There was a great revival of traditional/folk French music in the 1970's - much played on the Accordéon Diatonique and usually a Fiddler playing along! 

Stéphane Delicq's music has a way of transporting listeners to a dream utopia.  He was considered "The King of The Asymmetrical Waltz", but this is the only video I could find of him actually playing - watch/listen to how great the CELLO sounds, too!

@Ilona - Think you'll like the CELLO in this video, especially at 5:26!

A slower, sexy type of Mazurka developed in France. 

Don't know if I posted this elsewhere, but I learned Stéphane Delicq's "La Femme de Marbre Mazurka", early in my playing - to help me get used to playing on my lower strings (C & G). 

Btw, Stéphane Delicq is one of my favorite composer/artists of the Diatonic Button Accordion, and I've been listening to his music for a few years, now.  He died in 2010, just before 60 - left many beautiful compositions, turning Trad/Folk into magic - "he created intimacy on a floor of 200 people". (Anna Novikova)

Think I eluded to some of the complex waltz structures I read about at Wikipedia - in the "Valse" Nordic thread.  Amazing to find 5/4, 8/4 & 11/4 and even higher metres in Eastern France! 

This music is heard & danced to at "Balfolk" events, they differ from traditional Folkdance groups, according to Wikipedia: 

Traditional folk dances have more extensive choreographies and may be danced with traditional clothing. The preservation and/or presentation of a tradition is important here. Music is sometimes played live, sometimes pre-recorded. The audience sits down and watches the dancers perform their choreographies.

Dances of bal folk are generally based on simple traditional choreographies and have an easy base so everyone can easily start with it. Refined movements are not the main concern, improvisation is more common. Often, the music has modern influences. Music is played by live bands. The audience is on the dance floor, dancing to the live music. 

Parts of a Balfolk:

Initiation / Dance Workshop: A Balfolk may include one or more workshops for Beginners or intermediates shortly before the real Bal commences. Often the workshops are also accompanied by live music.

Bal: One or more Folk musicians or Folk music groups play for dancing. Unlike some other dancing events, it is unusual to dance with a permanent dance partner. One of the characteristics of Balfolk is that the participants range from the very young to the very old.

Balfolk are popular in a few other Countries, including the Netherlands and at least 1 big one in Canada (Quebec).

...I need to learn more of these!

- E