The battle of Tours ended when the French captured and killed Abd-er Rahman. The Moslem army withdrew peacefully overnight and even though Martel expected a surprise retaliation, there was none. For the Moslems, the death of their leader caused a sharp setback and they had no choice but to retreat back across the Pyrenees, never to return again.
While the French did fight valiantly at Tours (hey - it was that or extinction), the Muslims likely would have conquered them had it not been for their leader being slain in the battle.
France has a long legacy of "not-so-great" valor.
Chirac is owning up to that legacy in true French fasion.