Not many people have had the opportunity to train in Savate or La Canne, which are both French martial arts. Depending on who you talk to or which source you cite, their origins are either from the streets and dock of France or from the ruling class. Either way you look at it, both systems take an interesting perspective on combat that is worth looking into.
Savate is sometimes called "foot fighting" but that is an unfair assessment of the system, that in it's modern form, has a fair utilization of Western Boxing skills to balance out the dynamic kicking skills. Do a search on YouTube for "Savate" and you will see some impressive fighting skills.
La Canne is, in a very rough translation, the application of the sword fighting techniques (Epee, Saber and Foil) to the stick. With it's long reach and whip-like application the La Canne is an evasive and scary weapon to face if you are not used to it.
NOTE: the following video is quite old and shows the Parisian style of Savate and La Canne; there are many "styles" of Savate and La Canne, and like many Eastern styles, they differ greatly in movement skills and emphasis.
