It is difficult to tell. Have u closed? I do understand why u do consider defiant the stand they have towards the Cultures defined for a large majority of countries within the EU with a much greater sense of tolerance and a greater sense of responsability. Among the multiple examples easy to think of I very often refer to this "However, what many have in common is a greater or lesser degree of precariousness. Moreover, whatever may have been the case in the past, nowadays the threats facing these regional or minority languages are often due at least as much to the inevitably standardising influence of modern civilisation and especially of the mass media as to an unfriendly environment or a government policy of assimilation." 
It is specially true for France but as u have experienced it the least u may say is that the sense of responsability isn't what characterises them best....  when it comes to their historical responsability and obligation towards these nations. Another reference I often use is what follow, It is designed to protect and promote regional or minority languages as a threatened aspect of Europe’s cultural heritage. For this reason it not only contains a non-discrimination clause concerning the use of these languages but also provides for measures offering active support for them: the aim is to ensure, as far as reasonably possible, the use of regional or minority languages in education and the media and to permit their use in judicial and administrative settings, economic and social life and cultural activities. Only in this way can such languages be compensated, where necessary, for unfavourable conditions in the past and preserved and developed as a living facet of Europe’s cultural identity.
So, u know it's very difficult because there is a large consencus in europe about these matters, no matter what, states may have had a controversial passed but it is not about that, it is about what u can do today, NOW to change the course of these terrible policies of the passed to build a better future. The french aren't the only one to be an obstacle but yes they do everything they can I mean the state for these rights to fail. In that regard I do understand u consider it defiant.