[wardaddy]

I like almost everything about France except the French. The best wine, food, nice chateaus, beautiful topography, their women speak English in a cute way and they often have a waifish charm.

I would not however discount totally Napolean and certainly not Charlemagne.

JMHO.....I like Jean Reno too but I think he was born in Spain.

[weikel]

Napolean might have done some good in victory but since he was defeated his legacy despite the abolition of serfdom in the areas occupied by his armies must be viewed negatively. Charlemagne probably saved Europe from sinking into barbarism for another 1000 years he nearly resurrected the Roman Empire in the West however given the customary succession laws among the Franks upon his death his realm plunged almost immediately into civil war( and the Franks before the Merovingians were overthrown by Pepin were one of the most barbaric of the barbarian tribes most of the other tryed to preserve some vestige of civilization not the Franks until Pepin anyway). The only successful modification Charlemagne was able to impose was the Salic law. To top that off a wave of Viking invasions followed and the church decided there was more power in supressing and hoarding knowledge then spreading it.