The French never wanted the UK to join in the first place and if truth be told they wanted us out .. not out of spite but for practical reasons in that we are more useful to them as we are now. The main issue is that our presence in the EU destabilised it, The Common market and what is now the EU was and is all about keeping Germany under control . In that context we are more useful (to France at least) by being in the background and probably more beneficial for the UK .. So far as the EU (and France) is concerned The Republic of Ireland is just an appendage and an inconvenient one at that. In real terms the UK and France are allies and it easier for both to maintain that relationship without the EU bureaucrats poking their noses in.