In the years after the murderous terror attacks of November 13th 2015 the resulting "civil war" and "mass revenge", predicted by some, failed to materialise, but France cannot be complacent or too optimistic given the challenges ahead, writes John Lichfield.

Ten years, already.

Thursday, November 13th, will be the anniversary of the Bataclan and related killings, the most murderous terrorist event in French history.

A decade later, despite the marathon trial of the surviving attackers in 2021-2022, the slaughter of 131 people sitting in bars or watching a rock band, remains as unfathomable as ever.

The implied target was not just “France” or “the West” but a way of life – the right to have fun, the freedom to drink with friends after work, the pleasure of dancing with str