ABSTRACT
As an independent nuclear power, France never challenged its solidarity with its North Atlantic Treaty allies, and from the beginning it was (and remains) a key player in NATO defense strategy. Nevertheless, dating back to World War II and its aftermath, France has always underlined its particular path, in the scientific field (as a pioneer in the nuclear energy discoveries), in the diplomatic field (notably as a permanent member of the UN Security Council) and in the strategic field, with its concept of vital interests (not to say the all-azimuts strategy) and the rejection of some key NATO doctrines (the New Look and the Flexible Response). Concerning the NPT, France adopted a very paradoxical attitude during the Cold War: on the one hand, a political will to remain outside the treaty, but, on the other hand, the involvement to implement the treaty. In this matter the end of the Cold War, together with the beginning of the Second Nuclear Age, was a turning point, prompting France to ratify the NPT.
