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

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Birthdays

846 - King Louis II

1530 - Étienne de La Boétie (French judge and writer)

1539 - Pierre Pithou (French lawyer and scholar)

1636 - Nicolas Boileau (French poet and critic)

1661 - Florent Carton Dancourt (French dramatist and actor)

1720 - Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte (French admiral)

1867 - Victor Sévère (Martinican politician)

1875 - Comtesse Anna de Nouailles (French author and poet)

1903 - Jean Tardieu (French artist, musician, and playwright)

1911 - Henri Troyat (French writer)

1939 - Bernard Kouchner (French doctor)

Deaths

1296 - Guillaume Durand (French writer)

1391 - Amadeus VII of Savoy

1399 - John V, Duke of Brittany

1588 - Jean Daurat (French poet)

1596 - Pierre Pithou (French lawyer and scholar)

1642 - Jean Nicolet (French explorer)

1907 - Alfred Jarry (French writer)

1987 - René Lévesque (Premier of Québec)

Holidays/Celebrations

Belgium, France, Seychelles - la Toussaint

Algeria - National day

Milestones/Events

1790 - Edmund Burke published Reflections on the Revolution in France

1954 - Algerian War of Independence: Front de Libération Nationale fired the first shots

1970 - Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, France: Fire at a dance hall killed 144 people

1993 - Maastricht Treaty took effect, European Union established

Errors and Omissions

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