Had we been fighting for independence from any country other than England, the French would not have helped.
Lafeyette and some of the other nobles actually idealized our fight. Lafeyette wasn't just an idle noble, he was a member of the French Kings war council, even at his young age.
One might also note that the Declaration of Independence was written with the French in mind.
...Then the French went and used our same words and phrases, and totally misunderstood their meaning.