This essay aims at explaining why there is such a violent crisis in France now about our colonial legacy. Most people and scholars don't want to look at French colonial history, mainly African history, as a constitutional part of French national history. To look without taboo at colonial abuses is supposed to be "repentant", just because it is so difficult for most French white citizens to think of France out of our French hexagonal history. French culture (so-called French identity) results from a very complex and cosmopolitan inheritance, with our colonial past playing an important and sometimes prevalent role. This essay tries to explain why, and why it is denied.