and the hundred years' war? France and England were two of the greatest powers in the world and were enemies and rivals throughout history. They are also close neighbours. From the 1400s to the early 1800s, there have been constant wars between the two. I know Britain had a very powerful navy to defend the channel, but even before they had established themselves as a naval superpower, France never attempted to invade England. Surely there have been countlesss opportunities to transport an army across 10-12 miles of ocean (the channel), enemy fleet or not? And surely England with its powerful navy could have invaded France several times, and France with its powerful armies could have at some point during the Napoleonic wars or the 1700s or earlier passed a few thousand men quickly across the channel, and maybe fought a naval battle there before landing? Considering how long the two have been at war, and how close they are to each other, neither have made great attempts to invade each other. It should be very simple in practice... Any insight? I am aware of the Norman invasion and the Hundred Years' War, but apart from that, there are hundreds of years of history during which the two have been at war.