Some French companies among the 2009 Fortune Global 500:
Total - the world’s fourth largest oil and gas company, and the world's sixth largest company overall
Carrefour - the largest retailer in Europe and the second largest worldwide
Suez - number one supplier of energy services in Europe and number one independant power producer worldwide
Saint-Gobain - number one worldwide in sales of tiles, abrasives, insulation, gypsum, cast iron pipe, and wall coatings
Michelin - the world's number one tire manufacturer
The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.
- Francis Bacon