What is it that the French think their food is so special!

I have lived in France for over 10 years.
I consider myself a Francophile ( soon to be a criminal offence in the UK if Farage(Faridge!) Gets into power! )

But why do the French think their food is the best? When my family arrived you could still go to a small restaurant or even better a relais routier and get the meal of your life for a few Francs

Now you have to pay a fortune for the blandest dish possible. The much maligned English dishes have a lot in common with French dishes, most are the same apart from their names. This was until the war and rationing, same dishes but shit or no ingredients.

Small farmers need the help of restaurateurs, but here in my little corner of France they serve up bland cheap  ingredients with at the highest profit margin and no imagination. If McDo threatens to come to town they all protest, but if one or two used the wealth of local ingredients without charging Michelin prices perhaps more tables would be full. France has forgotten or  is just resting on past Glories . Until they realise this McDonald's will be the winner.