Scenario one: the navy evacuates and fights on

In the first branch, the navy evacuates metropolitan France while French forces already overseas continue the war. North Africa becomes the natural hub because the strongest French naval and military presence is already there and Toulon-based ships can fall back to its ports. A concentrated, motivated naval force would also make North African authorities more likely to align with Free France. That alignment removes the later need for Operation Torch and lets the French hold the western Mediterranean from their own infrastructure.