Primarily it stems from the French's contrary nature. No matter what the rest of the world is doing they insist on doing it their way. They left the Eurofighter program and spent more money developing an inferrior aircraft that was so heavy it would crash through the deck of their carriers if it tried to land, they sold weapons technology to Iraq in violation of an embargo they helped to draft, and they still have not said "thank you" to anyone for saving their asses in World War II.
Essentially the perception is that they are a bunch of pompous windbags who come running to the very people they insult when they need something.
And it's fun.