Just my impressions, the French passion is for ideas and abstraction, even in French cooking you have the sauce carefully made with perfect techique and artisinal skill which captures the "essence," the idea of its ingredients. For me it is the country which most exemplifies the beauty and pleasure which come from perfecting skill and continuing tradition, the pleasure of something said exactly right, a person dressed well. The country of perfect taste.
It is a fertile place for art because the society respects creativity and artistic work as a necessity of life. But also aside from their very fixed ideas of taste, the French do not have the same tragic sense of fate as other countries, so perhaps it is a bit freer, lighter to work there. They can be quite cynical but this is different.
For instance the Spanish constantly fight against death. Mia mentioned duende post, this is not a characteristic associated with the French. 

French passion is simultaneously broad and precise, deep and shallow, overwhelming and restrained, predictable and unpredictable, serious but light.

This is what’s so disappointing in French lovers, they make you feel life is so big through mastering the little details of your story. They will sweep you off your feet but in an esthetical way that controls the air, the atmosphere, the dinner table and every ingredient. You will always be the love of their life but be assured that their love of the game of flirting will make it nearly impossible.

Good question about its effect on art, Arthur, I must think about it.