I thought a trigger guard like this would only be used for arctic warfare, where shooters are likely to be wearing mittens or heavy gloves:



But in Paris police carry this model everywhere. What is the point of even having that big handguard, given that the trigger is essentially unprotected from snags?

The FAMAS has a pretty stiff trigger, at least the one I shot back in the ‘80’s did. They changed to that style for winter gloves as the original trigger guard was too small for thick gloves. The AUG is the same way.

Of course the trigger sucks. It's a bull pup.

Let me qualify that further...sucked for a Bullpup!!!
I will say that it was a VERY controllable rifle in full auto, and generally easy and fun to shoot. When the semi-auto's came to the US I really wanted one just to have something no one else had...but I ended up with a Sig STgW-57 instead.

I"m seeing a big trigger guard....handguard isn't very big or unusual....

I think he's talking about the guard around the pistol grip. Although the forend on a FAMAS is a bit wide on the bottom, even wider than the wide part of an AR triangular forend (IIRC).

Right, there's no trigger guard, unless that little nub ahead of the trigger counts as something. All I see is a handguard looping up from the pistol grip to a point well in front of the trigger (and trigger nub).

Well thats not a handguard by my definition, maybe a winter trigger guard but its no handguard at all.