Are Napoleon and Joan of Arc exceptions to the French History of military failure?

 (Asked on Quora. Here is my answer).

Napoleon certainly represented a high mark in French military history and Joan of Arc deserves kudos for helping to turn the Hundred Years war in France’s favour (after a litany of French defeats - Agincourt being the most noteworthy) however France did enjoy military victories elsewhere.

The Gauls (Proto-French) sacked Rome in 387 BC and despite finally succumbing to the might of Julius Caesar enjoyed a notable victory against Rome at the Battle of Gergovia (52 BC).

Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours, turned back Arab forces in 732 AD thus saving Western Europe from the seemingly unstoppable advance of Islam.

In the post Roman Era one can also point to the military success of Charlemagne (Martel’s grandson) and his Frankish Empire although there was a strong Germanic component to his polyglot kingdom (in a way he was the first European).

French Knights were largely responsible for the success of the First Crusade (that was for all intent of purpose the only positive Holy Land Crusade in terms of meeting its intentions). French King Philips II (aka Philip Augustus) was largely successful against John I ‘Lackland’ of England (Anglo-French War of 1213–1214).

During the Thirty Years War the French defeated the Spanish at Rocroi and in an alliance with Sweden won the Battle of Battle of Zusmarshausen. France would ultimately would win territory in Alsace that was extended to include Artois, Roussilon and Perpigan following the Treaty of the Pyrenees that ended the Franco-Spanish war (1635–1659).

Louis XIV enjoyed mixed success in a series of wars (War of the Devolution, Franco-Dutch War, the Nine Years War and the War of the Spanish Succession) that did serve to expand French territorial conquests on the continents and secure Bourbon control of the Spanish throne.

The Battle of Valmy (1792) highlights French success in the time period just before Napoleon. The Republic was born two days later in the aftermath of a French win over Prussia and the Holy Roman Empire.

France celebrated several wins in her colonial wars in the 19th and 20th centuries that greatly expanded Gallic controlled territory in Northern and Western Africa, South-East Asia, Madagascar, French Guyana and several locales in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

One should also not underestimate the way the French bravely held the Germans at the First Battle of the Marne (albeit with British support) that ultimately ground the ambitious Schlieffen plan in the mud in the early days of World War I.

The French also fought with determination at Verdun to hold the line against German advances from February to October 1916. It was here that generals Joffre, Pétain and Nivelle earned their spurs. Although Pétain would tarnish his record later through his involvement with Vichy France.

French efforts in the Battle of Amiens (1918) would help bring about the end of the Great war ought to be noted. for it was here that French general Ferdinand Foch would inscribe his name in the annals of French historiography.