Carp rods (and all other types for that matter) have to do three things; cast the bait and terminal tackle out to where the fish are, strike the hook into the fish and land the fish. The latter property is common to all circumstances (except in one special case mentioned later), whereas the first two are more critical.
It matters not whether you are fishing in the UK, France or Outer Mongolia - the range at which you will be fishing is the biggest determining factor. If your main fishing will be on small(ish) waters you can forget fast-taper rods, rods over 12 feet in length and rods exceeding 3lbs test curve.
My choice would be something around 2.5lb test or even a little lower if you're not after thirty-pounders. More importantly, a through action will help protect the hookhold and prevent losses at close range. In the old days, it was necessary to have a fast taper to set the hook at ranges much over fifty yards; modern carbon rods will cast a hundred yards yet still retain that important fish-playing characteristic.
If your home or French carping will be on waters where specimens over 30lb are likely to be encountered, you'll need something a bit more powerful, although still with a through action. For situations where you anticipate putting baits out beyond a hundred yards, you'll need a specialist distance rod. Some extreme long-range rods compromise on fish playing action; the Century FMJ for example is an out-and-out casting stick.
Don't be tempted to try and compromise, even if this means you can't afford to get another pair for the odd big-fish trip. There's no fun in dragging ten-pounders out of the margins on over-powerful tackle - and in some cases the fish can suffer mouth damage due to the lack of 'give' in the combination of short line and unyielding rod.
