There is still something wrong here: if french users use (setq org-export-smart-quotes-alist t) and do not use \usepackage[french]{babel}, the quotes will not be very smart, they will disappear.
I suggest having an option for the babel package: when a string (equal org-latex-use-package-babel "french"), it will trigger the insertion of \usepackage[french]{babel} in the header. When an alist, it will trigger the insertion of \usepackage... depending on the current language. I think {babel} is common enough to deserve its own option, but maybe I'm overrating its use. Nicolas, what do you think? -- Bastien