Maybe it's completely different in the south, but I find that Germans tend to overdo it in the sauce/dressing department.
it's the only country where I've ever had trouble avoiding meat. Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
On the other hand, last year in Southern France I asked in a very nice looking restaurant if they could/would make me a vegetable plate and they did. It turned out to be one of the best I ever had, barbequed vegetables with rosmary potatoes, and herbes de Provences, just heavenly. :-)
Where as in Germany, to my experience the main ingredient in a salad is vegetables and greens, sometime with mushrooms. They use a much bigger variety of vegetables to make salads from, than the French.
Many places I know over the border in German have become very creative with vegetarian dishes, so it is nice to go eat there. This is still not the case in France.
Switzerland is usually no problem to eat vegetarian. Vegetarian restaurants are a success here and often it is difficult to get a reservation. Some of the nice regular restaurants now also over menu surprise for vegetarians, really creative and delicious.
For a few years there was also a vegetarian restaurant in the black forest, which was a temple for the gourmets - he offert like 12 course menues, all with out meat. You had to make reservation like 6 months in advance.
