[Verginius Rufus]

I think most of the popes during the Avignon papacy in the 1300s were French (Avignon is geographically in France, but at that time was papal property, not part of the Kingdom of France). Then during the Great Western Schism, one line of popes resided in Avignon.

Of course there is no reason why a Frenchman could not be a good pope.

[Morpheus2009]

Indeed

[chajin]

Of course there is no reason why a Frenchman could not be a good pope.

The only French cardinal I can see being a decent pope would be Philippe Barbarin, assuming he can recover completely from his heart operation, though whether the college of cardinals would pick him, assuming Francis were to either resign or die, is debatable.