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Regarding the seatpost, from my Sutherland's Manual:
"Tubing inside diameters vary so much from maker to maker that no size listed can be considered correct until actually tried in a bicycle."
French Seatpost Sizes (note: Older French bikes had 28.0mm seat tubes which is smaller than the more common 28.6. Therefore it stands to reason the seatposts would be smaller.
French
(Common Tubing) 25.0, 25.5, 25.8, 26.0
(Quality Tubing, Plain Guage) 26.2
(Butted) 26.4, 26.6
Specs from my Sutherland's Manual as well.
Definitely don't spend any effort trying to hunt down replacement parts unless you're into a true restoration. As has been pointed out, French specs are not your common, interchangeable specs. That includes stem and bar diameter, and threading.
Don't replace the chain or gears; I see tons of bikes that vintage rolling fine, because the parts wore together.
As has been mentioned, the best way to improve braking is to replace the steel rims with aluminum. Many of those older bikes had textured rim walls to attempt to improve steel rim braking. Works well enough in the dry, not in the wet.
Mafac brake pads wear real quick. FYI.
I wouldn't change a thing on that bike except fix that slipping post.
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