I am hoping David or one of the ex-pats can answer this one or point me to the regulations or similar.
What is the law on Pedestrians? We have all seen the signs at the entrance to a village saying things like 3 crossings ahead. When should you stop and when is it ok to ignore the poor harrassed woman with 3 kids?
This week. I was in Evreaux centre and as I came round a bend there was a woman waiting to cross the road. I stopped and beckoned her out and was overtaken by a car blowing his horn. She jumped back and then gave me a bollocking for stopping 
It just seems very selfish of drivers in France over the uncontrolled crossings
I personally dont stop if they are on the kerb,only stop if they are on the crossing .
I was always told not to stop so as to avoid exactly that situation, an overtaking vehicle running someone down that you have innocently encouraged to cross. This was brought home to me many years ago when I stopped in St. Omer for a couple of kids and saw to my horror a car overtaking at speed. I hung on the airhorn until they stopped, inches short of death.
However, remarking on the differences to my instructor on my FCOS day on the road he replied ‘it is the law here also’. 
So, damned if you do ( and maybe traumatised for life 
) and damned if you don’t (and maybe a few euros lighter ).
French road laws only apply to British lorry drivers, the French have no requirement to obey them 
code of the route states that unless the pedestrian is already on the road you have no obligation to stop, however if they in motion to the crossing ie foot out ready to land you are obliged to stop, this doesnt count on crossings where the pedestrians have a traffic light of their own, in that case if their light is red and they attempt to cross and you hit them, in law they are in the wrong… Best thing to do is unless you are 250 per cent sure that its safe dont stop out of courtesy just when youre obliged to.
Mel