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France

1,966 entries quoted from the Wikipedia articles written per year for France, 1212 CE to 1962 CE. Each century below shows a sample spread across it; the year link on a line opens everything held for that year.

13th century

105 entries, 1212 CE to 1291 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 1212February 25 – The Treaty of Pont-à-Vendin is signed at Pont-à-Vendin between king Philip II of France and Ferdinand, Count of Flanders and Joan, Countess of Flanders. The treaty cedes the two captured towns of Saint-Omer and Aire-sur-la-Lys to France.Francesource
  • 1212Late June – Stephen of Cloyes led his largely juvenile Crusaders from Vendôme to Marseille. They survived by begging for food, while the vast majority seem to have been disheartened by the hardship of this journey and returned to their families. Two French merchants (Hugh the Iron and William of Posqueres) offered to take them by boat to Palestine. They were then taken to Tunisia instead of Palestine, where they were sold into slavery by the merchants.Francesource
  • 1212Bertran de Gourdon writes two coblas on doing homage to Philip II of FranceFrancesource
  • 1214February 15 – John, King of England lands with an invasion force at La Rochelle in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. He sends his half-brother William Longespée to Flanders, with money to assemble a mercenary army there. John pushes the French forces northeast from Poitou towards Paris, while Emperor Otto IV marches southwest from Flanders.Francesource
  • 1214July 27 – Battle of Bouvines: Philip II defeats an army of 25,000 German, English and Flemish soldiers led by Otto IV near Bouvines. The French forces take 9000 soldiers prisoner, including 131 knights and five counts with Count Ferdinand of Flanders, Count Renaud I of Boulogne and William Longespée among them.Francesource
  • 1215At Narbonne, Louis VIII of France ordered the destruction of the town's fortifications in response to a disagreement between Simon de Montfort and Arnaud Amalric and forced the viscount of Narbonne Aimery III of Narbonne and other authorities to swear loyalty to Simon.Francesource
  • 1215Giraut de Bornelh (or de Borneil), French troubadour (born 1138)Francesource
  • 1216November 12 – Prince Louis of France besieges Hertford Castle, held by Sir Walter de Godarville.Francesource
  • 1216Early May – Albigensian Crusade: French forces under Raymond VII, count of Toulouse, besiege Castle Beaucaire.Francesource
  • 1217September 12 and 13 – Louis VIII of France and Henry III of England, together with Henry's mother Isabella of Angoulême, Cardinal Guala and William Marshal, came to an agreement on the final Treaty of Kingston.Francesource
  • 1217September 9 – A letter is brought to Louis VIII of France from William Marshal asking for a day's truce and requesting that Hugh de Malaunay might be sent to speak with Marshal and the council. Both of these requests were granted by Louis. A parley was then fixed for September 12, and a prolongation of the truce till the 14th.Francesource
  • 1217September 22 – Papal legate issues his terms of the ratification of the Treaty of Lambeth at Merton.Francesource
  • 1217May 20 – Thomas of Perche, French nobleman (born 1195)Francesource
  • 1232Gaucher II de Châteaurenard, Count of Joigny, was given permission to rebuild the fortress Château de Châteaurenard.Francesource
  • 1232As part of the Maimonidean Controversy, rabbis of northern France, led by Yonah Gerondi and Solomon of Montpellier, issued a ban against the study of philosophy.Francesource
  • 123228 January - Peire de Montagut, Grand Master of Knights Templar (birth date unknown)Francesource
  • 1237Louis IX grants Artois to his brother Robert.Francesource
  • 1237Blacatz, Occitan troubadour (born 1165)Francesource
  • 126724 March - In a parliament held in Sainte-Chapelle, King Louis IX and his three sons declared their intention to take part in the Eighth Crusade.Francesource
  • 1267Rainier I, Lord of Cagnes (died 1314)Francesource
  • 1271Philip III of France was crowned king of France on 15 August 1271.Francesource
  • 1274Construction of Coutances Cathedral was complete.Francesource
  • 1274Philip III acquired the Lordship of Nemours from the house of Villebéon.Francesource
  • 127415 August - Robert de Sorbon, French theologian (born 1201)Francesource
  • 1291Luis de la Cerda, French noble and expatriate prince of Castile (died 1348)Francesource

14th century

59 entries, 1302 CE to 1373 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 1302July 11 – The Battle of the Golden Spurs takes place as retaliation against Flanders for the May 18 Matins of Bruges massacre. Flemish forces led by William of Jülich and Pieter de Coninck defeat the French army on the outskirts of Kortrijk in Flanders. Many French nobles (some 500 knights) are killed.Francesource
  • 1302March 4 – After learning of the rejection of the papal bull Ausculta Fili by King Philip of France, Pope Boniface VIII sends Cardinal Jean Lemoine to inform King Philip of the Pope's plans for an ecclesiastical council to control the appointment of French clergy.Francesource
  • 1302March 3 – Roger-Bernard III, French nobleman and knight (born 1243)Francesource
  • 1305June 23 – The Treaty of Athis-sur-Orge is signed between King Philip IV of France and Robert III of Flanders. The treaty was signed at Athis-sur-Orge and concluded the Franco-Flemish War, as it recognised Flemish independence as a fief, but at the cost of the cities of Lille, Douai and Béthune, which were transferred to the French crown-lands, and the paying of exorbitant fines to Philip IV.Francesource
  • 1305Philip IV of France loses the title of Philip I King of Navarre and Count of Champagne upon the death of his wife Joan I of Navarre. Philip refused to remarry after Joan's death, despite the great political and financial rewards of doing so.Francesource
  • 1305Queen of France Joan I dies in childbirth.Francesource
  • 1324March – Louis of France, second son of Charles IV of France and Marie of Luxembourg (born 1324)Francesource
  • 13393 December - England formally allied with County of Flanders. In the following months, they launched several small scale attacks on French forces in Picardy.Francesource
  • 133926 September - English King Edward III laid siege to Cambrai as part of his effort to take the throne of France.Francesource
  • 1339October - French naval forces ended their raids along the southern coast of England.Francesource
  • 133922 November - Philip VI convinced Joan of Savoy, Duchess consort of Brittany, to renounce her rights of succession to Count of Savoy in return of an annual payment.Francesource
  • 1339Blanche of Bourbon, Queen consort of Kingdom of Castile and Leon (died 1361)Francesource
  • 1345August 8 – Peter, Duke of Bourbon was appointed French commander in Gascony and bases himself at Agen.Francesource
  • 1345Late August – The Battle of Bergerac is fought between Anglo-Gascon and French forces at the town of Bergerac, Gascony resulting in an Anglo-Gascon victory. Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Derby, breaking the previous policy of cautious advance in the Hundred Years' War, struck directly at the largest French concentration, at Bergerac, surprising and defeating the French forces under Bertrand I of L'Isle-Jourdain and Henri de Montigny.Francesource
  • 1345Marie of Blois, Duchess of Anjou, Countess of Maine, Duchess of Touraine, titular Queen of Naples and Jerusalem and Countess of ProvenceFrancesource
  • 1351February – The French besiege the town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély with an army of several thousand men led by Guy II de Nesle and his deputy Arnoul d'Audrehem.Francesource
  • 1351April 1 – The Battle of Saintes between French and English forces takes place near Saint-Jean-d'Angély. The English force led by the Seneschal of Gascony, John de Cheverston and Arnaud-Amanieu are victorious, but was unable to fulfil its mission to resupply the besieged town of Saint-Jean-d'Angély.Francesource
  • 1351Arnoul d'Audrehem is captured and the French pay a heavy ransoms for his release.Francesource
  • 1351May – Joan of France, French nobleFrancesource
  • 1351L. Salembier, Petrus de Alliaco (Lille, 1886)Francesource
  • 1351June 8 – Édouard I de Beaujeu, Marshal of France, Lord of Beaujeu and MontpensierFrancesource
  • 1351August 4 – Jean de Vienne, French noblemanFrancesource
  • 13683 December – Charles VI of France (died 1422).Francesource
  • 1373April 28 – Hundred Years' War: The French re-capture most of Brittany from the English, but are unable to take Brest.Francesource
  • 1373September 9 – The French attack an isolated English corps at Oulchy, killing its captain Walter Hewitt and numerous men, and capturing several knights and squires, including Thomas Despenser, brother of the Constable of England Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester.Francesource

15th century

465 entries, 1400 CE to 1499 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 1400Unknown – Jean Froissarsete completes Froissarsete's Chronicles, a work charting the historicum events of the previous century.Francesource
  • 14064 December – Margaret, Countess of Vertus, Duchess of Brittany (died 1466)Francesource
  • 1412May – Treaty of Bourges is signed between Henry IV, of England and dukes of Berry, Bourbon and Orléans. The treaty involved ceding Aquitaine and other lands to the English throne in exchange for support in a civil war.Francesource
  • 1416Unknown - Margaret of Bourbon, Lady of Albret (born 1344)Francesource
  • 1420Unknown - Jean Fouquet, painter (died 1481)Francesource
  • 142417 August - The English army under John, Duke of Bedford win a major victory at the Battle of Verneuil over Franco-Scottish forces as part of the Hundred Years War.Francesource
  • 1429Unknown – The future Louis XI becomes Dauphin of France.Francesource
  • 143116 December – Henry VI of England is crowned King of France at Notre-Dame de ParisFrancesource
  • 14359 May – The Battle of Gerberoy is fought between France and EnglandFrancesource
  • 1440Unknown – The Praguerie rebellion breaks out against the rule of Charles VIIFrancesource
  • 144626 December Charles, Duke of Berry, Nobleman (died 1472)Francesource
  • 1449The French recapture Conches following the capture of Château de Conches-en-Ouche led by Robert de FloquesFrancesource
  • 145213 June – Jean d'Harcourt, Roman Catholic priest and bishop.Francesource
  • 1459Unknown – Jacques Morel, sculptor (born 1395)Francesource
  • 1464Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, soldier (died 1534)Francesource
  • 1470April: After the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Losecoat Field, the Earl of Warwick and Duke of Clarence land at Calais. Despite being Captain of Calais, Warwick was refused access to the stronghold and was subsequently forced to flee to Honfleur.Francesource
  • 1472Marie De Luxembourg, Saint-PolFrancesource
  • 147611 September – Louise of Savoy, regent of France (died 1531)Francesource
  • 148110 December – The Duchy of Anjou and the Provence revert to the French crown.Francesource
  • 1484November 23 – Louis, Duke of Orleans and Francis II, Duke of Brittany sign a treaty arranging the marriage of the duke's daughter, Anne of Brittany to Louis. This is contingent the annulment of the latter's marriage to Joan of France, Duchess of Berry.Francesource
  • 1486Date uncertain – Nicolas FromentFrancesource
  • 1488André Tiraqueau, jurist and politician (died 1558)Francesource
  • 1491Philippe Basiron, composer, singer and organist (born c.1449)Francesource
  • 1494November 28 – French military under Charles VIII marched on to Rome from Florence.Francesource
  • 14961 January – Charles, Count of Angoulême (born 1459)Francesource

16th century

479 entries, 1500 CE to 1599 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 1500November 11 – The Treaty of Granada is signed by Louis XII and Ferdinand II of Aragon in secret, in which they agree to partition the Kingdom of Naples between them.Francesource
  • 1503February 23 – French–Spanish Wars in Italy – Battle of Ruvo: The Spanish defeat the French.Francesource
  • 1507July 3 – King Ferdinand II of Aragon and King Louis XII of France complete their six-day summit at Savona.Francesource
  • 1510March 25 – Guillaume Postel, French linguist, diplomat and scholar (died 1581)Francesource
  • 1513October 30 - Jacques Amyot, French bishop and writer (d.1593)Francesource
  • 1518February 28 – Francis III, Duke of Brittany, Duke of Brittany (died 1536)Francesource
  • 1521Louise de Brézé, French noblewoman .(d.1577)Francesource
  • 1525August 30 – Treaty of the More was signed between Henry VIII of England and queen regent Louise of Savoy restoring relation between France and England.Francesource
  • 1528March 28 – King Francis I accepts the challenge to a duel issued by Holy Roman emperor Charles V.Francesource
  • 1531September 22- Louise of Savoy, mother of King Francis I and Marguerite of Navarre. And queen regent in 1515, 1525–1526 and 1529, during the absence of her son.(b.1476)Francesource
  • 1535May 19 – Explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail for his second voyage to North America with three ships, 110 men and Chief Donnacona's two sons (taken by Cartier during his first voyage).Francesource
  • 1539November 21 - Pierre Pithou, a lawyer and scholar, is born in Troyes, France. (d.1596)Francesource
  • 1543Jean Le Veneur, Roman Catholic cardinal, died 7 or 8 August 1543.Francesource
  • 1550Jean, Cardinal of Lorraine (born 1498)Francesource
  • 1555The French troops ransack the Couvin castellany, in Belgium.Francesource
  • 1556October 18 – Charles I, Duke of Elbeuf, nobleman (died 1605)Francesource
  • 1560December 6 – Charles IX of France succeeds his elder brother, Francis II, at the age of ten.Francesource
  • 1563December 29 – Sebastian Castellio, Calvinist preacher and theologian (born 1515)Francesource
  • 156811 February – Honoré d'Urfé, novelist (d.1625).Francesource
  • 1573Apr 30 - The spire of Beauvais Cathedral, France, which made it the tallest human-made monument in the world at the time, collapses (never rebuilt)Francesource
  • 1577January 23 – Nicolas of Lorraine, Duke of Mercœur (b.1524).Francesource
  • 1585Les Quatre premiers livres des navigations et pérégrinations en la Turquie (1568 by Nicolas de Nicolaÿ), is translated to English by Thomas Washington (translation published as The Nauigations into Turkie)Francesource
  • 1588Marin Mersenne, theologian, mathematician and music theorist (d.1648)Francesource
  • 1593July 31 – Three-month truce was signed at la Villette between the king and the League. One by one, towns rally to the king.Francesource
  • 15955 June – Battle of Fontaine-FrançaiseFrancesource

17th century

379 entries, 1600 CE to 1699 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 1600August- King Henry IV declares war on Charles Emmanuel of Savoy and shortly after the French army invaded Savoy starting the Franco-Savoyard War of 1600–1601.Francesource
  • 1604Henry IV advances Parisian development, working on projects like the Louvre and Place Royale.Francesource
  • 160717 May 17 – Anna d'Este, princess (born 1531)Francesource
  • 1610May 14 – King Henry IV of France, assassinated (born 1553)Francesource
  • 161527 March – Margaret of Valois, dowager queen of France (born 1553)Francesource
  • 1621May – Huguenot rebellions: Capture of Saumur by Louis XIII.Francesource
  • 162410 June – Treaty of Compiègne is signed between the Kingdom of France and the Dutch Republic.Francesource
  • 1625September – Recovery of Ré islandFrancesource
  • 163029 April – Agrippa d'Aubigné, poet, soldier and chronicler (born 1552)Francesource
  • 163229 March – The Treaty of Saint-Germain is signed, returning Quebec to French control after the English had seized it in 1629.Francesource
  • 1633February 25 – Arrest of Charles de L'Aubespine, Keeper of the Seals of France; he is imprisoned at Angoulême. On the same day his friend François de Rochechouart, chevalier de Jars, is imprisoned in the Bastille.Francesource
  • 1634March 26 – Giorgio Bolognetti is appointed Apostolic Nuncio to France.Francesource
  • 16371 June – Royal troops, commanded by the Duke of Valette suppresses the Croquant revolt, resulting in over 1,000 deaths.Francesource
  • 1639November – Jesuit settlement of Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in New France established by Fathers Jérôme Lalemant and Jean de Brébeuf.Francesource
  • 1639Before December 22 – Georges de La Tour becomes painter in ordinary to the king.Francesource
  • 1644October 1 – Alessandro Stradella, Italian composer (died 1682)Francesource
  • 1646The Quiberet fountain is built in AnnecyFrancesource
  • 164911 March – signing of the Peace of RueilFrancesource
  • 165921 May – France, the Commonwealth of England, and the Dutch Republic sign the Concert of The Hague.Francesource
  • 1665Colonisation of Réunion begins with the French East India Company sending twenty settlers.Francesource
  • 166726 June – Louis XIV conquers Tournai.Francesource
  • 16721672 to 1678 – the Franco-Dutch WarFrancesource
  • 1677August – The guild of the Maitresses bouquetieres is founded in Paris.Francesource
  • 1682Construction of the Canal de la Bruche startedFrancesource
  • 16913 April - Jean Petitot, painter (born 1607)Francesource

18th century

233 entries, 1700 CE to 1799 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 170015 November – Louis XIV of France accepts the Spanish crown on behalf of his grandson Philip of Anjou of the House of Bourbon, who becomes Philip V of Spain (in accordance with the will of Charles II of Spain), thus triggering the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714).Francesource
  • 170526 February – A French Navy fleet of 18 warships, commanded by Admiral Desjean, the Baron de Pointis arrives in the Bay of Gibraltar to aid the French and Spanish attempt to retake Gibraltar from BritainFrancesource
  • 17119 August–12 September – Siege of Bouchain (War of the Spanish Succession): the Duke of Marlborough breaks through the French lines.Francesource
  • 17147 March – The Treaty of Rastatt, between France and AustriaFrancesource
  • 1719August 19 – San Sebastian surrenders to Berwick. Local leaders petition for the surrounding province to be annexed to France, but is later returned to Spain at the Treaty of The HagueFrancesource
  • 172516 September – The Treaty of Hanover is signed between Great Britain, France and Prussia.Francesource
  • 1737March 16 – In Paris, representatives sign an armistice bringing an end to the Spanish–Portuguese War (1735–1737).Francesource
  • 1743The Moët & Chandon champagne house is established by Claude Moët in Épernay as Moët et Cie.Francesource
  • 174818 October – War of the Austrian Succession: The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle is signed to end the war. Great Britain obtains Madras, in India, from France, in exchange for the fortress of Louisbourg in Canada.Francesource
  • 175128 June – The first volume of Diderot and d'Alembert's Encyclopédie (Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers) is published, notably including a map of their figurative system of human knowledge.Francesource
  • 17571 May – France and Austria sign a second Treaty of Versailles, committing France to sending an additional 105,000 troops to the war against Prussia, and to pay expenses to Austria at the rate of 12 million florins annually.Francesource
  • 17595 September & 28 October – Regulations issued for the production of printed cotton fabrics in the kingdom, permitting Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf to set up a manufactory in Jouy-en-Josas for the production of toile de JouyFrancesource
  • 1762Tassinari et Chatel, Lyon silk weavers, establishedFrancesource
  • 1764Carthusian monks at Grande Chartreuse perfect a commercial recipe for Chartreuse (liqueur).Francesource
  • 176724 November – Ernelinde, princesse de Norvège, a three-act operatic tragédie lyrique, composed by François-André Danican Philidor, was first performed by the Paris Opera at the Salle des Machines in the Palais des Tuileries in Paris.Francesource
  • 176923 October – Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot demonstrates a steam-powered artillery tractor (or 'automobile').Francesource
  • 177016 May – 14-year-old Marie Antoinette of Austria marries Louis-Auguste (who in 1774 becomes King Louis XVI) at the Palace of VersaillesFrancesource
  • 1773Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau proposes the use of "muriatic acid gas" (hydrogen chloride) for fumigation of buildings.Francesource
  • 1778Société royale de médecine established by a decree of King Louis XVI.Francesource
  • 178321 November First manned hot air balloon flightFrancesource
  • 17887 June - Riots broke out in Grenoble, the Day of the Tiles.Francesource
  • 179116–18 May – Elections begin; Robespierre proposes and carries the motion that no deputy who sat in the Constituent assembly can sit in the succeeding Legislative assembly.Francesource
  • 179210 August – French Revolution: Insurrection of 10 August 1792 – The Tuileries Palace is stormed and Louis XVI is arrested and taken into custody.Francesource
  • 179313 July – French Revolution: Charlotte Corday kills Jean-Paul Marat in his bath.Francesource
  • 17957 April – France adopts the metre as the unit of length.Francesource

19th century

190 entries, 1800 CE to 1898 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 180024 December - Plot of the Rue Saint-Nicaise, assassination attempt on Napoleon Bonaparte in Paris.Francesource
  • 18028 April - Organic Articles presented by Napoleon.Francesource
  • 180531 December - The French Republican calendar is used for the last time, 8 days after being annulled by Napoleon with effect from 1 January 1806, the final official date being "9 Nivôse in Year XIV of the Revolution". This year also he has ordered his soldiers to be vaccinated.Francesource
  • 180822 January – The Bragança Portuguese Royal Family arrives in Brazil, having fled the French army.Francesource
  • 18153 October - Fall of the Mars meteorite Chassigny in Chassigny, Haute-Marne.Francesource
  • 1819Théodore Géricault's painting The Raft of the Medusa (Le Radeau de la Méduse) is first exhibited at Salon of 1819 in Paris.Francesource
  • 1825January - Anti-Sacrilege Act, law against blasphemy and sacrilege passed under King Charles X. The law is never applied (except for a minor point).Francesource
  • 182917 November – Jules de Polignac becomes president of the council of ministers.Francesource
  • 183222 February – French Expedition to Ancona occupies Ancona in Italy, remaining until 1838Francesource
  • 1837Luxury goods manufacturer Hermès is established in Paris by Thierry Hermès.Francesource
  • 1841Uranium is first isolated, by Eugène-Melchior Péligot.Francesource
  • 1847Jeweler Cartier established in Paris.Francesource
  • 185518 April – The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, requested by Napoleon III for the Exposition Universelle (opening 15 May), first appears.Francesource
  • 18609 April - Typesetter Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville sings "Au clair de la lune" into his phonautograph, producing the world's earliest known sound recording of a song. However, it would not be converted back into audible sound until 2008.Francesource
  • 18651 January - The French government suppresses promulgation of the Papal "Syllabus of Errors" from the pulpit.Francesource
  • 18692 May - Folies Bergère opens in Paris as the Folies Trévise.Francesource
  • 1872Gustave Doré - Le Christ quittant le prétoireFrancesource
  • 1873Jules Verne - Le Pays des fourruresFrancesource
  • 1876Jacques Offenbach - Pierrette et JacquotFrancesource
  • 188029 June – France annexes Tahiti.Francesource
  • 188423 November – Siege of Tuyên Quang begins in Indochina: The French Foreign Legion is besieged by forces of the Empire of China.Francesource
  • 1887Guy de Maupassant - Le Rosier de Madame HussonFrancesource
  • 1889June – The Volpini Exhibition is staged by Paul Gauguin and other "peintures du Groupe impressioniste et synthétiste" in Paris.Francesource
  • 1891Gustave Moreau becomes a professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.Francesource
  • 189515 March – Dreyfus is landed on Devil's Island off French Guiana.Francesource

20th century

56 entries, 1902 CE to 1967 CE — 25 shown, spread across the century

  • 1902January - Alfred Loisy writes L'évangile et l'Eglise, which inaugurates the crisis of modernism in the Catholic Church.Francesource
  • 190224 August – A statue of Joan of Arc is unveiled in Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier, the town which she stormed in 1429.Francesource
  • 1903John Antoine Nau - Force ennemieFrancesource
  • 19042 July - The second Tour de France begins.Francesource
  • 190514 July – The government of France institutes its first government assistance program for elderly and disabled persons.Francesource
  • 190616 January - Algeciras Conference begins, to mediate the First Moroccan Crisis between France and Germany.Francesource
  • 1906Arnould Galopin - Doctor OmegaFrancesource
  • 190629 July - Tour de France ends, won by René Pottier.Francesource
  • 1907Gaston Leroux - Le mystère de la chambre jauneFrancesource
  • 1908Hallucinations pharmaceutiques ou le Truc du potardFrancesource
  • 19091 August - Tour de France ends, won by François Faber of Luxembourg.Francesource
  • 191015 January – Constant rain in Paris causes the Seine to overflow its banks, flooding the city. All but one line of the Paris Métro becomes filled with water, effectively draining water from the city.Francesource
  • 191327 July – Tour de France ends, won by Philippe Thys of Belgium.Francesource
  • 191917 November – American expatriate Sylvia Beach opens the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris.Francesource
  • 192031 July - France prohibits the sale or prescription of contraceptives.Francesource
  • 19226 February – Washington Naval Treaty is signed by United States, Britain, Japan, France and Italy.Francesource
  • 19221 August – Two trains carrying pilgrims from Moulins to Lourdes collide at Miélan killing at least 33.Francesource
  • 192519 July – Tour de France ends, won by Ottavio Bottecchia of Italy.Francesource
  • 193114 June – Overloaded pleasure craft Saint-Philibert, carrying trippers home to Nantes from Île de Noirmoutier, sinks at the mouth of the river Loire and over 450 drown.Francesource
  • 193528 July – Tour de France ends, won by Romain Maes of BelgiumFrancesource
  • 193725 July – Tour de France ends, won by Roger Lapébie.Francesource
  • 19391 September – Invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany. France and Britain deliver ultimatums to Germany and France declares full mobilization.Francesource
  • 194012 September – Lascaux: 17,000-year-old cave paintings are discovered by a group of young Frenchmen hiking through Southern France. The paintings depict animals and date to the Stone Age.Francesource
  • 194415 March – The National Council of the French Resistance approves the Resistance programme.Francesource
  • 196222 June – An Air France Boeing 707 jet crashes into terrain during bad weather in Guadeloupe, West Indies, killing all 113 on board.Francesource