with French attorneys, and I admit to not having much faith in them.)
Cheers,
Bev

 

[Bevdeforges]

There are different "levels" of police in France - municipal, and a couple national levels. The gendarmes that everyone considers "police" here are a national group and are organized almost like the military. The Wikipedia article on law enforcement in France is actually quite informative: Law enforcement in France - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheers,
Bev