Learn about important dates in French and francophone history: famous birthdays, holidays and celebrations, and other milestones. If the above does not match today's date or you wish to choose a specific date, please click here

To learn more about important dates in French and francophone history, bookmark Today in Francophone History and visit every day!

Birthdays

1738 - Jacques Delille (French poet and translator)

1879 - Thibaudeau Rinfret (jurist and Chief Justice of Canada)

1966 - Emmanuelle Seigner (French actress)

1979 - Thomas Voeckler (French bicycle racer)

Deaths

1892 - Pierre Ossian Bonnet (French mathematician)

1894 - Alexandre-Antonin Taché (Canadian archbishop and missionary)

1931 - Armand Fallières (French president)

1974 - Darius Milhaud (French composer)

1979 - Louis Chiron (Monaco race car driver)

1989 - Lucien Saulnier (French Canadian politician)

1997 - Gérard Pelletier (French journalist, politician, and diplomat)

Milestones/Events

1783 - Poisonous cloud from Laki volcanic eruption in Iceland reached Le Havre, France

1812 - Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon invaded Russia

1848 - Paris: June Days Uprising began

1937 - Camille Chautemps became Prime Minister of France

1940 - France forced to sign armistice with Nazi Germany

1941 - Various Communist and Socialist French Resistance movements merged to one group

1962 - Guadeloupe: Air France Boeing 707 jet crashed in bad weather, killing 113

Errors and Omissions

If you believe anything on this page is wrong or missing, please let me know