Exchange French with 4.c4 and Panov Attack in CK - Similarities and Differences

I am going to start using these lines against the French and Caro-Kann respectively.  Just wondering if anyone has some tips on what the key similarities and differences are to remember with the slightly different pawn structures?

The difference in pawn structures isn't only slight and it should be easy to see why.

In your French variation, white essentially plays a tempo-down QGA, and the path to equality is well-known. The CK Panov allows black a lot of different set-ups, so there are no useful general rules for white (except for the obvious 'place your pieces well').

I don't understand how that line of the French is a tempo down QGA...could you also enlighten me about the path to equality?

Just develop with sensibility. Don't go overboard. You should be fine!

DIY. Just look it up in the game explorer.It has been played often enough. See also 3.e3 e5 in the QGA.

The transposition only occurs if black takes on c4 though right?  Black doesn't need to take on c4 in this line of the French.  And I still don't see how white is a tempo down...

No one's a tempo down.

Yeah I'm still not sure what Tatzelwurm was talking about, I don't understand why you would reply to a thread if you're not willing to explain yourself properly.

Oh right that was obvious haha, but thanks for the clarification.