Why do people in France ride bikes more than the people in the us?

It's a question of scale, infra structure and attitude. France (as most of Europe) is more densely populated, so the distances people need to travel between work and home is generally shorter, making it easier to use a bike. Next is the type of roads/road speeds that dominates, with what's found in France is more suited for mixed use. Third is attitude. Bicycle riding is pretty much a national sport in france, almost as popular as soccer/football. This make car drivers much more forgiving and tolerant of bike riders, as opposed to the US where car drivers often are outright hostile.