Is this the only instance in history when the French "got it right?"
Well, I have to include these things the French somehow manage to get right:
1. The aerospace industry. Airbus Industrie--despite the current issues with the A380 superjumbo--became the first company to successfully challenge Boeing in the commercial airline business. (By the way, it appears that the major culprit in the A380 delays are German companies that are way behind in developing the cabin fittings for the plane.) The French take a leading role in the European Space Agency, and ESA uses the Kororu launch site in French Guiana.
2. Telecommunications. In one fell swoop, France Telecom's decision to totally upgrade their telecommunications infrastructure in the 1970's resulted in the ground-breaking Minitel online communications system, which was essentially a testing ground for many of the features we find today on the Internet. Today, France is one of the few countries where getting DSL broadband connections in the major metropolitan areas is pretty easy.
3. High-speed trains. SNCF's Tres Grand Vitesse trains have set a new standard for high-speed train travel in Europe, and modified TGV technology are used on the Eurostar trains that run between London and the European continent through the Channel Tunnel.
4. Automobiles. While the French auto industry may not be as flashy as the German or Italians, they have produced some very innovative classes of automobiles. Renault's revolutionary Megané Scenic "tall wagon" introduced in 1996 made people realize you can build small cars with decent interior space and very flexible interior arrangements without a large exterior size for the vehicle. Here in the USA, that has inspired Toyota to build the highly successful Matrix model, and Mazda will very soon introduce the Mazda5 "tall wagon" based on the principles the Megané Scenic introduced.