This is a slightly ambiguous question, as A Year in the Merde was originally published under the pen name Paul West.
Paul West is in fact the fictional narrator of these books. They are clearly aiming to cash in on the sucecss of A Year in Provence and similar titles, and they have the same ethos (poking light–hearted fun at the French and our relationship with them). The use of the central character's name as the author, as well as the title, suggests that the author and publisher are trying to imply that the books are based on actual characters and events; but they are entirely fictional.
In A Year in the Merde, Paul West is a 27–year–old Englishman who is recruited by a French entrepreneur to set up and manage a chain of tea rooms in Paris.
There is a fourth book in the series: Dial M for Merde. The four books were published in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.
I would suggest that "Paul West" should have been allowed as an alternative answer to this question.
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