There is more to it than meets the eye. The French have been in Ivory Coast since independence, it has been for the French almost a second homeland, and it has been one of the most prosperous countries in Africa. There has not been this kind of violence until now.
What seems to have happened is the following: other posters can clarify if they know further details.
There was a civil war. As you say, it seems to be muslims versus non-muslims from what I gather. The French intervened initially to protect the country from the rebels, but in numbers to small to be effective. So, rather than confront the rebels aggressively they struck a deal with them and began to exert pressure on the elected government of Ivory Coast, forcing them to give in, which is what has caused the enormous resentment against the French.
The French, as a consequence, are now seen not as "peacekeepers" or defenders of the Ivorians but rather as being in league with the rebels. French "evenhandedness" has forced the Ivorians to give ground to the rebels that they had not won on the battlefield. As a consequence, the Ivorians are furious with France, and it is taking out its resentments against Frenchmen in the country who have lived there, some of them, all of their lives.
It is typical Chirac.
Thanks brown.
Specifically, the government was peaceful and Christian and the rebels were violent and Muslim. Daily seizures, assaults and attacks were taking place and everyone cheered when the French military went to rescue the schoolchildren held hostage.
Then the French promised the rebels the leadership of the Departments of Defense and Interior for peace and did not engage the current government in the discussion. The current government said, this is unacceptable, how can we live in fear with these people controlling all weaponry? And the French said, too bad, deal with it.
Then the fighting was worse because the rebels believed that the French had the power to fulfill the promise and the government of the Ivory Coast would not give in.
So it's thanks to the lack of humanity of the French that the Ivory Coast is in trouble today. Which surprises only the French.