If that's the case then I wouldn't bother, black can avoid the gambit on several moves (like playing 3 ... Nc6 or c5, or even 7 ... Be7.) and you will have to continue to memorize and study responses to all sorts of deviations. Playing something more simple like the Monte Carlo will be likely to give you better results.
But, just be sure to find something you enjoy, because that is what's really important. :)
Here's a solid, simple way to play against the French. You'll want to look into these lines in some detail, but the general ideas are pretty straight-forward.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
...Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 (Be7 5.e5 Nd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 etc.) 5.exd5
or
...Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3
Also, that's from memory with no board, hopefully I didn't jack up some coordinates or move orders or something. Also, very shallow, meant to just give you some ideas of ways to play to look into.
I'm quite surprised that you can play 3. Nc3 (which I considered to be the most theoretical of the three main moves vs the french) with so little theory knowledge. But the lines suggested by DunnoItAll may be the best overall in quality/time.
3. e5 or 3. Nd2 or some 3. Nc3 alternatives may be a tiny bit stronger but you'll have to know 10x as much theory (no exaggeration) or play some "ugly" positions after 3.e5
If you don't like the positions he suggested and want to play some 3.e5 position with active play instead, you can try the "modern" version of the Milner-Barry gambit (Nbd2 instead of Nxd4). It's still not very solid but at least not borderline lost like the original gambit (and will catch your opponents by surprise).
@shuboombox #1
One option is to study the KIA, the King's Indian Attack.
Used to be one of Bobby Fischer's favorite.
Here's an splendid game by Fischer with the KIA, with a brilliant finish :
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044267Here's a game collection :
"Bobby Fischer Wins With The King's Indian Attack"
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1017725 Forgot to mention : KIA can also be played against Caro-Kann, and possibly against other options as well.
Years ago there was a 2200+ rated player in the area where I lived, and he always played 1.d2d3 as white, followed by a KIA setup :D
Just play 3. Nc3 and you'll find that most opponents don't know anything about the French either.
For example, I've won a bunch of games after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 c5? 8. Nb5 winning an exchange (or getting a knight to d6 with check if black refuses to admit his error and give some material).
Some opponents will even premove 4. ... Nfd7??, which is obviously a terrible idea...
3 ... c5?! is another popular bad (or at least dubious) move here on Lichess... ;)
Also, as DunnoItAll suggested, you can always transpose back into the exchange variation against those lines you otherwise struggle with - although you should of course be ashamed of playing the French Exchange. ;)
The King's Indian Attack with 2. d3 is a good "Anti-French" system and can be pretty fun if your opponent allows you to build a k-side attack with e5, Re1, h4, Nbd2-f1-h2 etc. - but ofc your opponent can do all sorts of things to prevent that (like an early dxe4, an early e5 or delaying castling), and then you often just get an equal position.
Also, learning an opening system rather than a specific line can get you into the habit of playing the same moves all the time and more or less ignoring what your opponent does, which is ofc not good idea.
Anyway, I don't think you need to fear your opponents' opening preparation on Lichess. Had you spent the time you needed to write your post and read all the answers on playing around with the opening explorer or reading the wikipedia / wikibooks article - you would be already better prepared than 99% of your opponents. ;)
In the lines I'm suggesting trading, it is advantageous to trade. For instance, in the Winawer line, once black's bishop is on b4, trading pawns demonstrates that the bishop is misplaced on b4. This is why I don't advocate just playing the straight up exchange variation. It's a transposition to a terrible version of the exchange variation for black, and there's no shame in that for white.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6
5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 Be6
9. c3 Nbd7 10. Nbd2
I was talking about something like this. Both sides are fair. Not really anything special for white looks pretty equal but should not lose immediately. Maybe the goal should be not losing quick? Not sure but that is how I play most of the time.
@dunnoitall it isn't an unfavourable line for blacks as whites don't want their knight on c3 in a lot of lines, in my opinion it should still result in the same way as a simple exchange.
I'll agree to disagree with that statement. Also, I will add a point not mentioned yet, which is that at the very least that position is not symmetrical like the pure exchange variation. There's at least the mentioned difference in the position to play off of. It is a) wildly more interesting than the exchange variation both tactically and strategically, b) still advantageous for white imo.
