Gather your ingredients. Slice your large onions. Melt 1/2 cup butter in large stock pot. When the butter is melted, add the onions, sprigs of thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper and garlic. At medium heat, cook the ingredients until the onions are caramelized about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once the onions are caramelized, remove the thyme sprigs and the bay leaves. Add one cup of wine, reduce the heat. Cook approximately five minutes until the wine has cooked away. Add the three heaping tablespoons of flour and two teaspoons sugar, stir into onion mixture and cook about ten minutes. Add the beef broth and simmer an additional ten minutes. When you're ready to serve, slice the French bread, butter each slice on both sides. Toast the bread under a broiler lightly. Spoon the soup into your bowl, top with toasted French Bread and sprinkle the shredded cheese over top the toast and soup. Place under a broiler until the cheese has melted and has slightly browned. Enjoy!