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During the Luxembourg Crisis, Austria's Foreign Minister Count Beust proposed that Belgium gain Luxembourg and France be compensated with Belgian lands. Leopold, however, refused to cede any territory.

What if Leopold went for the deal? Perhaps it could be sweetened by France ceding a colony? France offered Cochinchina to Prussia in exchange for not having to cede Alsace-Lorraine IIRC.

France would gain the lands it lost in 1815 following the hundred days at the least I think. Alternatively, the triangle of territory between the Meuse and Sambre rivers could work. Either way, France has more coal down the line.

If Belgium gets Cochinchina, perhaps Vietnam (comprised of Tonkin and Annam) remains independent. Cambodia was put under French suzerainty in 1867, so I wonder if that transfers to Belgium or if France retains that.
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