There’s a love-hate relationship between the French and Germans (the French love to hate the Germans), although they reserve their greatest animosity for les Anglo-Saxons, i.e. the very same foreigners who rescued them (twice) from the dreaded Hun. France owes its liberty, independence and status as a great (small ‘g’) power to American and British intervention in two World Wars, a humiliating fact they would prefer to forget (although it doesn’t hurt to remind them now and again!). Although it’s understandable when you’ve had your butt kicked by the Krauts three times in succession that you prefer not to dwell on it, they’re still an ungrateful shower (next time the Germans can keep the damned place!).