Manti,
"I can't really recall a war in which the French did very well..."
Well let's try these for size:
Norman Conquest
100 Years War (vs England)
30 Years War (vs Spain)
War of Spanish Succession
War of Polish Succession (vs Austria)
War of Autrian Succession
American Revolutionary War
French Revolutionary War
Crimean War
World War I
World War II (ultimately)
This does not include the numerous Wars that made up the Napoleonic Wars from 1801 to 1812.
This pretty much balances out their losses which would include:
7 Years War (lost to Great Britain and Prussia)
The later Napoleonic Wars (from 1812-1814 and again 1815)
Franco-Prussian War
Indo-China War
Algerian War
Like the US and Great Britain they have fought and won/lost a number of "small" imperialistic wars in Africa, Middle East, Asia, North America and South America.
David I