Good observation: “They specialize in carefully apportioned and usually small but lethal operations, often behind the scenes”.
The French military is not into American-style “shock and awe”, nor into Russian-style brute force; they prefer: identify a target, destroy it, get out, shut up. Doesn’t make for headline news, but does get the job done.
Just last evening I watched a French television program called “The Insider” on Netflix (with English subtitles) showing the training activities of the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment, a group specialized in airborne infiltration, recon, intelligence gathering, and special ops action behind enemy lines. Sort of the French SAS. The host, Alain Figarz, seems to be a French martial arts expert and action film stunt coordinator. Interesting program showing one elite section of their forces.