>>For my ears, the french r is pronounced somewhere at the root of the tongue, not the tip (like most european ones are), so it's not so distinct (or rolled, as we call the english r), but I can clearly recognize when it's pronounced.
>
>I see the difference between 'crois' and 'croissant' as 'night' and 'day' :)

Seeing it is easy. But do you hear it? :)