It is hard to talk about the French in any regard without discussing "La Gloire'. La Gloire is the Glory of France. A remembrance of a 1000 years of history. It is the soul of the nation. It is what brings tears to French eyes when La Marseilles is played. It is at once the pride of French triumphs and the remembrance of French tragedies. Producing great sadness and great joy at the same time.

The French will tell you that La Gloire is impossible for an Englishman to understand. This is because at the roots of French Glory is the bitter hatred of the English. It is hard to believe that this could still exist in this age after years of pacts and alliances with England. But it seems to endure.