Short answers, pulled from the story.
French house is a subgenre of house music that emerged from Parisian discothèques in the late 1970s. The genre relies heavily on filter and phaser effects applied to samples from late 1970s and early 1980s European disco tracks.
Commercial success arrived in 1997 when Daft Punk, Cassius, and Stardust gained international attention. Their debut releases featured music videos directed by Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, and Alex & Martin.
Thomas Bangalter launched his Roulé label with some of the earliest examples of French house tracks. Motorbass released their seminal album Pansoul in 1996 using largely sampled and filtered loops.
These filters create a signature sound that distinguishes the style from other forms of house music. Original hooks inspired by the samples provide thicker harmonic foundations than earlier genres.
Over time most successful acts evolved their style away from the established French Touch sound. Variations and mutations naturally followed as producers experimented with new textures and rhythms.