The study presented in this article takes a closer look at how French and German high-school students deal with a mathematical modeling problem, what blockages they encounter and how differences in the modeling processes between students from both nations can be explained by differences between the teaching and learning of mathematical modeling in France and Germany. To better understand these differences, firstly, a brief overview is provided on the historical development of mathematics education in both countries, with a focus on mathematical modeling, followed by a qualitative empirical study in both France and Germany. Two main differences can be identified: students' handling of the real-world situation and their striving for accuracy. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed in relation to national teaching traditions.