Search results
People also ask
Who are the famous people of France?
Who is the most famous French person in history?
Who are some famous French artists?
Who is the most famous French designer?
Mar 14, 2022 · Who are the most famous French in history? When you think of famous French people in history, the following come to mind: Napoleon Bonaparte (famous military leader), Joan of Arc (famous French heroine), and Louis XIV (known as France’s most famous king).
- How We Structured This Guide on The Most Famous French People
- Famous French People in Fashion
- Famous French People in Arts
- Famous French People in Performing Arts
- Famous French People in Literature
- Famous French People in Politics
- Famous French People in Science
- Famous French People in Sports
- Famous French People in Music
- More Famous People from France
We divided this article into categories, like people in fashion, literature, performing arts, etc., so you can easily browse it. Still, we are well aware it is far from complete, so if you think of a French celebrity you believe should be on this list, please drop their names below. Further out, take your time and enjoy it!
1. Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chane, born on August 19, 1883, was a renowned French designer and the founder of the high-end fashion brandChanel. She revolutionized woman’s fashion with her sporty, casual design, quickly replacing the cinched waist look that had been dominant for many years. She later began exploring jewelry, handbags, and fragrance design. Her most well-known scent is Chanel No.5, which remains her signature fragrance, and the little black dress. Since the roaring 1920s, Chanel’s...
2. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton’s designs became popular amongst the elite during the reign of Napoleon III. Napoleon commissioned Louis to create special luggage for his wife to pack and transport her “fashions.” Vuitton jumped at the opportunity and soon became well-known among the elite of France, designing and creating fashionable, durable, and luxurious suitcases. French designer Louis Vuitton (1821-1892) founded his namesake label in 1854, producing high-quality leather and classic pieces. What started a...
3. Constance Jablonski
The French modelConstance Jablonski was born on April 17, 1991, in Lille, France. Her birthnames are Constance Marie Jeanine Jablonski. Jablonski’s career kicked off in 2006 after entering the French Elite Model Look Contest 2006. Jablonski is best known for being an international model and has appeared in Victoria’s Secret Fashion shows from 2010 to 2015. In 2010 she became one of the faces of Estée Lauder 2010. In addition, she appeared on the catwalk for many notable designers, both Ready...
4. Claude Monet
Oscar-Claude Monet was one of the most famous French painters of his time. This prominent artist was the founder of impressionist painting, which many consider a crucial precursor to modernism, especially in his approach to painting nature as his brilliant mind perceived it. He passed on December 5, 1925. Interestingly, Claude Monet received his first drawing lessons from Jacques-François Ochard, a previous art student of Jacques-Louis David. Monet was exceptionally skilled in Plein airor out...
5. Jean Reno
The well-known Jean Reno is a famous French actorwho has appeared in French and English films. He began his career at 17 by studying acting at a drama school and started with small acting roles before collaborating with director Luc Besson which was the beginning of Reno’s success story. Reno’s acting career began in French films, with two of his greatest performances in Les Visiteurs (1993) and L’Enquète Corse (2004), for which he received great recognition. However, he also starred in highl...
6. Brigitte Bardot
Bardot is one of the most famous French actressesand hands down one of the most famous French people of all time. Born in 1934, Brigitte Bardot was first encouraged to take up singing and dancing, and at the age of 15, she started modeling, including an appearance in the Elle French magazine. Brigitte Bardot’s first film appearance was in 1952, and she didn’t wait long to start acting in American films, the first being 1953’s Act of Love. Today Bridgitte Bardot is most well-known for her role...
7. Catherine Deneuve
In 1943, Catherine Deneuve was born to two actors, and she didn’t wait long to make her first appearance in a film. At 14, this french actress played her first movie part and has had many minor film roles since. However, in 1963 she got a more significant role in a film, and in the following year played a role she is well known for in the film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. In addition to her role in The Umbrellas, Catherine has famous roles in Belle de Jour and the 2002 film Eight Women.
8. Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir was an existentialist philosopher, writer, and feminist activist. Even though she didn’t hold the right credentials to be labeled a philosopher, her tremendous influence on feminist existentialism and feminist theory cannot be denied. Some of her best-published works include The Second Sex (1949), She Came to Stay (1943), and The Mandarins (1954). However, her memoirs are the most persistent and even influence the feminist activists of today. Her first volume, Mémoires d’un...
9. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, born June 29, 1900, is a man with an interesting combination of expertise, writing, and aviation, while also dabbling in poetry and journalism. He was granted the most prestigious French literary awards and the United States National Book Award. He is mostly recognized for his novel The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince). Still, his aviator experience inspired his writings Wind, Sand and Stars, and Night Flight. Since its initial release, The Little Prince has been tran...
10. Jules Verne
Jules Verne was a novelist, poet, and playwright that impacted the world with his captivating tales. His most famous works include (1872) Around the World in Eighty Days, (1870)Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, and the 1864 Journey to the Center of the Earth. He’s also released several plays, short stories, poetry, and songs that have received high recognition. His name has been placed in high standings amongst other greats such as Agatha Christie and William Shakespeare. In addition, h...
14. Napoleon Bonaparte
One of the most famous people from France, Napoleon Bonaparte (born August 15, 1769), was a charismatic political leader and military commander that drove people’s courage and captured their hearts. He was a French military general and statesman that played a significant part in the French Revolution (1789 – 1799). Napoleon was issued the position of the first consul; however, he later disbanded the Consulate and reinstated himself as the Emperor of France. He memorably changed the country du...
15. Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was initially a French army officer, leading Free France against Germany during World War II. He later entered the world of politics when he became the leader of the (1944 – 1946) Provisional Government of the French Republic. However, his political influence didn’t end there. In 1958, he was appointed President of the Council of Ministers, in other words, Prime Minister. Later that same year, he was voted President of France, and he kept that position til...
16. Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette became the queen of France (1774 – 1793) when her husband ascended the throne as King Louis XVI. Her lavish spending sprees moved the people to reject her reign, which stirred the pot leading to the French Revolution. The most iconic saying amongst famous French people, “Let them eat cake,” displays an obliviousness to the poor conditions of her subjects during that period. However, Marie Antoinette’s life completely changed when the revolution overthrew the monarchy. The roy...
18. Marie Curie
Marie Salomea Skłodowska–Curie, a Polish and naturalized-French physicist, is an incredible individual within the world of science. She specializes in physics and chemistry and is renowned for her research on radioactivity. Some of her discoveries and inventions include the treatment of neoplasms, using radioactive isotopes, and developing mobile radiography units during World War I. She was a woman of many firsts, such as the first lady to receive a Nobel Prize and the first person and only...
19. Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur, born on December 27, 1822, is a remarkable man that saved millions of lives through his microbiology research. As a result, countless people recognized his outstanding achievements in this field, and he received the label “father of bacteriology,” which listed him amongst other famous French people of great scientific prowess. He is famous for his discoveries of the principles of microbial fermentation, vaccination, and pasteurization (named after him). Some of his other findin...
20. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Yazid Zidane, a famous football manager, also had a football career as a midfielder. His most recent role in football was coaching Real Madrid, a Spanish football club. He has constantly been commended for his skill and practice, and his achievements prove this fact. As a player, he achieved great successes, and to name only a few, winning the 1998 Ballon d’Or and being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003. He has expressed many times the desire to coach young...
21. Thierry Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry is a professional football coach and player. He began his career in 1994 when he joined Monaco before signing with defending Serie A champions Juventus. Henry kept climbing up the ranks till Thierry got a signing with the Premier League club, Arsenal. He also represented his country France during world cups and tournaments. Thierry is one of the greatest strikers and best players in the Premier League. His top achievements include winning FIFA World Player of the Year (20...
22. Edith Piaf
Edith Piaf is a French singer proclaimed one of the most beloved performers of the 20th century. She specializes in chanson réaliste and beautiful torch ballads about love, loss, and sorrow, correlating to the trials of her own life. Since her passing in 1963, her inspiring story has been retold through several biographies and films, including 2007’s La Vie en rose. Her mother abandoned her after birth, but her father carried Edith to his mother’s brothel. Her first public debut as a singer a...
23. Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy is a French composer that sought to revolutionize music with his unique style, consisting of Russian and Far Eastern music. This combination formulated a new style of harmony and orchestral coloring. However, with most revolutionary ideas, the other musicians surrounding him, including his professors, didn’t easily welcome his new inspiration. His brilliant mind was recognized even from a young age. He was accepted into France’s leading music college at 10 years old. His compos...
24. Joan of Arc
Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) is a glorious heroine and an inspiration to all women worldwide. Being only a peasant girl, she guided the French army to a glorious victory at Orléans in 1429. Her drastic courage was fueled by her belief in being under the guidance of divinity. She was a Catholic with the utmost devotion. She surmised that her conquests were guided by the voices of St. Michael, St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Catherine of Alexandria. With the combined wisdom of these individuals,...
25. Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel was a French civil engineer credited with many successful projects, many of them still standing today. Some of his greatest creations include the Garabit Viaduct, a French railway network, and the beloved Eiffel Tower, which was named after him. He also contributed to constructing the Statue of Liberty in New York. The Eiffel Tower is his most memorable achievement. Gustave Eiffel stated that the tower was to be a symbol for various historical events such as the art of modern e...
- Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821) Born in Corsica to a minor Italian noble family, a man named Napoleon Bonaparte rose quickly through the ranks of the French Army.
- Joan of Arc (1412 – 1431) In the midst of the 100 years’ war between England and France, a young maid named Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) would become the woman to capture the imagination of France.
- Marie Curie (1867 – 1934) Marie Sklodowska moved to Paris as a young woman, which is where she met her husband, a French physicist named Pierre Curie.
- René Descartes (1596 – 1650) René Descartes was a famous French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist who invented analytical geometry, linking the previously separate fields of geometry and algebra.
- Chanel. Coco became interested in fashion when she was about 18 years old. It all began in 1909. She was the mistress of a businessman named Étienne Balsan at the time, who helped her launch a hat-making firm in Paris in 1910.
- Dior. Christian Dior was born in Granville, a small town on France’s Normandy coast, in 1905. As a child, he was always interested in art and aspired to be an architect.
- Rene Lacoste. When a well-known tennis player becomes a designer, the public expects something genuinely exceptional, which is exactly what we got with Lacoste.
- Yves Saint Laurent. This French designer dubbed the “King of Fashion” for a reason, has revolutionized the fashion world. He has done it all, from setting ground-breaking trends like the introduction of the tuxedo suit for women to using non-white models.
- Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885) Victor-Marie Hugo famously known as Victor Hugo is one of the most important people in French history and the literary world.
- Charles de Gaulle (1890 – 1970) Charles de Gaulle, born Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle, was a French army officer and one of the most prominent French historical figures.
- Marie Antoinette (1755 – 1793) When mentioning famous French people in history, one cannot forget Marie Antoinette even though she didn’t leave behind the best reputation.
- Gustave Eiffel (1832 – 1923) One of the most iconic attractions that France is synonymous with is the Eiffel Tower and the engineer behind this world-famous structure is none other than Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.
Find out more about the greatest French people, including André the Giant, Zinedine Zidane, Emmanuel Macron, Karl Marx and Arsène Wenger. The Famous People Lists
Famous French people. A list of famous French people from Joan d’ Arc to Zinedine Zidane.
