I actually spent about 10 minutes thinking about your question this morning, staceyv. I have narrowed my personal reasons down to two:
(1) At least half of all the French-language films I've ever watched sexualizes underage kids. It's like their directors can't make it through 2 hours of footage without lovingly filming a 12-year old with erect nipples, partially nude, showering with her schoolgirl friend, or at least hinting at prepubescent sexuality. For me, it goes beyond creepy, but it seems to be widely accepted as long as the director is French. The most mainstream example is Luc Besson's "Leon" a.k.a. "The Professional". It's a beautifully shot film, which means that critics call the sensual way the camera moves over Natalie Portman (age 10 or 12 or so) "art", not kiddie porn. Lock up the pervs and there would be no French cinema that didn't feature those stupid fucking street puppets. (imo)
(2) Pierre Capretz, whose bug-eyed, tousled-hair narration of
French In Action was permanently etched into my brain throughout high school and college. Great course, frightening dreams at night. This picture does him too much justice -- the man's actually quite insane.