Possible Clues:

• A French subordinate's ultimatum?
• One gets minus
• Save for minus one
• If ...not
• With the exception of this, it might be 19 down in France
• If not overcast, going topless?
• Minus one in France
• If not without cakes, perhaps, remove topping
• Except for this, it's minus one in France
• Except under the circumstances of this being minus one in France